Problems

1. Cheryl Stake is concerned that too many forms are being filled out incorrectly. She feels that
about 8 percent of all the forms have an error.

a. How large a sample size should Ms. Stake use to be 99-percent certain she will be within
0.02?
b. Suppose Ms. Stake will accept a confidence level of 90 percent that she will be within
0.02. What will the sample size of forms be now?
c. Explain the difference between parts a and b in words.
d. Suppose Ms. Stake will accept a confidence level of 95 percent that she will be within
0.02. What will the sample size of forms be now?

a. p = .08

p = i / z = .02 / 2.58

n = (p (1-p) /p2) + 1

=( .08 (1-.08) / (.02 / 2.58)2 ) + 1 = 1225.7776

= 1226 (rounded)

b. p = .08

p = i / z = .02 / 1.65

n = (p (1-p) /p2) + 1

= (.08 (1-.08) / (.02 / 1.65)2 ) + 1 = 501.94

= 502 (rounded)

c. The difference between the large sample size in part a and the smaller sample size in part
b is due to the fact that Ms. Stake is only 90 percent certain that she will be within .02 for
the acceptable interval estimate in part b, rather than 99 percent certain.

d. p = .08

p = i / z = .02 / 1.96

n = (p (1-p) /p2) + 1

= (.08 (1-.08) / (.02 / 1.96)2 ) + 1 = 707.8544

= 708 (rounded)

2. “I see that you have quite a few papers there. What all do you have in there?” asks Betty Kant,
head of the MIS task force that is the liaison group between your systems group and Sawder’s
Furniture Company. You are shuffling a large bundle of papers as you prepare to leave the
building. “Well, I’ve got some financial statements, production reports from the last six months,
and some performance reports that Sharon gave me that cover goals and work performance over
 the last six months,” you reply as some of the papers fall to the floor. “Why do you ask?” Betty
takes the papers from you and puts them on the nearest desk. She answers, “Because you don’t
need all this junk. You’re here to do one thing, and that’s talk to us, the users. Bet you can’t read
one thing in there that’ll make a difference.”
a. The only way to convince Betty of the importance of each document is to tell her what
you are looking for in each one. Use a paragraph to explain what each kind of document
contributes to the systems analyst’s understanding of the business.
b. While you are speaking with Betty, you realize you actually need other quantitative
documents as well. List any you are missing.

a. Production reports include recent costs, current inventory, recent labor, and plant
information and serve mainly as feedback for quick action.

Performance reports enable the systems analyst to assess the size of the gap between
actual and intended performance and to determine if that gap is widening or narrowing as
an overall trend in whatever performance is being measured.

b. Records and data capture forms.

3. You’ve sampled the email messages that have been sent to several middle managers of Sawder’s
Furniture Company, which ships build-your-own particleboard furniture across the country.
Here is one that repeats a message found in several other memos:

To: Sid, Ernie, Carl

From: Imogene
Re: computer/printer supplies
Date: November 10, 2012

It has come to my attention that I have been waging a war against requests for computer and
printer supplies (writable CDs, toner, paper, etc.) that are all out of proportion to what has been
negotiated for in the current budget. Because we’re all good soldiers here, I hope you will take
whatever our supply sergeant says is standard issue. Please, no “midnight requisitioning” to
make up for shortages. Thanks for being Gl in this regard; it makes the battle easier for us all.

a. What metaphor(s) is (are) being used? List the predominant metaphor and other phrases
that play on that theme.
b. If you found repeated evidence of this idea in other email messages, what interpretation
would you have? Use a paragraph to explain.
c. In a paragraph, describe how the people in your systems analysis group can use the
information from the email messages to shape their systems project for Sawder’s.
d. In interviews with Sid, Ernie, and Carl, there has been no mention of problems with
obtaining enough computer and printer supplies. In a paragraph, discuss why such
problems may not come up in interviews and discuss the value of examining email
messages and other memos in addition to interviewing.

a. Good soldiers, supply sergeant, battle.

b. Sawder’s Furniture Company ordered frequently, which required fast delivery.
c. Sawder’s must order the necessary computer and printer supplies earlier than before.
d. Ernie and Carl might try to hide the weakness of their company.
 Analysis of memo content will provide us with a clear idea of the values, attitudes, and beliefs of
organizational members.

4. “Here’s the main policy manual we’ve put together over the years for system users,” says Al
Bookbinder, as he blows the dust off the manual and hands it to you. Al is a document keeper for
the systems department of Prechter and Gumbel, a large manufacturer of health and beauty aids.
“Everything any user of any part of the system needs to know is in what I call the Blue Book. I
mean it’s chockablock with policies. It’s so big, I’m the only one with a complete copy. It costs
too much to reproduce it.” You thank Al and take the manual with you. When you read through
it, you are astonished at what it contains. Most pages begin with a message such as: “This page
supersedes page 23.1 in manual Vol. II. Discard previous inserts; do not use.”
a. List your observations about the frequency of use of the Blue Book.
b. How user friendly are the updates in the manual? Write a sentence explaining your
answer.
c. Write a paragraph commenting on the wisdom of having all-important policies for all
systems users in one book.
d. Suggest a solution that incorporates the use of online policy manuals for some users.

