Deck 14: Information Technology (IT)for Business

Question 1

Intellectual property is something produced by a computer that has personal value.

Answer 1

False
Explanation:Intellectual property is something produced by the intellect or mind that has commercial value.

Question 2

The application of electronic technologies for searching,sifting,and reorganizing pools of data to uncover useful information is called data warehousing.

Answer 2

False
Explanation:Data warehousing is the collection, storage, and retrieval of data in electronic files. This is the definition of data mining.

Question 3

Computer-aided design (CAD)can increase the productivity of knowledge workers.

Answer 3

True
Explanation:Specialized support systems, such as CAD, have increased the productivity of knowledge workers.

Question 4

Hardware consists of programs that tell a computer how to function.

Question 5

A router scrambles e-mail messages to get around security systems.

Question 6

Information networks are leading to leaner companies with fewer employees and simpler organizational structures.

Question 7

System software tells the computer's hardware how to interact with the software,what resources to use,and how to use them.

Question 8

An application server,an e-mail server,and a print server are all computers that provide services shared by users.

Question 9

One pitfall with VSAT satellite communications is that they tend to lack privacy.

Question 10

Through data mining,a manager can access demographic information on customers,for example,in order to decide which advertising media may be best to use.

Question 11

Enterprise resource planning (ERP)may allow a firm to check on the status of any customer order for specific products.

Question 12

A CAD system could help a sales manager learn what sales levels will likely result from various levels of advertising expenditures.

Question 13

Trojan horses are malicious programs that replicate themselves like viruses.

Question 14

Microsoft's Live Messenger and IBM's Visualization Data Explorer are examples of groupware.

Question 15

An information system may be a set of several information systems that share information.

Question 16

Electronic conferencing is popular because it reduces travel expenses and saves money.

Question 17

In a client-server network,the client is typically a customer or supplier.

Question 18

Electronic commerce (e-commerce)is popular with consumers but has hurt productivity.

Question 19

Hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP)is a basic communications protocol used to receive e-mail.

Question 20

Mass-customization tends to reduce the volume in which companies produce.

Question 21

Which type of communication technology is attractive to businesses because it eliminates travel expenses?

A) VSAT satellite communications
B) extranets
C) intranets
D) electronic conferencing
E) client-server networks

Question 22

What feature allows people in remote locations to work simultaneously on one document?

A) videoconferencing
B) voice mail
C) dataconferencing
D) digital information service
E) text messaging

Question 23

Which of the following BEST describes enterprise resource planning?

A) an information processing application for routine business activities of a company's business units
B) an information system for organizing and managing a firm's activities across product lines, departments, and geographic locations
C) a system used for transforming data into information for use in decision making
D) a computer-based electronic technology that assists in designing products by simulating a real product and displaying it in three-dimensional graphics
E) an internal inventory of a company's product lines

Question 24

What feature does a firewall provide?

A) Internet access
B) protection from electrical surges
C) connectivity between stations in a LAN
D) privacy protection
E) links to computers in a WAN

Question 25

Who has access to intranets generally?

A) employees
B) suppliers
C) customers
D) shareholders
E) dealers

Question 26

Which component directs the computer to the correct resources to use and how to use them?

A) an application program
B) system software
C) an electronic spreadsheet
D) a database
E) management information systems

Question 27

Spyware authors can use stolen information to create their own "intellectual property."

Question 28

What is the term used for searching,sifting,and reorganizing pools of data to uncover useful information?

A) data warehousing
B) data access
C) data tapping
D) data cleaning
E) data mining

Question 29

What type of network links computers and workstations,usually within one building?

A) satellite communication
B) global positioning
C) personal digital
D) wide area
E) local area

Question 30

Which of the following BEST describes an extranet?

A) a software and hardware system that prevents outsiders from accessing a company's network
B) a tool that searches Web pages containing the user's search terms and then displays pages that match
C) a private network of internal websites and other sources of information available to a company's employees
D) an Internet connection allowing outsiders limited access to a firm's internal information system
E) a delivery system linked to production schedules

Question 31

In client-server networks,who or what is the usual client?

