2002 PhD.

Core Exam: Part 1

MIS Dept, Univ. of Arizona, T!"on, A#
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
Venue: Room 214, McClelland Hall
Time: 9:00 AM 1:00 PM
I$ST%UCTI&$S: 'P(ea"e rea) them !aref((* +efore *o +e,in the exam-
1. The exam will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. and end promptly at 1:00 p.m. No extensions are allowed.
2. This exam consists of 6 qestions. !o are reqired to answer all of them. "lease allocate roghly #0
mintes per qestion and lea$e some time for chec%ing yor answers.
#. &ach qestion is worth 100 points.
'. (or each qestion) state yor assmptions clearly.
*. +f yo are writing by hand in a ble boo%) please answer each qestion in a sepaa!e "lue boo%. +f
yo are sing a word processor) please ma#e sue !$a! you s!a! eac$ ne% &ues!ion on a ne% pa'e.
!o are allowed to se combinations of the ble boo% and a word processor file for answering
qestions.
6. ,t the top of each qestion that yo answer) please identify two things:
The nmber of the qestion that yo are answering and
The code name gi$en to yo at the beginning of the exam. (o no! %i!e you eal name
any%$ee on !$e e)am, and use only you code name.
-. "lease ma%e !%o *2+ dis#e!!e copies of the files containing yor answers if yo are sing a word
processor. Please !un in "o!$ dis#e!!es) along with yor ble boo% answers and the exam qestions)
to the proctor at the end of the exam.
.. !o are allowed to ta%e a restroom or lnch brea% on(* if no one else is already ta%ing one. !o
shold get the proctor/s consent before ta%ing a brea%) and also inform him as soon as yo retrn
from yor brea%.
9. +f yo are sing a word processor) please ma%e sre that yo sa,e you ans%es -e&uen!ly. +t is yor
responsibility to ensre that yo do not lose wor%.
10. The exam is C.&SED /&&0. ,ccessing the web on the compter is $&T allowed and will be
se$erely penali0ed.
11. 1ome qestions ha$e mltiple parts. 2a%e sre yo answer all of them and nmber them properly.
12. !o ha$e been pro$ided with MS1&%D an) P&1E%P&I$T.
2&&D .UC033
1
4e"tion 1: Thi" 5e"tion i" a+ot vario" 6a*" to (o!a((* inter!onne!t !ompter". '100 point"-
,. 310 points4 5onsider a set of compters that are connected by commnication channels that each
connect exactly two compters) and e$ery compter is connected to e$ery other compter. 6hat %ind
of networ% is this7
8. 310 points4 9escribe briefly an ad$antage of this %ind of networ% $s. an &thernet :,N which ma%es
se of a ;b or a 1witch. ;int: thin% abot secrity and pri$acy.
5. 310 points4 (or N compters) how many connections do yo need7 &$ery time yo add a new
compter to this type of networ%) how many new connections do yo need7
9. 31* points4 &xplain how :,N technologies) de$eloped in the 1960s and 19-0s) redced the costs
from the type of networ% we are tal%ing abot in parts 1, throgh 15. &xplain what new %ind of
competition this introdced among the compters and the isses this raises that :,N standards mst
address.
&. 31* points4 9escribe collisions in a typical wired &thernet :,N. 6hat defines a collision7 ;ow can
they happen gi$en that this :,N ses 512,7 6hat happens once a collision occrs7 ;ow does the
standard try to pre$ent sbseqent collisions between the two compters that cased the original
collision7 6hat happens if the same two compters collide again7
(. 31* points4 9escribe the %ey differences between yor answer to +& and the sitation with wireless
&thernet :,Ns broadcasting at 900 2;0. 9o the wireless &thernet :,Ns se 59 35ollision 9etect47
+f not) how else can they manage collisions7
<. 3* points4 6hat is the wa$elength of the broadcast :,N described in =estion 1(. Ta%e the speed of
light to be # > 10? 10 cm@sec. 2a%e sre to write the nits of yor answer.
