Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Multiple Choice
1. __________ are the building blocks of each functional area, e.g., accounts
receivable (A/R) and accounts payable (A/P)
a) IT procedures
b) Business processes
c) Business strategies
d) Competitive forces
4. Which is not one of the benefits that Microsoft International achieved through the
use of Visio and business process modeling?
a) Significant savings in labor hours through increased process efficiency
b) Decrease in the training time of newly hired employees
c) Improved decision making through visual process analysis
d) Improved relationships with supply chain partners
5. When you break it down, you see that a business process is actually __________.
a) a project of known scope with an assigned budget
b) a loosely defined approach to solving an unstructured problem
c) a series of individual tasks executed in a specific order
d) clearly defined and automated by software
6. A process has inputs and outputs that are __________, which is necessary so it can
be managed.
a) qualitative
b) measurable
c) visual
d) summary metrics
8. The __________ spec, also called the technical spec, is important to managers
because it identifies how the business process will be implemented in as much detail
as possible.
a) evaluation
b) implementation
c) project
d) design
9. During the implementation stage, __________ tests are critical because they
determine whether the process is designed well from users perspective.
a) user acceptance
b) functional acceptance
c) system acceptance
d) integration
10. A(n) __________ is a set of technologies used for exchanging data between
applications and for connecting processes with other systems across the organization,
and with business partners.
a) ERP
b) mashup
c) SOA
d) Web service
11. During the implementation stage, __________ tests are critical because that is
when analysts test whether the process performs its functions.
a) user acceptance
b) functional acceptance
c) system acceptance
d) technical acceptance
12. During the implementation stage, __________ tests are conducted by technical
experts who attest that the process is integrated correctly with inputs and outputs of
other processes and data sources and data stores
a) user acceptance
b) functional acceptance
c) system acceptance
d) integration acceptance
13. In the short term, business process management (BPM) helps companies
__________.
a) improve profitability by reducing waste and costs
b) become more responsive to business changes
c) increase sales revenues and profit margins
d) all of the above
14. In the long term, business process management (BPM) helps companies
__________.
a) improve profitability by reducing waste and costs
b) become more responsive to business changes
c) increase sales revenues and profit margins
d) all of the above
15. After decades of business process reengineering attempts, organizations still have
problems with their business operations. What are those problems?
a) They duplicate processes
b) They perform hundreds of non-core tasks that should be outsourced
c) They spend vast amounts on proprietary process-management software that's
difficult to update
d) All of the above
16. British Telecom, United Airlines, and other companies that focused their BPM
initiatives on process automation and cost savings had achieved significant
operational efficiencies __________.
a) and higher market share
b) but lost their competitive edge and fell short of their performance targets
c) but only for a short time as competitors copied their efforts
d) because they were linked to their business strategies.
17. Changes to business apps that were needed prior to year 2000 were tedious and
time-consuming because they were tightly coupled programs written in __________.
a) COBOL
b) Java
c) Visio
d) Flash
19. The advantage of the __________ is that any tier can be upgraded or replaced
independently as business requirements or technology change.
a) tightly coupled architecture
b) middleware and graphical user-interface
c) three-tier software architecture
d) four-module tiered architecture
20. What was the underlying reason for the failure of the 2010 U.S. Census Bureaus
Handheld Project?
a) Failure of top management in the bureau to assess and mitigate risks of such a
major project
b) Technical and database failures
c) Poor project management approach
d) Insufficient training of the census takers on how to use the handheld devices
21. Options for the acquisition of complex IT applications are all of the following
except:
a) Built in-house
b) Custom-made by a vendor
c) Leased from an application service provider (ASP)
d) Out-of-the-box
22. For in-house development, the __________ option should be considered only for
specialized IT apps for which components are not available because this option is
expensive and slow.
a) build from components
b) build from scratch
c) integrating applications
d) prototyping
23. End-user development has risks and limitations, which include each of the
following except:
a) End users may not be skilled enough in computers, so quality and cost may be
jeopardized.
b) End users may not take time to document their work
c) End users may neglect proper security measures.
d) There may be an endless loop of prototype revisions.
