Deck 10: Business Technology: Management Information Systems

Question 1

The person in charge of technology-enabled information processing in companies is most often called the ________.

A)chief communications officer
B)chief executive officer
C)chief information officer
D)chief computing officer

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Hilde's company wants to develop an understanding of the demographics of people purchasing its new product. The company wants to target its marketing at this demographic of people. The marketing department has used a database management system to identify the characteristics of buyers. Which of the following will be MOST useful for identifying the appropriate demographic group at which to target marketing?

A)data warehousing
B)data brainstorming
C)data consolidation
D)data mining

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT true of executive information systems?

A)They can consolidate transactions using both internal sources.
B)They are especially designed to help managers make decisions.
C)They usually display more graphics and fewer spreadsheets than other information systems.
D)They are primarily used by the CEO and other top executives.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Mason's business is making a profit, but he needs to increase his bottom line so that he can invest in his firm's growth. He decides to purchase a business intelligence software package to help him identify ways to grow his company. Which of the following questions could Mason's business intelligence software answer?

A)Which of my competitors has the least debt?
B)Which countries would provide the least expensive production facilities?
C)Who are my top 10 revenue generating customers?
D)What new technologies will be available to increase my firm's productivity?

Question 5

Business intelligence software can help managers ________.

A)report, plan, and forecast workforce performance
B)assess the level of expertise of each of a business's employees
C)forecast their business's stock performance during the next fiscal year
D)gain access to private information about a business's competitors

Question 6

Marianne is the payroll manager at Johnson Manufacturing. She wants to upgrade the department's accounting systems. To whom should she send her request for an upgrade?

A)Director of Human Resources
B)Vice President of Operations
C)Director of Management Information Systems
D)Vice President of Marketing

Question 7

The unit in a company that is most often responsible for the hardware components, software programs, and networking strategies of a business organization is ________.

A)information technology
B)operations
C)finance
D)marketing

Question 8

What does a management information system (MIS)do that an IT department would typically not do?

A)focus on pure technical knowledge
B)focus on applying IT to solve business problems
C)focus on reducing information flow among employees
D)focus on identifying management problems in IT departments

Question 9

HipHop Innovations, Inc. stores massive numbers of music videos as well as data about sales and clients. The company is highly dependent on this data and cannot afford to lose it. HipHop Innovations' management is considering purchasing a hard disk drive design called RAID (redundant array of independent drives). How does a RAID system help protect a company's critical data and information?

A)by providing a large data warehouse for storing its information
B)by increasing the speed of its central processing unit (CPU)
C)by making a perfect backup of its data on two separate drives
D)by making separate copies of data for clients and the company

Question 10

What best describes a data mart?

A)a store where companies can purchase data
B)a collection of network servers dedicated to hosting database management systems on the Internet
C)a collection of data about a single product or department that is part of a larger collection of data
D)a type of business intelligence software used for making purchasing decisions

Question 11

What is the best definition for data?

A)information used to improve business practices
B)representation of a fact or idea
C)statement of fact or idea
D)opinions about the effectiveness of a business

Question 12

Which of the following BEST describes how businesses convert raw data into information?

A)asking information technology experts to review data for accuracy
B)organizing the data in a way that helps make decisions
C)storing the data in a data warehouse
D)using the prevalent automatic process

Question 13

Database management systems are MOST useful because ________.

A)information technology managers prefer to use software systems rather than qualitative systems
B)they help businesses manage vast amounts of data collected in the process of doing business
C)customers prefer companies that rely on database management systems
D)the company can hire more people to collect and analyze the data

Question 14

Molave Furniture Company plans to launch a new Web site. Lila, the company's CIO, thinks that the company can better reach its customers through an interactive site that allows customers to view pictures of all furniture items, schedule an appointment with a sales consultant, or order items online. Which of the following areas of responsibility is Lila most specifically addressing?

A)budget
B)currency of systems
C)e-commerce
D)systems design

Question 15

Which two features of a business workstation's central processing unit (CPU)usually need to be more advanced than that of a home computer?

A)processing power and speed
B)cost and design
C)warranty and variety
D)memory and durability

Question 16

As a chief information officer, Bob looks for ways that his company's technological resources can generate bigger returns on its information technology investments. Which aspect of the CIO's role is he addressing?

A)currency of systems
B)e-commerce
C)system design
D)budget

Question 17

The following are all functions of a chief information officer (CIO)EXCEPT ________.

A)creating business opportunities
B)overseeing the accounting office
C)processing information
D)updating computer systems

Question 18

An ice cream franchise wants to know how each of its flavors is selling so that managers can make decisions about which flavors to carry and which ones to discontinue. Which of the following will BEST help the company make its decision?