;. 310 points4 1ppose yo ha$e N compters on an &thernet :,N which ses a hb) and the
probability than any one of the compters might transmit in a gi$en time inter$al is 0.0*. 6hat is the
probability that a collision will occr7 !o do not need to simplify yor answer.
+. 310 points4 Now consider the case of ha$ing exactly ' compters on this :,N. 1ol$e the problem of
1; considering a 1witch instead of a ;b with N A '. The probability that any of them can transmit
is still 0.0*. !o do not need to simplify yor answer.
4e"tion 2: $et6or7in, Con!ept" '100 point"-
,. 320 points4 6hat is an &thernet Bepeater7 6hat is the prpose of sing it7 6hat layer is this de$ice7
+f the original effecti$e length of an &thernet segment is *00 meters) what is the new effecti$e length
after we se a repeater7 6hy canCt we extend &thernet segments indefinitely with repeaters7 ;ow
many can we se) maximm) between any two &thernet stations7
8. 320 points4 9escribe the %ey similarities and differences between 8ridges and Bepeaters. ,t what
layer are 8ridges7 9o they ha$e N+5 cards7 9o the hosts on the :,N DseeE the 8ridge or is it
in$isible to them7 9escribe how the bridge does Dframe filteringE. 6hat %inds of frames does it not
pass between 1egments7 6hat is the startp beha$ior of a (iltering 8ridge7 3hint: at startp) all the
(orwarding Tables in the bridges are empty4.
2
5. 310 points4 9escribe and define the acronym F"N. 9escribe a bsiness or ni$ersity scenario where
yo wold want to se it.
9. 320 points4 9escribe and define the acronym :9," and ,ccess 5ontrol :ists and how they come into
play when considering F"Ns. 6hat layer is the :9," protocol at7 ;ow do programming langages
ma%e se of :9,"7 9escribe the basics of the :9," data strctre.
&. 31* points4 9istingish between a 5onnectionGHriented and 5onnectionless paradigm. 6hich one
has an analogy to the I1, postal system7 <i$e 2 examples of a 5onnectionGoriented "blic
1witched 9ata Networ% 3"19N4 and 1 example of a 5onnectionless "19N.
(. 31* points4 6hy does the T5"@+" "rotocol software design create a need for 9N17 +n other words)
why do we need 9N1J how does the 9N1 protocol ma%e dayGtoGday wor% easier for people7 6hat
does the 9N1 acronym stand for7 6hat layer is it at7 6hat is the name of the special records 9N1
ses in conKnction with eGmail7 6hat special records alias one domain name to another7
4e"tion 8: Tree" for D/MS an) )ata minin,: '100 point"-
,. "lease define a 8Gtree of Hrder 2 and draw a 8Gtree example with sample records.
&xplain why 8Gtrees are often sed in relational 9821. 3#0 points4
8. "lease present the data strctre and algorithm sed in the +9# indcti$e learning
method. 3#0 points4
5. "lease present a bsiness problem that is sited for sing +9#. "lease explain the
characteristics of yor problem and the steps 3for yor bsiness problem4 in$ol$ed to perform yor
%nowledge disco$ery tas%. 3'0 points4
4e"tion 9: Internet Sear!h En,ine": '100 point"-
,. "lease define DspammingE in +nternet search engines. 9escribe one example of spamming and
sggest a way to detect it. 3#0 points4
8. "lease present an architectre and its related technical components for creating a 825 3bsiness
to cstomer4 prodct storefront. 5hoose and describe yor own prodct or ser$ice. 3#0 points4
5. "lease describe the similarities and differences between an +nternet search engine 3e.g.) <oogle4
and a 825 prodct storefront 3e.g.) ,ma0on.com4. 6hat are the roles of data mining for both
applications7 3'0 points4
4e"tion :: %e(ationa( norma(ization '100 point"-
1. The following relational schema represents the logical design for the 5omfort +nn hotel chain. "lease
examine the fnctional dependencies and the crrent table strctre. 1tate clearly the highest normal form
for each of the crrent tables. &xplain why it is in that normal form and the problems 3if any4 associated
with the crrent design. 9ecompose the relations to ta%e care of these anomalies and show the process of
yor con$ersions. Bemember to mar% the primary %ey in the new tables) and show that the problems yo
pointed ot earlier no longer exist. "lease write down any assmptions yo ma%e.