A) the computer through which users make requests for information
B) the application through which users answer information requests
C) the customer who does business online
D) the supplier who checks the availability of components
E) the network which supports the database and software systems

Question 32

How can customers order a messenger bag from the online Timbuk2 site with exactly the features they desire?

A) through mass production
B) through unit production
C) through process management
D) through mass-customization
E) through anti-virus software

Question 33

What is "spam"?

A) a form of firewall
B) intellectual property
C) junk e-mail
D) a form of hacking
E) wireless mooching

Question 34

A company's security policy can prevent certain data from passing through its firewall.

Question 35

Who is the person in charge of operating the systems used for gathering,organizing,and distributing information?

A) production manager
B) operations manager
C) information systems manager
D) research and development manager
E) communications manager

Question 36

What system allows outsiders limited access to a firm's internal information systems?

A) intranets
B) firewalls
C) extranets
D) directories
E) satellites

Question 37

Which term refers to the unauthorized stealing of personal information from a computer system?

A) espionage
B) leverage
C) denial of service
D) identity theft
E) network flooding

Question 38

Which cybercriminal activity refers to the act of luring Internet users to bogus websites?

A) computer virus distribution
B) spamming
C) phishing
D) Trojan horse distribution
E) piracy

Question 39

What is a computer-based system that allows people to communicate simultaneously from different locations via telephone,e-mail,or video?

A) groupware
B) a data communication network
C) a management information system
D) electronic conferencing
E) hypertext

Question 40

What is the name of software and hardware that prevent hackers from accessing a company's internal network?

A) partition
B) firewall
C) extranet
D) index
E) security

Question 41

In order for a virus to spread from computer to computer,what must it always attach itself to first?

A) all available computer memory
B) a worm
C) a router
D) a piece of hardware
E) a program

Question 42

What advantage does a communication system using VSAT satellite have?

A) speed
B) low cost
C) privacy
D) groupware
E) spyware

Question 43

What are keyboards,monitors,and printers examples of?

A) control
B) hardware
C) software
D) databases
E) servers

Question 44

What is a management information system?

A) a system that supports managers by providing daily reports, schedules, plans, and budgets that can be used for making decisions
B) an easy-access application of an information system designed for instant access by upper-level managers
C) an information processing application for use in business activities involving well-defined processing steps
D) an interactive system that locates and presents information needed to support the decision-making process
E) a repository of information resources related to the collection of data

Question 45

The increase of technology in the workplace has resulted in more employees working at home and telecommuting.Telecommuting employees rely heavily on e-mail communication to complete work tasks.Which statement,if true,BEST supports those who claim that e-mail communication fosters increased misunderstandings?

A) The high volume of e-mail discourages employees from interacting with coworkers face to face, thus leading to more misunderstandings.
B) Most e-mail communication among workers is polite and to the point.
C) People who e-mail frequently don't know how to communicate verbally with others.
D) E-mail fosters more nonverbal communications between workers in a company.
E) Workers communicate more frequently about work when e-mailing.

Question 46

Which of the following BEST describes a decision support system?

A) a system that supports an organization's managers by providing daily reports, schedules, plans, and budgets that can be used for making decisions
B) a quick-reference, easy-access application of information systems specifically designed for instant access by upper-level managers
C) a system of hardware and software that imitates human behavior
D) an interactive system that creates virtual business models for a particular kind of decision and tests them with different data to see how they respond
E) a processor that plans production and delivery schedules

Question 47

At Chaparral Steel,delivery times,sales,profits,and customer service and loyalty have been boosted by a system that gives customers electronic access to the mill's inventories.What is the name of this kind of system?

A) distribution channel
B) intranet
C) handbook
D) extranet
E) product availability

Question 48

Who most often needs information in order to conduct technical projects?

A) middle managers
B) members of the board of directors
C) top-level managers
D) knowledge workers
E) network administrators

Question 49

What is the most common type of network used in businesses?

