Chapter 1
Q1. What are the characteristics of the modern business environment?
The modern business environment is extremely dynamic, and subject to rapid change. The characteristics are:
· Technological advances leading to:
o Intensifying competition and threats
o Easier transport and communications
· Political and legal factors. Laws and regulations impact significantly on businesses
· Economic factors.
· Social and culturally factors.
The modern business environment is extremely dynamic, and subject to rapid change. The characteristics are:
· Technological advances leading to:
o Intensifying competition and threats
o Easier transport and communications
· Political and legal factors. Laws and regulations impact significantly on businesses
· Economic factors.
· Social and culturally factors.
Q2. What is meant by a web-based, global platform, what does it provide, and how has it affected business?
A platform that uses the functioning of the World Wide Web, to enable individuals to connect, compute, communicate, collaborate, and compare everywhere and anywhere, anytime and all the time; to access limitless amounts of information, services, and entertainment; to exchange knowledge; and to produce and sell goods and services. With these capabilities, businesses are enable to globalise, with no regard to geography, time, distance and even language barriers.
A platform that uses the functioning of the World Wide Web, to enable individuals to connect, compute, communicate, collaborate, and compare everywhere and anywhere, anytime and all the time; to access limitless amounts of information, services, and entertainment; to exchange knowledge; and to produce and sell goods and services. With these capabilities, businesses are enable to globalise, with no regard to geography, time, distance and even language barriers.
Q3. What are the main pressures that characterize the modern global business environment?
Market pressures: generated by global economy and strong competition, the changing nature of the workforce, and powerful customers.
Technology pressures: refers to technological innovation and obsolescence and information overload.
Social/ Political/ Legal pressures: includes social responsibility, government regulation/deregulation, spending for social programs, spending to protect against terrorism and ethics.
Market pressures: generated by global economy and strong competition, the changing nature of the workforce, and powerful customers.
Technology pressures: refers to technological innovation and obsolescence and information overload.
Social/ Political/ Legal pressures: includes social responsibility, government regulation/deregulation, spending for social programs, spending to protect against terrorism and ethics.
Q4. What are/discuss some of the common, IT oriented organizational responses to these pressures?
Strategic systems: are being built to know what their customers and competitions are. Knowing the two enables them to increase their market share and/or profits.
Customer focus: attempts to provide superb customer service, to retain the customers rather than lose them.
Make-to-order: strategy of producing customized products and services.
Mass customization: produces a large quantity of items, but customizes them to fit the desires of each customer.
E-Business and E-commerce: essential strategy for companies competing in today’s business environment.
Strategic systems: are being built to know what their customers and competitions are. Knowing the two enables them to increase their market share and/or profits.
Customer focus: attempts to provide superb customer service, to retain the customers rather than lose them.
Make-to-order: strategy of producing customized products and services.
Mass customization: produces a large quantity of items, but customizes them to fit the desires of each customer.
E-Business and E-commerce: essential strategy for companies competing in today’s business environment.
Q5. How are IT architecture and IT infrastructure are interrelated.
IT Architecture: is a high-level map or plan of the information assets in an organization. The information that simply runs an organisation
IT Infrastructure: consists of the actual implementation of the plan that will provide for effective information systems, including IT components, hardware, IT services, and IT personnel that support the entire organization.
The two are interrelated by people, people design and build the plan, others relate to it by constructing the facilities according to the plan.
IT Architecture: is a high-level map or plan of the information assets in an organization. The information that simply runs an organisation
IT Infrastructure: consists of the actual implementation of the plan that will provide for effective information systems, including IT components, hardware, IT services, and IT personnel that support the entire organization.
The two are interrelated by people, people design and build the plan, others relate to it by constructing the facilities according to the plan.
Q6. Is the Internet an infrastructure, an architecture, or an application program? or something else. Why?
The Internet is consist of the use of all three. It uses infrastructure such as servers and cable to run it. Architecture enables the infrastructure to work sufficiently in spreading information. Applications are required to run the Internet, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.
The Internet is consist of the use of all three. It uses infrastructure such as servers and cable to run it. Architecture enables the infrastructure to work sufficiently in spreading information. Applications are required to run the Internet, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.
Chapter 2
Q1. What is the difference between an 'application' and a computer-based information systems?
Applications are one or more pieces of computer software put together. However, a Computer based information systems is a broader term relating to software, hardware and processors used in relation with each other to complete tasks.
Applications are one or more pieces of computer software put together. However, a Computer based information systems is a broader term relating to software, hardware and processors used in relation with each other to complete tasks.
Q2. What are strategic information systems?
Any system that helps an organisation gain a competitive advantage, by supporting its strategic goals and/or increasing performance and productivity.
Any system that helps an organisation gain a competitive advantage, by supporting its strategic goals and/or increasing performance and productivity.
Q3. According to Porter, what are the five forces that could endanger a firm’s position in its industry or marketplaces?
Threat of new competitors: the threat is high when it is easy for new competitors to join the market. The threat is low when significant barriers exist.
Bargaining power of suppliers: supplier power is high when buyers few choices from whom they can buy from.
Bargaining power of customers: buyer power is high when buyers have many choices from whom they can buy from.
Threat of substituted services: threat of substituted services is high when many substitutes exist.
Rivalry of existing firms in the industry: threat of rivalry is high when there is intense competition among many firms in an industry.
Threat of new competitors: the threat is high when it is easy for new competitors to join the market. The threat is low when significant barriers exist.
Bargaining power of suppliers: supplier power is high when buyers few choices from whom they can buy from.
Bargaining power of customers: buyer power is high when buyers have many choices from whom they can buy from.
Threat of substituted services: threat of substituted services is high when many substitutes exist.
Rivalry of existing firms in the industry: threat of rivalry is high when there is intense competition among many firms in an industry.
Q4. In relation to Porter's value chain model, what is meant by primary activities and support activities, and how does IT support these activities?
Primary activities are activities that relate to the production and distribution of the firm’s products. Support activities such as logistics are the things that support the primary activities in order to contribute to the firm’s competitive advantage. IT supports these activities by making them easier, faster and more efficient.
Primary activities are activities that relate to the production and distribution of the firm’s products. Support activities such as logistics are the things that support the primary activities in order to contribute to the firm’s competitive advantage. IT supports these activities by making them easier, faster and more efficient.
Q5. Discuss the logic of building information systems in accordance with the organizational hierarchical structure.
Once the hierarchical structure is formed, systems are then formed for each level of these structures. These systems enable employees of each level in the organisation to effectively carry out their tasks to further contribute to the firm’s goals.
Once the hierarchical structure is formed, systems are then formed for each level of these structures. These systems enable employees of each level in the organisation to effectively carry out their tasks to further contribute to the firm’s goals.
Q6. How has the Internet affected each of the five forces in Porter’s competitive forces model.
Threat of new competitors come from anywhere in the world thanks to e-commerce, making the threat bigger than ever before.
Bargaining power of suppliers is decreased because they can find suppliers anywhere now.
Bargaining power of customers has increased because of so many places to buy from.
Threat of substitute products is increasing, because people can copy things very easily.
Competition and rivalry now more fierce.
Threat of new competitors come from anywhere in the world thanks to e-commerce, making the threat bigger than ever before.
Bargaining power of suppliers is decreased because they can find suppliers anywhere now.
Bargaining power of customers has increased because of so many places to buy from.
Threat of substitute products is increasing, because people can copy things very easily.
Competition and rivalry now more fierce.
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