24. Projects are managed by managing the triple constraints. Which is not one of
those constraints?
a) approval
b) scope
c) time
d) budget
26. Project managers need to recognize the risk of __________, which is the piling up
of small changes that by themselves are manageable, but collectively can cause
significant project growth.
a) over allocation
b) critical path
c) triple constraints
d) scope creep
27. Project management includes three basic operations. Which is not one of those
operations?
a) planning
b) budgeting
c) organizing
d) controlling
28. Project managers must manage the __________, which consists of tasks that must
start and finish on schedule or the project will be delayed unless corrective action is
taken.
a) over allocation
b) critical path
c) triple constraints
d) scope creep
29. The success of a project manager depends on all of the following except:
a) use of the critical path method and Gantt charts
b) clear, open, and timely communication
c) accurate, timely, and complete information
d) commitment from team members
32. The first stage of the SDLC is __________ to understand the business problem or
opportunity.
a) systems analysis
b) systems investigation
c) prototyping
d) systems design
33. During the systems investigation stage, __________ studies are done to determine
if the hardware, software, and communications components can be developed and/or
acquired to solve the business problem.
a) economic feasibility
b) technical feasibility
c) ROI
d) NPV
34. During the systems investigation stage, __________ studies are done to assess the
skills and the training needed to use the new IS.
a) economic feasibility
b) technical feasibility
c) organizational feasibility
d) behavioral feasibility
35. Covert resistance to a new IS from employees may take the form of __________.
a) sabotaging the new system by entering data incorrectly
b) continuing to do their jobs using their old methods
c) complaining about the new system for extended time
d) All of the above
37. When the systems logical and physical designs specifications are agreed upon and
approved by all participants, they __________.
a) should not be changed
b) should be flexible to changes
c) are used to develop the prototype
d) determine the budget and timeline for development
38. To add rigor to the programming process, programmers use __________ that
improve the flow of the program by decomposing the computer code into modules.
a) GOTO statements
b) flowcharts
c) structured programming techniques
d) All of the above
40. __________ conversion is the least expensive and highest risk IS conversion
strategy because the old system is cut off and the new system is turned on at a certain
point in time.
a) Parallel
b) Direct
c) Pilot
d) Phased
True/False
41. A business process, such as the credit approval process, accomplishes or produces
something of value to the organization.
42. In order to manage a process, the process needs to have outputs that are
measurable.
43. Process design is typically mapped and documented using a modeling tool, such
as Microsoft Excel.
44. Not only is the development of the process important, the testing is equally as
critical.
45. The BPM approach has its roots in just-in-time (JIT), which is the radical redesign
of an organization's business processes.
46. The BPR and JIT approaches were both based on assumptions. And if those
assumptions are not met, then they will fail to achieve the great expected results.
47. Many JIT implementations in the U.S. actually increased inventory costs because
JIT is based on the assumption that warehousing costs are extremely high, as they
were in Japan where JIT was initiated by Toyota.
48. When applying business process reengineering (BPR), managers first attempt to
automate or semi-automate an organization's business processes.
50. In the 1990s, most organizations failed to achieve fundamental business process
improvements because they attended a BPR seminar and then made mistakes in the
implementation.
52. If organizations focus exclusively on automation and cost savings, they might
achieve significant operational efficiencies but lose their competitive edge.
53. SOA is a confusing concept, even for practitioners, because SOA is mistakenly
described like BPM or the definition is incomprehensible.
54. . An important aspect of SOA is the separation of the service interface (the what)
from its implementation (the how).
55. SOA and BPM both focus on creating a more flexible IT architecture and
optimizing the way actual work gets done.
56. Web services can connect processes with other systems across the organization,
and with business partners. The resulting integrated BPM systems are BPM mashups.
57. The goal of loose coupling of apps is to reduce dependencies between systems to
improve flexibility and agility.
60. For many organizations, custom software is more expensive than packaged
applications. However, if a package does not closely fit the companys needs, the
savings are often diluted when the information systems staff or consultants must
extend the functionality of the purchased packages.
Short Answer
61. A __________ is the smallest unit of work and management accountability that is
not split into more detailed steps.
64. __________ testing is important because it determines whether the app meets the
original business objectives and vision.
65. Large IT projects, especially ones that involve infrastructure, are developed
according to the __________ methodology using several tools.
67. __________ is the growth of the project after the scope has been defined and is a
serious issue because it can cause the project to fail.
68. The purpose of the __________ is to recognize which activities are on the critical
path so that managers know where to focus their efforts.