a. The Blue Book is probably not used that frequently since there is only one copy and there
are many references that instruct the reader to “do not use.”
b. They are not very friendly. Having a page that states “This page supersedes previous
page inserts: do not use.” is hard to follow and the reader may not know what pages
replace it.
c. Having all-important policies for all systems users in one book is a bad idea. If more
than one person needs the book, they will have to wait, and there is no backup of the
book in case of a disaster or if it becomes lost.
d. If the policy manual is so large that it is difficult and expensive to reproduce and update
it, perhaps it should be placed online with indexes and chapters to reference sections.
There would not be any “This page supersedes page…” entries in the online manual. It
would be updated automatically with the new pages.

5. “I think I’ll be able to remember most everything he does,” says Ceci Awll. Ceci is about to
interview Biff Welldon, vice president of strategic planning of OK Corral, a steak restaurant
chain with 130 locations. “I mean, I’ve got a good memory. I think it’s much more important to
listen to what he says than to observe what he does anyway.” As one of your systems analysis
team members, Ceci has been talking with you about the desirability of writing down her
observations of Biff’s office and activities during the interview.
a. In a paragraph, persuade Ceci that listening is not enough in interviews and that
observing and recording those observations are also important.
b. Ceci seems to have accepted your idea that observation is important but still doesn’t
know what to observe. Make a list of items and behaviors to observe, and in a sentence
beside each behavior, indicate what information Ceci should hope to gain through
observation of it.

a. Observation provides information about decision makers and their environments that is
unavailable through listening alone. It also helps to confirm what has been found through
interviewing and questionnaires. Observation also negates or reverses what has been
found with other methods of gaining information.

b. What to observe:
 Decision-making activities: this helps to show how managers gather, process, share, and
use information to get work done.

Decision maker’s body language: this permits a better understanding of the information
requirements of the decision maker by adding another dimension to what is being said.

Physical environment: this also reveals much about the decision maker’s information
requirements.

6. “We’re a progressive company, always looking to be ahead of the power curve. We’ll give
anything a whirl if it’ll put us ahead of the competition, and that includes every one of us,” says
I. B. Daring, an executive with Michigan Manufacturing (2M). You are interviewing him as a
preliminary step in a systems project, one in which his subordinates have expressed interest. As
you listen to I. B., you look around his office to see that most of the information he has stored on
shelves can be classified as internal procedures manuals. In addition, you notice a PC on a back
table of I. B.’s office. The monitor’s screen is covered with dust, and the manuals stacked beside
the PC are still encased in their original shrink-wrap. Even though you know that 2M uses an
intranet, no cables are visible going to or from I. B.’s PC. You look up behind I. B.’s massive
mahogany desk to see on the wall five framed oil portraits of 2M’s founders, all clustered around
a gold plaque bearing the corporate slogan, which states, “Make sure you’re right, then go
ahead.”
a. What is the organizational narrative or storyline as portrayed by
I. B. Daring? Rephrase it in your own words.
b. List the elements of STROBE that you have observed during
your interview with I. B.
c. Next to each element of STROBE that you have observed, write a
sentence on how you would interpret it.
d. Construct a table with the organizational story line down the
left-hand side of the page and the elements of STROBE across the top. Using the symbols
from the “anecdotal list” application of STROBE, indicate the relationship between the
organizational story line as portrayed by I. B. and each element you have observed (that
is, indicate whether each element of STROBE confirms, reverses, causes you to look
further, modifies, or supplements the narrative).
e. Based on your observations of STROBE and your interview,
state in a paragraph what problems you are able to anticipate in getting a new system
approved by I. B. and others. In a sentence or two, discuss how your diagnosis might
have been different if you had only talked to I. B. over the phone or had read his written
comments on a systems proposal.

a. I. B. Daring portrays the organization as one that is dynamic, receptive to employees’

new ideas, strives to stay ahead of competition, and to be the market leader.

b, c. Elements of STROBE:

Desk placement: the massive desk maximizes territory suggesting that there is a desire
for power and authority.

Stationary office equipment: the information stored on shelves can be classified as

internal procedure manuals, suggesting that Daring is focused on the internal organization
rather than the external environment.
Props: the unused PC equipment suggests that I. B. is not as daring and progressive as he
portrays. The portraits and message on the plaque reinforce the stodgy philosophy.

Lighting and color: the dark mahogany desk and the gold plaque suggest a conservative
approach.
d.

Desk Stationary Props Lighting and

Placement Office Color
Equipment

Progressive X X X

Competitive X X X

Dynamic X X X

Unified O

e. The verbal interview and observations of STROBE cancel each other. The observations
indicate that the change and competitive edge the new system might bring to 2M would
meet with resistance from Daring. The placement of Daring’s desk suggests that he may
want to work things his way. It is uncertain how others in the organization might feel
about a new system.

Had the interview been conducted over the phone or his comments had been received
from a written report, the firm would have emerged as progressive and willing to change,
and I. B. might have been regarded as very willing to proceed with the project.