;otels 3"hone) ;otelNo) ;otelName) 1treet,ddress) 5ity) Lip) 1tate) NmberHfBooms4
#
<ests3;otelNo) BoomNo) <:astName) <(irstName) ,rri$e9ate) :ea$e9ate) NoHf8eds) Bate"er9ay)
Hther5harges4
(acilities3;otelNo) (acility) 5hargeToIse4
&mployees3&mp+d) 11N) &:astName) &(irstName) ,ddress) 1tart9ate4
&mployee"osition3&mp+d) 9esignation) 1alary4
;otelNo ;otelName) 1treet,ddress) 5ity) Lip) 1tate) NmberHfBooms
"hone ;otelNo
;otelNo) BoomNo NoHf8eds) Bate"er9ay
;otelNo) (acility 5hargeToIse
<est+d <:astName) <(irstName
;otelNo) BoomNo) ,rri$e9ate) :ea$e9ate <est+d) Hther5harges
&mp+d 11N) &:astName) &(irstName) ,ddress
11N &mp+d) &:astName) &(irstName) ,ddress
&mp+d) 1tart9ate 9esignation) 1alary
&mp+d) 9esignation 1tart9ate) 1alary
4e"tion ;: /"ine"" r(e" '100 point"-
6hat are the different types of bsiness rles that can be expressed in an &B model7 <i$e an example of
each and clearly explain why it is important to captre these bsiness rles dring conceptal design.
6hat is the impact of each rle on the implementation and operation of the database7
'
2002 PhD. Core Exam: Part 2
MIS Dept, Univ. of Arizona, T!"on, A#
.ednesday, May 29, 2002
Venue: Room 214, McClelland Hall
Time: 9:00 AM 1:00 PM
I$ST%UCTI&$S: 'P(ea"e rea) them !aref((* +efore *o +e,in the exam-
1#. The exam will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. and end promptly at 1:00 p.m. No extensions are allowed.
1'. This exam consists of 6 qestions. !o are reqired to answer all of them. "lease allocate roghly #0
mintes per qestion and lea$e some time for chec%ing yor answers.
1*. &ach qestion is worth 100 points.
16. (or each qestion) state yor assmptions clearly.
1-. +f yo are writing by hand in a ble boo%) please answer each qestion in a sepaa!e "lue boo%. +f
yo are sing a word processor) please ma#e sue !$a! you s!a! eac$ ne% &ues!ion on a ne% pa'e.
!o are allowed to se combinations of the ble boo% and a word processor file for answering
qestions.
1.. ,t the top of each qestion that yo answer) please identify two things:
The nmber of the qestion that yo are answering and
The code name gi$en to yo at the beginning of the exam. (o no! %i!e you eal name
any%$ee on !$e e)am, and use only you code name.
19. "lease ma%e !%o *2+ dis#e!!e copies of the files containing yor answers if yo are sing a word
processor. Please !un in "o!$ dis#e!!es) along with yor ble boo% answers and the exam qestions)
to the proctor at the end of the exam.
20. !o are allowed to ta%e a restroom or lnch brea% on(* if no one else is already ta%ing one. !o
shold get the proctor/s consent before ta%ing a brea%) and also inform him as soon as yo retrn
from yor brea%.
21. +f yo are sing a word processor) please ma%e sre that yo sa,e you ans%es -e&uen!ly. +t is yor
responsibility to ensre that yo do not lose wor%.
22. The exam is C.&SED /&&0. ,ccessing the web on the compter is $&T allowed and will be
se$erely penali0ed.
2#. 1ome qestions ha$e mltiple parts. 2a%e sre yo answer all of them and nmber them properly.
2'. !o ha$e been pro$ided with MS1&%D an) P&1E%P&I$T.