A) intranet
B) client-server
C) extranet
D) hotspot
E) anti-virus

Question 50

What is the major limitation of Wi-Fi?

A) high cost
B) privacy concerns
C) productivity
D) short range of distance
E) installation challenges

Question 51

What system includes data conferencing and videoconferencing?

A) electronic communication systems
B) electronic conferencing
C) group systems
D) data communication networks
E) data mining

Question 52

Which type of IT threat can spread without a computer user needing to open any software?

A) worms
B) Trojan horses
C) spam
D) spyware
E) computer viruses

Question 53

What does a company need to operate so that it has total control over its communications without dependence on other companies?

A) its own website
B) its own VSAT system
C) an extranet
D) its own groupware site
E) enterprise planning

Question 54

A cell phone store manager needs to forecast sales for the upcoming Black Friday sales weekend.Which information would be MOST helpful?

A) the store with the least sales of all store locations for the past five years
B) the store with the highest sales of all store locations for the past five years
C) the cell phone model which earned the most revenue in all store locations for the past five years
D) the total amount spent per customer in each cell phone store for all locations for the past five years
E) the number of customers who entered the cell phone store for all locations

Question 55

Which software can create products ranging from cell phones to auto parts at lower costs compared to manual modeling methods?

A) decision support systems
B) operations software
C) computer-aided manufacturing software
D) computer-aided design software
E) data warehousing software

Question 56

A small preschool decided to give its teachers access to a laptop computer during daily naptime.Administrators found over time that teacher productivity actually decreased.Which statement would BEST explain why teacher productivity has decreased in spite of the increased computer time?

A) Too many children were disruptive during naptime hours.
B) Teachers added more tasks to get done and could not complete them all during naptime.
C) Teachers could not watch the children and work on the computer at the same time.
D) The classroom lacked the necessary office equipment needed to be productive.
E) Teachers spent most of the naptime surfing Internet websites unrelated to their work assignments.

Question 57

Which of the following BEST describes information?

A) the useful interpretation of facts and figures
B) a list of company names provided by the local Chamber of Commerce
C) the collection of raw facts and figures
D) controlled flow of words for a useful purpose
E) databases and flowcharts

Question 58

Phishing or pharming involve which of the following?

A) intellectual property theft
B) firewalls that prevent hacking
C) viruses sent from one station to another in a LAN
D) deceptive e-mails that imitate popular websites
E) trading of company secrets

Question 59

A small parochial school uses handwritten timecards and attendance sheets to calculate biweekly payroll and vacation time.Which statement,if true,would BEST support the idea by managers to convert to computer software to maintain employee records?

A) The school has multiple types of employees, with different work schedules and different contracts, whose hours are calculated by hand.
B) Part-time staffing has been allocated for payroll and human resource function.
C) Employees often submit their timecards incorrectly.
D) Employees often forget to submit their vacation request forms.
E) The existing management is eager to switch to the new system for human resources.

Question 60

Which of the following supports an organization's managers by providing daily reports,schedules,plans,and budgets?

A) management application systems
B) management operations systems
C) management information systems
D) management expert systems
E) management enterprise systems

Question 61

Which of the following questions is MOST relevant to Retepson's decisions with respect to the viability of its business model?

A) Does Retepson currently have high market share or low market share in the industries in which it competes?
B) Has Retepson been profitable throughout its history?
C) Would the profit margins of any new businesses be higher or lower than current profit margins?
D) To what extent will college students be likely to choose books to get information about colleges?
E) Are people who bought Retepson books in the past likely to buy new editions of those books after they leave college?

Question 62

A supermarket is considering automated checkouts that would allow customers to scan the prices of their foods while shopping.Scanners would be placed around the store in different locations.Which statement,if true,would BEST support the claim that this idea would work better than a floating checkout idea?

A) There are good locations in the meat, dairy, and bakery aisles to support scanners.
B) Scanners would be operated by customers during peak times.
C) Portable scanners require yearly training for staff and customers.
D) Handheld scanner technology doesn't require extra resources to operate and is virtually self-managed.
E) The scanners are not portable and hence cannot be broken by customers.