A)an interview of customers
B)a database management system
C)a taste test by employees
D)an online poll

Question 19

Which of the following is a function of a company's IT department?

A)managing the use of mobile computing
B)setting sales targets for technology products
C)marketing new technologies to consumers
D)identifying new locations for company offices

Question 20

What BEST explains why business workstations often have more random access memory (RAM)than home computers?

A)Businesses often have two or three computers linked together for every workstation.
B)Businesses annually replace their systems with the best equipment available.
C)Workstations are constantly updated and data is stored on a main computer to free space.
D)Workstations require faster overall processing speed for projects and office programs.

Question 21

Which of the following uses of technology would be MOST likely to contribute to a breakdown in workplace communication?

A)increase in blogging
B)increase in email
C)increase in gaming
D)increase in simulations

Question 22

Erin has just had a cable modem installed that gives her access to the Internet and email capability. Which protocol does her email service provider use to transmit the emails she sends to others across the Internet?

A)FTP
B)SMTP
C)HTTP
D)VOIP

Question 23

All of the following are examples of green computing EXCEPT ________.

A)telecommuting
B)portable printers
C)power consumption monitoring
D)virtual meeting environments

Question 24

Gina's company wants to connect several of its computers to a print station in a different part of their office. Her company can link the printer with the computers using ________.

A)remote conferencing
B)networking
C)sonar
D)VoIP

Question 25

A(n)________ is a network that includes computers and other devices that are in close physical proximity to one another, for instance, in one office building.

A)LAN
B)Extranet
C)VPN
D)VoIP

Question 26

Jacob recently began a new job at a consulting firm. He has learned that the company's network is partially accessible to outside users, as well as employees. Outsiders can view parts of the network with a valid username and password, while unauthorized users are kept out by a specialized firewall protecting the network. Which of the following terms describes the consulting firm's network?

A)intranet
B)exonet
C)internet
D)extranet

Question 27

Manoj is the purchasing manager at a company interested in improving its internal management abilities. A manager asks Manoj to consider purchasing an HRM system. What is the BEST description for how this system would be used?

A)prioritize managerial functions for all managers
B)assess workplace environment with regards to hiring
C)monitor customer feedback for all issues
D)organize tasks involving personnel issues

Question 28

A city fire department might consider an investment in robotics technology because ________.

A)it could relieve firefighters of certain dangerous tasks
B)it could allow the fire department to lay off fewer firefighters
C)it could make the firefighters' jobs more fulfilling
D)it could justify an increase in the annual department budget

Question 29

Amber has found it convenient to be able to access her work email and files at home, but recently she has started to feel frustrated because she is working more hours and spending less time with her family. Amber's frustration is MOST likely the result of ________.

A)an increased work effort as a result of increased compensation.
B)an increased demand on her time from her family.
C)an increased use of technology tools.
D)a decreased focus on work at the office.

Question 30

Programs such as QuickBooks help businesses by ________.

A)handling financial tasks like accounting and budgeting, as well as managing other office expenses
B)allowing management to monitor employee activity throughout the course of a work week.
C)allowing national and international calls to be placed quickly and cheaply over the Internet
D)making it faster to track the management of knowledge workers throughout their careers

Question 31

What is a network?

A)a software program that accesses technical information available on the Internet
B)the design and implementation of computer-based information systems
C)the set of different languages that are used to transfer information across the Internet
D)a system that connects computers and other devices such as printers and faxes together

Question 32

Riley and her college friends always talked about starting a business together, but since graduating, they have all relocated to different parts of the country. Which of the following would BEST enable Riley and her friends to build a "virtual" company without living in the same geographic location?

A)blogs
B)Facebook
C)remote conferencing
D)Twitter

Question 33

Which of the following is an advantage of using spreadsheet programs over database programs?

A)Spreadsheets are automatically duplicated into data warehouses.
B)Spreadsheets are simple for managers to use and require no programming ability.
C)Spreadsheets are customized online to provide sophisticated analysis of the overall business.
D)Spreadsheets are only interpreted by MIS professionals.

Question 34

How is the Internet2 BEST described?

A)a way of accessing encrypted information not normally available on mobile devices
B)a set of different "languages" or protocols that are used to transfer information across the original Internet at varying speeds
C)a network of networks that allows certain universities and businesses to transfer data at very high speeds
D)a large network that connects millions of computers internationally

Question 35

Which of the following statements is MOST accurate?