2&&D .UC033
*
=I&1T+HN1 - and . 8&:H6 ,B& 8,1&9 HN T;& (H::H6+N< N,BB,T+F& H( , 8I1+N&11
"BH5&11 1!1T&2
The following is a description of a THG8& process for a msic store planning to sell 59s online. The
+nternet 1ales 1ystem will ha$e a database of basic information abot the 59s that it can sell o$er the
+nternet similar to the 59 database at each of the retail stores. &$eryday the +nternet sales system will
recei$e an pdate from the distribtion system that will be sed to pdate this 59 database. 1ome new
59s will be added) some will be deleted and others will be re$ised 3sch as ha$e a new price4. The
electronic mar%eting 3&24 2anager will also ha$e the ability to create and pdate the information. The
sales system will also maintain a mar%eting database of materials abot each 59 that will enable online
sers to learn more abot them. Fendors will be encoraged to email mar%eting materials 3msic re$iews)
lin%s to 6eb sites) artist info) sond clips4 that promote their 59s. The &2 manager will go throgh the
emails and determine what information to place on the web. ;e or she will add this information to a
mar%eting materials database 3or re$ise it or delete old information4 that will be lin%ed to the 6ebsite.
5stomers will access the +nternet 1ales 1ystem to loo% for 59s of interest. 1ome cstomers will search
for specific 59s or 59s by specific artists whereas other cstomers want to browse for interesting 59s in
certain categories 3e.g. roc%) Ka00) classical4. 6hen the cstomer has fond all the 59s he or she wants)
the cstomer will chec% ot by pro$iding personal information 3inclding credit card4 and order
information. The system will $erify the cstomers credit card info with an online credit card center and
either accept the order or reKect it. &$ery hor or so) the orders will be plled ot of the order database and
sent to the distribtion system. The distribtion system will handle the actal sending of the 59s to
cstomersJ howe$er) when 59s are sent to cstomers 3$ia I"1 or mail4) the distribtion system will
notify the +nternet sales system) which in trn will email the cstomer. 6ee%ly reports can be rn by the
&2 manager to chec% the order stats.
Question 7: (100 points)
Context Dia,ram
6
<n!tiona( De!ompo"ition Dia,ram 'Sho6n are 2 (eve(" +e(o6 .eve( 0-
A. 9raw the :e$el 1 9(9 showing interaction between processes in :e$el 1 of the diagram abo$e.
'80 point"-
/. +llstrate the 5ontrol (low on the abo$e 9( diagram for the following scenario: 3NHT&: !o
may need to de$elop additional le$els of 9(9s or integrate mltiple ones for the following4
a. "rocessing a 5stomer order M 3order placement throgh to order management4
'= point"-
+. (ailre notification to 2anager N 5stomer 3NonGa$ailability of 59 in
in$entory4 '> point"-
C. 5on$ert the abo$e analysis into the following:
a. +dentify Oey obKects) their methods. 3at least 2 for each- '2: point"-
+. 6hat is the relationship between the abo$e methods and the processes in the
9(9s7 '10 point"-
!. 9raw ,cti$ity 3and@or4 1tate diagrams to illstrate the scenarios in 8 and also
highlight which %ey obKects may be in$ol$ed. '20 point"-
Question 8: (100 points)
-
,. 1ggest a possible architectre to con$ert the abo$e analysis into an implementation. (or the
architectre) !o need to show the following:
a. , list of components and for each component otline the elements of analysis that they
may contain and their fnctionality. '1= point"-
+. , layot of the components M illstrate the control flow between the components '20
point"-
!. :ist for qalitati$e properties that may be reqired for the o$erall sales system. '12
point"-
). &$alate the style on the abo$e properties by considering the Hrder processing scenario
described abo$e. '10 point"-
8. The 5+H of the 2sic company reqires the de$elopment of a strategy to implement the system with
the ability to inno$ate in the ftre) accommodate new technology) low cost o$erall and minimi0e ris%
if possible. 1ggest a lifecycle sing one of the architectres yo describe abo$e. (or each lifecycle
phase) say in a cople of lines what happens. '90 point"-
4e"tion ?: Ca"e St)* '100 point"-
,ssme yo ha$e Kst been gi$en an opportnity to do a case stdy to answer some of the research
qestions yo posed in yor 611b paper) or a phenomenon that yo wold li%e to in$estigate.