Question 63

Black Friday is well known as the start of the end-of-the-year holiday shopping season in the U.S.retail market.Stores offer a variety of up-to-the-minute deals to attract customers into the store between certain hours.Customers have begun to utilize electronic PDAs and cell phones to keep up with the myriad sales and deals in the stores.Which condition would MOST threaten customers' use of mobile technology while shopping in stores?

A) Customers, upon entering stores, were body-scanned with magnetic detectors.
B) Store sales were broadcast over loudspeakers.
C) There are few Wi-Fi transmission hotspots inside the stores.
D) Lighting inside of stores was too dim.
E) Store personnel were not as helpful to customers with smartphones in their hands.

Question 64

Which of the following,if true,would BEST support Stevenson's position?

A) In general, the more that businesses use information technology, the better they perform.
B) Businesses that exclusively sell online have been the fastest-growing.
C) The most successful businesses are those that make use of information technology.
D) Many more businesses sell their products over the Internet now than in the past.
E) Easily packaged imperishable consumer goods are those that are best suited to being sold over the Internet.

Question 65

Many hotels allow customers to check out without waiting at the front desk upon leaving.This greatly decreases checkout time and allows the front desk to be used for incoming and existing customers.One new approach is to permit customers to pay for their hotel stay online the night before checkout and then to leave their keys in the room.Which statement,if true,would BEST support this new idea for checking out?

A) Hotel customers have continually been requesting Internet access in their rooms.
B) Hotel rooms now come equipped with free Internet access directly to the hotel's website through the television.
C) More hotel customers now travel with laptops that have wireless Internet access.
D) Most hotel checkout counters have additional services for customers' needs during their stay.
E) Customers are willing to pay for Internet access through wireless and DSL connections.

Question 66

Greg feels comfortable that no one can open and read his e-mails.What does Greg most likely have installed in his computer?

A) anti-virus software
B) spyware
C) encryption software
D) a Trojan horse
E) a worm

Question 67

Which of the following is assumed by Marquand?

A) All businesses now use information technology for communications and information.
B) Relatively few businesses sell products online.
C) Less information was available to businesses before the information technology revolution than there is now.
D) Consumers preferentially choose to buy from businesses that use the latest information technology.
E) Selling online is relatively unimportant to most businesses.

Question 68

Which of the following is assumed by Stevenson?

A) Most people do not like shopping at traditional retail stores.
B) Many businesses are reluctant to adopt the latest information technology.
C) Most consumers use the Internet primarily to buy goods.
D) The greatest benefit of information technology has been to businesses.
E) Many products are more efficiently sold online than in traditional stores.

Question 69

What is a particularly sinister quality of spyware?

A) It replicates itself, using up valuable computer memory.
B) It often disguises itself as helpful software.
C) It consumes bandwidth by flooding user inboxes with junk e-mail.
D) It often leads to wireless mooching.
E) It is completely legal.

Question 70

Home Garden Center uses mobile customer service representatives in all of its stores.These floating personnel walk the huge warehouse with smart phones answering customer questions,pointing out locations of items,and directing customers to checkout.Which condition would MOST threaten the use of the mobile customer service at Home Garden Centers in the next business season?

A) Incoming employees seem less technically savvy with mobile devices.
B) Several store departments are swapping locations within the store facility.
C) The size of the smartphone is causing some employees to continually drop the device.
D) The current model of smartphone uses an operating system that no longer supports the store's customer service application program.
E) There is a slight increase in the theft rate of smartphones from the stores.

Question 71

Which of the following is at issue between Marquand and Stevenson?

