Discussion Questions: (1)

1. Why is it important to understand the difference between Computer

Literacy and Information Literacy?
2. What are the three elements of an Information System that managers
must consider?
3. What are some of the factors managers must consider when
considering changes in technology?
4. What are some of the new roles Information Systems are playing in
organizations?

Discussion Questions: (2)

1. How can a Transaction Processing System help an organization's
strategic level planning?
2. Determine the type of questions that the various information systems
can answer for the differing organizational levels in a company.
3. How can managers use Information Systems to develop tighter
relationships with suppliers and customers?
4. How can managers use Information Systems to play a strategic role in
their organization?
5. Explain how a company can use Information Systems to improve its
core competencies.

Discussion Questions: (3)

1. Look at an organization you belong to. How are decisions made in this
organization?
2. Describe the difference between the economic theory and the
behavioral theory of how information systems affect organizations.
3. Examine the political structure of an organization to which you belong.
Determine how the structure would change if it installed a new
information system.
4. How has the Internet affected the way you interact with businesses or
companies with which you do business, personal or professional.

Discussion Questions: (4)

1. Why does the technical-rational perspective seem outdated in many
organizations?
2. How does the behavioral perspective correct the flaws in the technical-
rational perspective?
3. Describe how your organization can or cannot use the knowledge-
based view of management.
4. Following the stages of decision making as described in the text, make
a decision. Write down each stage of the decision.
 5. Analyze your organization according to the three models of
organizational decision making. Which one comes closest to describing
how your organization makes decisions?

Discussion Questions: (5)

1. Write a computer usage policy for your school or workplace
incorporating the moral and ethical guidelines discussed in this
chapter.
2. Briefly describe your Internet Service Provider's usage policy regarding
email. If you are on campus, your school should have a usage policy.
3. Describe how your quality of life has improved or declined with the
technological advances in the last five years.
4. How do you think our government should handle the political issue of
Internet decency and access limitations?
5. To what extent should Internet Service Providers be held liable and
accountable for the use of their equipment?

Discussion Questions: (6)

1. Determine the TOC (total cost of ownership) associated with the
technology in your workplace or classroom, even if it is your own
home. Use your hourly wage or salary as a basis to figure the persware
cost.
2. Describe a client/server network with which you are associated.
Remember, Internet Service Providers such as AOL or your local
service provider can be part of your personal client/server network.
3. What is the difference in how primary and secondary storage handle
storage for application program instructions?
4. If you could change anything about computer hardware, what would it
be? Be as specific as you can and use your imagination.

Discussion Questions: (7)

1. What are the advantages of using object-oriented programming in
small businesses and individual departments?
2. Explain the difference between multiprogramming system software and
multiprocessing system software.
3. What is a platform and how does this concept affect computing
between different platforms?
4. What is Java and how is it changing the computing environment?
5. How can managers effectively integrate fourth-generation languages
and PC Software Tools into their work environments?
6. Does the new millenium begin on January 1, 2000 or January 1, 2001?

Discussion Questions: (8)

 1. Given what you know so far, how would you structure a database for
an organization to which you belong? You could use a sorority,
fraternity, social group or work group you're currently involved with.
2. Why do relational database management systems appear to be a
better than a hierarchical or network database management system?
3. What do you see as the benefits of using a Web-like browser to access
information from a data warehouse?
4. What is a data mart? What are the advantages of having one?
5. What should managers focus on when building a database

Discussion Questions: (9)

1. Describe a communication channel. Draw a picture of one showing the
various transmission media that might be used.
2. Draw a picture of the three separate network topologies so that you
can get a visual picture of the different construction methods.
3. What are the advantages to small businesses in using a VAN?
4. What are some of the issues managers must face when they initially
consider doing business on the Internet?

Discussion Questions: (10)

1. Use your imagination and come up with an idea of how your
organization or company can use an Intranet or Extranet.
2. What current processes will you have to change to incorporate your
idea?
3. Describe the different considerations when deciding whether you
should establish a consumer E-commerce Web site or a Business-to-
Business E-commerce Web site.
4. Why would your organization want to develop an Intranet?
5. What are some of the management issues involved with E-commerce
and how would you resolve them?

Discussion Questions: (11)

1. In the spectrum of organizational change, which is the most radical
type of change: automation, rationalization of procedures, business
reengineering, or paradigm shifts?
2. What are some of the reasons business process reengineering efforts
fail?
3. Discuss the three types of feasibility analysis organizations should use
in the system development process.
4. What are some of the elements of managing the implementation of a
new information system? Which ones do you think are the most
important?
 5. Use one of the capital budgeting models discussed in the text to
determine the cost of implementing a new system in your organization.

Discussion Questions: (12)

1. How does the traditional systems lifecycle approach differ from the
prototype method of developing systems?
2. What is the advantage of using an application software package? What
types of application software packages could you use in your
organization?
3. How can you determine if outsourcing is advantageous to your
organization?
4. What makes object-oriented software development different from
other tools for system development?

Discussion Questions: (13)

1. Focus on an Information System failure you might be familiar with.
Which of the four problem areas was dominant?
2. In Question 1, What could the organization have done differently to
change the outcome?
3. Why does the incorporation of users' knowledge and experience help
make an Information System project a success?
4. Why is it so important to manage employees' fear of change when
implementing BPR and ERP projects?
5. Explain various ways managers can overcome user resistance to
change brought about by implementing Information Systems.

Discussion Questions: (14)

1. Discuss the difference between Office Automation Systems and
Knowledge Work Systems in the way they create and use knowledge
and information.
2. Describe how an organization can use groupware and Intranets to
enhance the three Cs: communication, collaboration, and coordination.
3. How is an expert system different from a neural network?
4. What are some applications for intelligent agent uses on the Internet?
5. How does fuzzy logic work?

Discussion Questions: (15)

1. Compare the characteristics of an MIS and a DSS. Why are decision
support systems more suited for executive decision making?
2. What advantages does a data-driven decision support system have
over a model-driven DSS?
 3. How can datamining enhance a company's marketing campaign for a
new product being introduced to college students?
4. What benefits do group decision-support systems provide
organizations?
5. Why must an executive support system be flexible and easy to use?

Discussion Questions: (16)

1. What are some measures an organization can take to enhance the
quality of its software and data in any Information System?
2. Discuss the differences between general controls and application
controls that organizations should use in Information System design.
3. What is the role of auditing in the operation of an Information System?
4. Discuss how data quality audits can help verify the accuracy of
information obtained from the Information System.

Discussion Questions: (17)

1. Discuss the cultural factors organizations must understand in order to
do business on a global scale.
2. Discuss the differences in the four strategies organizations can use to
organize their global business.
3. What are the benefits of cooptation when managers are building new
Information Systems to support global businesses?
4. How can the Internet help companies resolve hardware, software, and
telecommunications problems in transnational businesses?

Discussion Questions: (18)

1. Why is it important to consider all four concepts of enterprise
computing: IT investment portfolio, IT infrastructure, business logic,
and information architecture?
2. Explain the difference between enterprise computing and industrial
networks.
3. Discuss the four key infrastructure decisions a business must make for
enterprise computing.
4. Describe the governance role the four levels of an organization play in
determining the direction of the IT infrastructure.
5. Pick any industry and describe how an industrial network would
improve it.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------