a) <i$e three 3#4 examples of different %inds of case stdies and briefly describe the differences
between them. (10 pts)
b) 9escribe yor case stdy. (40 pts)
c) 6hat %ind of sample wold yo select for yo stdy and why7 (10 pts)
d) 9escribe how yo wold go abot bilding a theory sing case stdy7 6hat steps wold yo
ta%e to ensre that yor research is of high qality7 (30 pts)
e) 6hat are the strengths and wea%nesses of doing case research7 (10 pts)
4e"tion 10: Empiri!a( re"ear!h '100 point"-
a) 6hy is it so important to ha$e comparisons when condcting empirical research7 <i$e an
example of what happens when yo do not ha$e a comparison. 3#* pts4
b) ,ccording to 2artin 3P9oing "sychology &xperimentsP4 and others) the maKor ad$antage of a
factorial experiment is that we can stdy interactions. 6hat is an interaction7 6hy do
interactions help in theory bilding7 (30 pts)
c) ;a$ing read and discssed 8aron N Oenny 3PThe 2oderatorG2ediator Fariable 9istinction in
1ocial "sychological BesearchP4) what is a moderator $ariable7 6hat is a mediator $ariable7 <i$e
an example of each. (35 pts)
4e"tion 11: '100 point"-
,. 3'0 "ts.4 9escribe yor dissertation topic or preliminary paper e$en if it is hypothetical. The writeGp
shold be in the form of an ele$ator speech. +t shold be no longer than abot #0 seconds or 1 page in
.
length. The speech shold inclde a description of the o$erall or general problem and the specific
problem yo are going to sol$e. !or answer shold reflect that yo nderstand what ma%es p a good
research problem and yo %now how to present what yo are researching.
+n the 696, class we discssed the importance of ha$ing a good chart) figre or graphic.
8. 320 "ts.4 6hy is a good chart) figre or graphic important7
5. 320 "ts.4 :ist the characteristic of a good chart) figre or graphics.
9. 320 "ts.4 <i$e an example of an effecti$e graphic) chart or figre. !o can se a graphic from yor
dissertation topic or yor fa$orite graphic from another class.
4e"tion 12: '100 Point"-
,. 3'2 "ts.4 :isted below are biases that often occr in experiments and research proKects. 9efine 3' "ts.4
and gi$e an example 3# "ts.4 of:
31.4 Trth 8ias
32.4 ;indsight 8ias
3#.4 Fisal 8ias
3'.4 ,$ailability 8ias
3*.4 Becency 8ias
36.4 Hrder 8ias
8. 32. "ts.4 The following statement is based pon the boo% Fortune Sellers by 6illiam 1herden:
"redicting the ftre is easy if it is done rightQ 6hy7 9iscss.
5. 3#0 points4 ,ll of the names listed in the chart below are well %nown contribtors to the field of 2+1)
5ompter 1cience) 2anagement or &conomics. 6hat is each researcher %nown for 3be specific4J what
organi0ation is he@she affiliated withJ also) where did he@she recei$e his@her gradate edcation7 ,n
example is pro$ided for yo. 3#0 points4.
Per"on %e"ear!h Area Crrent &r,anization 2ra)ate E)!ation
3&xample4 1dha Bam 9ata 8ase 1ystems Ini$ersity of ,ri0ona Ini$ersity of +llinois
"oints per name A 2 1 point R point R point
1. :ynda ,pplegate
2. "eter 5hen

#. &ric 5lemons
9
'. <ordon 9a$is
*. <erry 9esanctis
6. 1arah Oiesler
-. Sohn Oing
.. 9on Onth
9. 1tart 2adnic%
10.6anda Hrli%ows%i
11. ;erb 1imon
12. ;al Farian
1#. ,ndy 6hinston
1'. Soe Falacich
1*. Bobert Lmd
10
11