A) whether online selling is an important factor in business today
B) whether information technology has made a significant difference to businesses
C) whether doing business is significantly helped by online communications
D) what the most important effect of information technology has been on business
E) what has changed in business since the advent of the latest information technology

Question 72

Tamasaki Sushi Bar is located in the Cotswold Shopping Center in a busy uptown business district.It caters to a few art galleries,a theater,and a nearby technical college.Recently,Tamasaki has noticed a decrease in customers around the lunchtime hour,which is one of its primary sales times during the day.Many customers use cell phones and frequent the Internet cafe in the area during the lunch hour.Which statement,if true,could BEST explain the sagging sales experienced by Tamasaki?

A) Most of the workers use the lunchtime hour for taking food out instead of eating in.
B) The nearby establishments have their own cafeteria for employees and students to use.
C) Technically savvy customers take advantage of deals offered via the website and Facebook site of the deli and bar-grill down the street.
D) Limited parking spaces discourage customers from stopping by for lunch.
E) College students prefer pizza and burgers for lunch and restaurant food for dinner.

Question 73

Sally wants to determine any changes in the plant's performance based on an estimated 20 percent increase in sales.What technology will Sally most likely use?

A) decision support system (DSS)
B) groupware application
C) spyware application
D) CAD system
E) enterprise resource planning (ERP)

Question 74

Why might businesses want to analyze data that reveal what consumers do in the marketplace?

A) to be able to send them tailor-made advertisements
B) to be able to close the customer service department
C) to be able to reduce production costs
D) to be able to stabilize employee turnover
E) to be able to manage long-term costs

Question 75

Kinsey Lighting,Inc.is a small retailer of decorative lamps and accessories for commercial businesses and residential homes.The company has been family-owned for two decades and has always advertised its business through local media outlets such as newspapers,yellow pages,and occasional radio spots.Recently,Kinsey has been talking with a Web designer about developing a company website.Which statement,if true,would BEST support Kinsey's decision to create a website for the business?

A) There have been more younger families moving into homes in the area.
B) The local business association has an online directory for its business partners.
C) A new website business has opened up across the street from the lamp store.
D) Online sales of similar businesses in the area have increased substantially over the years.
E) A neighborhood supplier of lamp products just moved to another county.

Question 76

What type of users would download spyware?

A) users seeking to prevent viruses from attacking
B) users who are unaware that their computer activities will be monitored
C) users who wish to prevent spam from entering their computer
D) users who want easy access to their coworkers' files
E) users who are keen to share documents

Question 77

Interstate's Chief Information Officer thinks that improvements to the company's wide area network (WAN)should be a priority for the company.Which of the following,if true,would strengthen the CIO's position?

A) Interstate's various branches rely greatly on information-sharing with each other.
B) Much of the hardware that is used in Interstate's offices has not been upgraded in some time.
C) Interstate sales reps rely on collaborative work with other reps in the same office.
D) Existing e-mail servers at many of Interstate's locations are often full.
E) Interstate is hiring many new sales reps who need extensive training.

Question 78

Which of the following BEST describes a firewall?

A) a software and hardware system that prevents outsiders from accessing a company's internal network
B) a tool that searches Web pages containing the user's search terms and then displays pages that match
C) a private network of internal websites and other sources of information available to a company's employees
D) an Internet connection allowing outsiders limited access to a firm's internal information system
E) an extranet site that gives customers access to different product lines

Question 79

A small preschool collects its tuition payments from parents by automated bank drafts each month.Administrators at the school are considering online tuition collections through the use of a secure logon on their school website.Which statement,if true,would BEST support the idea of online tuition collections?

A) The website already has a wealth of information on it that parents use each day.
B) Parents are highly technically savvy and prefer the convenience of using the school's website for other functions like enrollment and admissions.
C) School newsletters and flyers went paperless a few years ago.
D) A small group of parents has expressed interest in paying their bills online.
E) The teachers have also expressed a need to go digital with paperwork.

Question 80

Which of the following,if true,would BEST support Marquand's position?

A) Having information to help it plan gives a business the greatest competitive edge.
B) Information technology has given consumers more choices than ever before.
C) The majority of consumers make at least one online purchase per month.
D) Information technology has greatly increased the choices available to consumers.
E) Most businesses are motivated to take advantage of the latest information technology.