A)Research proves that IT investments increase employee productivity.
B)Research proves that IT investments reduce employee productivity.
C)Research proves that IT investments have no effect on employee productivity.
D)Research is inconclusive about the relationship between IT investments and productivity.

Question 36

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP)works by ________.

A)using the Internet to transmit telephone communications
B)allowing many people to join a common discussion regardless of their physical location
C)creating templates for email or phone marketing campaigns that can be conducted over the Internet
D)giving employees virtual whiteboards so they can work collaboratively on a single document

Question 37

Hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP)is a type of computing ________ that allows users to access information available on the Internet.

A)router
B)language
C)business
D)ISP

Question 38

Jane has a freelance writing business and wants to stay in touch with her customers as a way of growing her business. Which of the following technologies would BEST allow her to keep her customers aware of her services?

A)VoIP
B)remote conferencing
C)marketing services
D)data mining

Question 39

What is MOST important for cloud computing?

A)Internet
B)smartphones
C)wireless connections
D)computer backup systems

Question 40

Mobile devices, global positioning system (GPS)devices, and portable printers are in common use for professional and personal use. However, this combination of devices would be MOST beneficial to ________.

A)customers
B)office managers
C)business travelers
D)machine operators

Question 41

Offshoring is an attractive option to U.S. companies because ________.

A)executives can enjoy a higher standard of life in developing countries
B)qualified personnel can provide professional services at much cheaper rates
C)the politics of offshore countries are more compatible with those of company owners
D)companies with extensive shorelines make it easier to ship products

Question 42

Which of the following can minimize threats to a company's online security?

A)wireless networks
B)security guards
C)hackers
D)encryption

Question 43

While working for a comic book company, Jack created a character that went on to become a huge success for the business. Despite this creation, Jack was paid only his usual wages. What is the BEST explanation for why Jack did not receive any additional financial benefit as a result of the character he created?

A)Jack's company was not appreciative of his contribution to the success of the business.
B)Jack's company did not realize that his character would become so successful.
C)Jack was an employee of the company so the character belonged to the company.
D)Jack created the character so it became his intellectual property.

Question 44

What is LEAST likely to jeopardize the security of a company's data?

A)crash of a single computer
B)theft of a single computer
C)hacking of a computer network
D)use of RAID

Question 45

Which of the following is the BEST example of how technology supports ethical conduct in hospitals?

A)Technology ensures that the correct prescriptions are prescribed to patients.
B)Technology allows employees to report their mistakes without risking disciplinary action.
C)Technology quickly recognizes mistakes in data entry, preventing unfortunate errors.
D)Technology makes it easier to monitor the conversations of patients and visitors.

Question 46

What technology will not benefit offshoring?

A)FTP
B)VOIP
C)LAN
D)WAN

Question 47

Which of the following is NOT an example of outsourcing?

A)A company hires a staffing company to identify candidates for its open jobs.
B)A small business owner asks a local printing company to produce its marketing flyers.
C)A publishing company has a contract with a shipping provider to manage its distribution.
D)A manufacturing firm relocates a production facility to Mexico.

Question 48

Near-shoring is a type of offshoring in which jobs are moved to countries that are ________.

A)politically different but becoming more democratized
B)close to companies' other offshoring locations
C)cheaper than more remote and exotic locations around the world
D)linguistically and culturally similar to the domestic country

Question 49

Knowledge-based workers contribute MOST to their companies through ________.

A)patience and adaptability
B)creativity and originality
C)experience and dedication
D)effort and trainability

Question 50

Which of the following statements is TRUE about the impact of technology on employee privacy?

A)Technology makes it more difficult for companies to access private information about employees.
B)Technology ensures that individuals will have the same privacy protections at work as they do at home.
C)Technology ensures that employees can access more private information about their fellow employees.
D)Technology allows companies to access information about employees' behavior on the job.

Question 51

Employers use electronic monitoring to ________.

A)gather information about an employee's activities while on the job
B)gather information about customers' attitudes about the company
C)collect data on activities of competitors
D)collect information about employees' activities when away from the workplace

Question 52

Rosa has a successful Web-based business selling Native American crafts. Recently she has been receiving orders from people in countries outside the United States. What technological change would MOST likely attract more customers in other countries to her online business?

A)Make sure her online content is oriented primarily to her existing customers.
B)Advertise in English-speaking newspapers that are published in foreign countries.
C)Ensure her Web site supports multiple languages and culturally customized content.
D)Add wikis, a blog, and a search function to her Web site.

Question 53

________ is a practice of contracting with an outside firm to handle a specific part of a business's daily activities.

A)Outsourcing
B)Subsourcing
C)Offshoring
D)Near-shoring

Question 54

Which of the following statements BEST support why hackers present risks to a company's security?