70. In a __________ conversion, the old system and the new system operate
simultaneously for a period of time, which is the most expensive, but also the least
risky approach.
Essay
71. Sketch or list the four stages of the business process lifecycle.
72. List and briefly describe the four tests performed on modules that have been
installed before going live.
73. Identify the tiers of the Three-tier architecture. Describe or give an example of
each tier.
74. List and describe the triple constraints of project management.
75. Select a standard business process, such as payroll. Draw a flowchart of an app for
that business process.
Multiple Choice
b) 0.50 percent
c) 2 to 3 percent
d) 10 percent
4. The IT sector can cut its carbon footprint cut in half by _____.
a) switching to low emission data centers
b) buying eco-friendly hard drives with considerably reduced power consumption
c) placing data center in cold climates
d) all of the above
7. Better use of IT to shift away from energy-intensive work habits and lifestyles to
low carbon habits and lifestyles depends on _____.
a) mobile technologies
b) commitment of senior managers
c) government policy, incentives for companies, and active participation of consumers
d) cloud computing
9. The GSMAs Green Power for Mobile (GPM) program has the goal of helping the
mobile industry use renewable energy sources, such as __________ to power over
100,000 off-grid base stations in developing countries by 2012.
a) solar, wind, and sustainable biofuels
b) nuclear and solar
c) hydro, coal and wind
d) diesel and solar
10. MTN Group is the mobile telecom company operating in Africa and the Middle
East. MTN has reduced GHG emissions and costs by using __________ to run mobile
base stations.
a) diesel
b) soybean biofuel
c) wind energy
d) hydro power
11. Routers, switches, and modems operated by end users have been inefficient power
guzzling machines mostly because __________.
a) they are built at the lowest possible cost
b) eco-friendly manufacturing did not exist
c) performance speeds were higher than green ones
d) such machines were more reliable than green ones
14. Which is not one of the characteristics or challenges associated with green IT?
a) Trying to quantify the cost savings of green IT may be impossible or nonapplicable if cloud computing is used because the beneficiary of energy-efficient
servers is not the company, but their outsourcer.
b) The Society for Information Management (SIM) surveyed CIOs and IT executives
about their top IT and business priorities for 2010. Green IT was their top concern.
c) Green IT is a continuous process and requires long-term operating policies.
d) Green IT initiatives should be described in terms of reducing waste and
inefficiency to get managements attention.
15. Industry standards __________ change. Those standards keep ramping up and
will again.
a) EPEAT and ENERGY STAR
b) Green STAR
c) SIM
d) EPA
16. The Next Generation Data Center strategy is based on the ability to deliver and
support secure IT applications through __________.
a) mobile devices
b) wireless networks
c) green IT
d) virtualization
20. Despite the challenges and lack of clear answers, ethics is important because it has
become clear that relying on __________ alone to safeguard the community is
insufficient.
a) corporate policy
b) the law
c) audit trails
d) moral behavior
21. Blogging to influence financial markets may be deemed by the FTC or SEC as
a(n) __________, particularly when done by the CEO hiding his identity.
a) federal crime
b) invasion of privacy
c) insider trading
d) money laundering
22. ITs capability to introduce ever-growing amounts of data into our lives can
exceed our capacity to keep up with the data, leading to __________.
a) digital divide
b) Net neutrality
c) large carbon footprint
d) information overload
23. Bloomberg BusinessWeek (2008) reported that knowledge workers are distracted
__________ at workanswering the phone, checking e-mail, responding to a text, or
checking YouTube or Facebook.
a) every three minutes
b) every 15 minutes
c) every hour
d) at least twice a day
c) The most common problem that plagues online information sources is aged or
outdated content.
d) Millions of individuals face information quality issues on a daily basis as they try
to find information online.
26. There is a trend toward __________ because the adaptable IT framework makes it
much easier to manage issues of cost, scale and agility.
a) cloud computing
b) social media
c) fluid collaboration
d) service oriented architecture
27. New capabilities that are paving the way for new classes of Web apps include each
of the following except:
a) location-awareness
b) online/offline modes
c) green IT
d) social connectivity
29. As analytics become a commodity, the real differentiators are __________ and the
ability to make productive decisions.
a) data quality
b) location-based services
c) social media
d) fluid collaboration
30. Technological and economic forces are prompting fresh approaches to systems
development using __________ for competitive advantage.
a) in-house development
b) proprietary apps
c) open source software
d) fourth-generation languages or software
True/False
32. Carbon footprint refers to the amount of infrared, CO2 and other GHGs emitted
per day by a computing or mobile device.