A)They distract employees from completing their assigned tasks.
B)They use encryption schemes to access corporate Web sites.
C)They gain unauthorized entry into a company's computer system.
D)They steal important papers from workers' desks and offices.

Question 55

Who is encryption meant to prevent from reading private data?

A)hackers
B)company employees
C)customers
D)the public

Question 56

Although electronic monitoring offers some advantages to a company, it may also result in disadvantages. Which of the following is the MOST significant disadvantage of electronic monitoring of employees?

A)Electronic monitoring may cause many employees to request decreased levels of supervision.
B)Electronic monitoring devices' electromagnetic fields can disrupt company telecommunications.
C)Electronic monitoring, even at its best, can crash computers.
D)Electronic monitoring can result in increased employee stress and anxiety.

Question 57

________ is the practice of shifting work from the United States to other nations.

A)Outsourcing
B)Offshoring
C)Contracting
D)Internationalizing

Question 58

Technology BEST supports whistleblowers by ________.

A)enabling distribution of business codes of conduct on the Internet
B)making it possible for people to report a business's ethical violations safely and easily
C)wiretapping phones of employees or executives who are suspected of being unethical
D)making it difficult to violate employee privacy through electronic monitoring

Question 59

________ refers to ownership of an intangible concept or idea.

A)Intellectual property
B)Tacit property
C)Real property
D)Innovative property

Question 60

Terrell urgently needs to take care of some personal business using the Internet, but he is afraid that he might jeopardize his job if he is found using the company network for personal use. Which corporate practice is causing Terrell to most likely feel this concern?

A)intellectual property monitoring
B)technology auditing
C)electronic monitoring
D)job tracking

Question 61

Chief information officers do not get involved in creating business opportunities for their companies.

Question 62

As a result of technology, it is easier to protect private information today than it was in the last century.

Question 63

Although the initial costs of installing new technology can be high, these costs are usually offset by the minimal costs involved in maintaining new technology.

Question 64

Technology's ability to process and document large amounts of data has better enabled people to understand interpersonal communication.

Question 65

Which of the following statements is TRUE about the conditions of the global workplace?

A)Because of Web-based translation programs, employees will not need to be fluent in multiple languages.
B)Because there will be a larger pool of talented knowledge workers, workers with average skills may lose jobs.
C)Because of Internet-enabled communication, interpersonal communication skills will become less important.
D)Because the workplace will be more diverse, employees will be expected to work harder to maintain their own cultural identities.

Question 66

An employee cannot own an original idea that pertains to the employee's area of work, even if the employee created the idea outside of the workplace.

Question 67

Which of the following is NOT an example of how technology can help companies outsource and offshore work?

A)Because of time zone differences, offshoring companies can use technology to conduct business almost 24 hours a day.
B)Employees in different divisions of an international business can use technology to collaborate more effectively.
C)Technology allows innovative ideas from different regions to be more readily identified and explored.
D)Technology makes it more efficient and easier for executives to collect and analyze data that can be used in the decision-making process.

Question 68

Data mining has proven to be a poor technique for improving the effectiveness of a firm's marketing strategies.

Question 69

A company's marketing department tends to be more successful if it minimizes its reliance on information technology.

Question 70

IT departments must ensure that companies use the newest technology that can perform a needed business function.

Question 71

It is more important for large companies than for small businesses to invest in systems that create backups of critical information.

Question 72

Networks are rarely used outside of the business world and academia because of the high cost of networking technologies.

Question 73

The chief information officer is responsible for the technology of a business, including the management and evaluation of the budget allotted for such technology.

Question 74

Which of the following countries has most recently grown into a major production center for the world?

A)Japan
B)China
C)Kuwait
D)New Zealand

Question 75

IT professionals sometimes create custom software to bridge the gaps between the software products available and the needs of the firm.

Question 76

Online analysis packages (OLAPs)enable very quick analysis of multiple sources of business information in order to present a clearer picture of the state of the business.

Question 77

Not only can business intelligence software report past and current performance levels, but it can also forecast workforce performance.

Question 78

The World Wide Web is another name for the Internet.

Question 79

A virtual private network is one designed for noncommercial use in a private home or residence.

Question 80

Arwa is a marketing specialist who was hired by a United States company with a branch in her native country of Turkey. Which of the following is the LEAST likely reason her company hired Arwa?

A)Arwa benefitted from a company hiring program that recruits minorities.
B)Arwa is fluent in English and Turkish.
C)Arwa spent a year at a university in the United States.
D)Arwa is familiar with a number of marketing technologies and services.