33. Global warming is typically measured in MtCO2e, which stands for metric tonne
carbon dioxide equivalent.
35. All carbon emissions worldwide make up the global carbon footprint.
38. Innovative IT solutions can provide both a better quality of life and contribute to
dramatically reduced emissions. That is, quality of life and reduced emissions do not
require a tradeoff.
40. Warnings from the scientific community point to dangers from the ongoing
buildup of CO2 and greenhouse gases mostly from the burning of fossil fuels and
forests.
41. The greenhouse effect refers to the holding of heat within Earth's atmosphere by
certain GHGs such as CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide that absorb infrared radiation.
42. Scientists predict that the increased temperature and sea level rise from global
warming adversely affect the Earths biodiversity.
43. Scientists have determined that we should aim to stabilize the concentration of
GHGs in the atmosphere in the range 450 to 550 parts per million (ppm), which is
much lower than our present level.
44. The Keeling Curve tracks changes in the concentration of CO2 in the Earth's
atmosphere at a Mauna Loa research station.
45. The Keeling curve has become the symbol of the ever-changing chemistry of the
earths atmosphere and the associated global warming.
46. In 2008, The Climate Group found that the information and communications
technology (ICT) is a minor sector in the struggle to reduce climate warming.
47. Transforming the way people and businesses use IT could reduce annual humancaused global emissions by 15 per cent by 2020.
48. IT sectors own footprint of 10 per cent of global emissions could decrease by
2020 despite increased demand for smartphones and other hardware, software, and
services.
49. IT has the unique ability to monitor and maximize energy efficiency both within
and outside of its own industry sector to cut CO2 emissions.
50. From smart meters to smart grids, the Climate Group is working with members
and partners, such as Google and Cisco, to build on the enormous potential and
economic opportunities of IT in the low carbon economy.
51. The role of IT includes emission reduction and energy savings only in the IT
sector itself.
52. Smart as in smart buildings means that wasted-energy and materials are
minimized; and procurement, manufacturing, distribution, service, and recycling are
done in an environmentally friendly manner.
54. Sustainability, the study and practice of eco-friendly computing resources, may be
in companies best financial interests.
55. Questions about data access and capture, tracking and monitoring, privacy and
profiling are examples of IT capabilities that have ethical considerations. And there
are no easy or agreed to answers to these dilemmas.
56. Globalization, the Internet, and connectivity have the power to undermine moral
responsibility because it becomes relatively easy to ignore the harm that might be
done to others.
57. IT decreases span of control, increases productivity, and increases the need for
technical experts.
58. The trend toward cloud computing allows any part of the IT to be sourced from
the Internet, ultimately offering a more flexible model that aligns better with business
objectives.
59. Collaboration across time zones and geographies cannot become a business norm
until language and cultural differences are minimized.
Short Answer
61. __________ refers to the concept of using things at a rate that does not deplete its
availability in future generations.
62. __________ technology optimizes the capacity and processing power of servers
so that fewer servers are needed to provide the necessary processing power.
64. __________ or virtual work, offers many green benefits, including reducing rushhour traffic, improving air quality, improving highway safety, and even improving
healthcare.
66. Free speech and __________ collide in a world populated by anonymous critics,
vengeful people, those with personal agendas, and malcontents.
67. ITs capability to introduce ever-growing amounts of data into our lives can
exceed our capacity to keep up with the data, leading to __________.
68. The Web is undergoing its most significant overhaul since the emergence of
__________, and will emerge as an increasingly attractive enterprise platform.
70. As analytics become a commodity, data and decision quality will provide the real
competitive __________ .
Essay
71. List two financial benefits associated with becoming a sustainable company,
including green IT.
72. Identify and explain two myths about green IT.
73. What are the benefits of telework to individuals, organizations, and the
community/society? Give two benefits to each.
74. Discuss the competing interests and tradeoffs at work when the issue is privacy.
75. Discuss the impacts of IT on each of the following: organizational structure,
authority, power, and job content.