HC1041 IT for Business Assignment 1 - Discussion Activity

This document contains the answers to the discussion activities for HC1041 IT for Business Assignment 1. The discussion activities cover various topics related to information systems, including hardware and software, problem-solving, strategic information systems, agile development methods, outsourcing IT services, end-user development, supply chain management, RFID, computer components, data management, databases, data warehousing, blogging, intranets, extranets, global information systems, data privacy, decision support systems, sensitivity tests, and geographic information systems.

HC1041 IT for Business Assignment 1 --
Discussion Activity
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Table of Contents
Discussion Activity 1.................................................................................................................2
Discussion Activity 2.................................................................................................................4
Discussion Activity 3.................................................................................................................6
Discussion Activity 4.................................................................................................................7
Discussion Activity-5.................................................................................................................9
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Discussion Activity 1
1. ‘An information system consists of hardware and software.’ Why is this statement
inadequate?
The information system does not only contain hardware and software, moreover, there are
other components also that affect the system and influence the actives around. These other
activities could be the maintenance of the database, people and procedure in the system. The
hardware and the software are one of the basic or can be said the most useful part of the
system.
2. What is a problem? Give an example of a business problem and discuss how a
computer-based information system could solve it.
The problem can be said as a hurdle in the system and thus affect the growth of the idea and
maintenance of the idea. Thus in order to solve the problem, the system is applicable in
making the certain procedure to make sure that the problem is solved. Computer firstly
analyzes the problems, gather the required data, implement the solution and review the same
to solve the problem.
3. Can an off-the-shelf computer program be used as a Strategic Information System?
The off the shelf software’s or the custom based software’s can be used in the strategic
system as they almost fulfil all the processes in the system. The price and the design are
customs made this is not that famous in the current scenario. But they lack in authenticity and
security.
4. A Strategic Information System often offers a corporation short-lived advantages. How
so?
Due to a large number of organizations around there are certain activities that the strategic
information system provides to the companies, they could be small finance help in the
production, marketing and advertising the product. Other services could be short-term
customer services like promotion and branding of the products. They are based upon certain
terms and conditions discussed between the authorities.
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5. Adobe encourages PC users to download its Acrobat Reader and Flash Player free of
charge. How does this eventually help Adobe strategically? If they give the application
away, how does their generosity help them make money?
The people in adobe and acrobat companies are more focussed upon the promotion if the
product amongst the companies. The more the people are downloading the tools the more
access they will have to computers. Companies will more try to buy the development tool of
adobe, thus eventually helping them in an increase of sales and revenue.
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Discussion Activity 2
1. What are the advantages of agile methods over waterfall development methods, such as
the traditional SDLC? What are the risks?
The agile methods are more development-friendly; they are more versatile and can help in
making the things in better way. In this, the developer can go back to the previous step. They
are more random as compared to waterfall method. The disadvantage is that they take a lot of
time and the plan is not definite, this is very much prone to mistakes.
2. What are the benefits and risks of outsourcing IT services?
The benefit of outsourcing any it service is that they are needed to be done in a proper
predefined platform and the structure is also defined properly. This reduces the workload and
increases the productivity to a certain level. But this process is highly risky as the monitoring
of the employee becomes difficult and tedious.
3. Do you think the development of information systems by end users should be
encouraged? Do the benefits of the practice outweigh its risks?
As the number of computers is increasing these days so does the needs and the demands of
the services around it. It is difficult for the users sometimes to discuss the issues with the
officials, thus in such cases, the end user-designed products are quite helpful in understanding
the needs of the user. They are customized so highly useful and less risky.
4. What is a supply chain? What is the purpose of Supply Chain Management systems?
The supply chain management helps in the activities like gathering the raw material,
producing and maintain the products and goods in the company. This is a very helpful
process in knowing the full process and understanding the system and company needs. Its
purpose is to achieve the efficient value of the products, drive effective resource to fulfil the
customer’s needs.
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5. What is RFID, and what roles does it play in SCM?
RFID is just another technology used by the companies these days in order to simplify the
work and help in the production and management of the system. Thus companies use RFID to
check the purpose of the same in the logistics and development of the product. It reduces the
cost and eases the work to much better level.
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Discussion Activity 3
1. You have decided to buy parts and build your own personal computer. At the
minimum, what are the components that you would need for this device to be
considered a computer?
For any device to be said computer there is a need to put three major components in the
computer, they are the system hardware like mouse, monitor, system software like CPU,
GPU, APU, they help in running the internal functions and then the human-ware to assemble
and use all in the same place.
2. What are the most important features to consider before purchasing a PC?
Whenever there is a need to buy a new computer the first thing that is needed to be
considered is that whether the system needed is laptop or desktop, secondly the RAM and the
memory required by the company. Then it is required to see the graphics quality and the
company that fits all. Then finally the overall hardware and software composition should
meet the needs.
3. Explain the notions of WAN, LAN, MAN and PAN.
The Wide area network (WAN) is a composition of LAN or MAN, it has a very large range
to connect the systems to each other. Then LAN and MAN are the ones with approximate
coverage of 48 kilometres and then finally there is PAN, the personal network to connect a
few devices in an office or small office space.
4. What are the technical advantages of optical fibres over other communications media?
The optical fibres are the bunch of small fibres that are joined together to transmit the data
from one place to another. They are light in weight and can provide the data to the maximum
level in the system. They are very versatile and cost friendly, the data transfer here is of good
quality and upgradable.
5. Wi-Fi is all around us. Is there any downside to its pervasiveness?
Usage of WIFI has increased all around the system, this has helped in the communication and
data transfer level quite much. The dependency on WIFI is so much that the data services at
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the local level are losing their importance. Thus they are better and provide more user-
friendly services to the users.
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Discussion Activity 4
1. Spreadsheets have become quite useful in data management. What can be done with
database management system that cannot be done with spreadsheet applications? Give
2 examples
 Spreadsheet applications can be easily changeable which is at high risk when
considered as deep data storing of any company.
 The spreadsheet is just an unnecessary expense while the database is easy and more
accessible to the users.
2. What does it mean to cleanse the data before it is stored in the data warehouse?
Data cleansing simply means to format and check the data before storing in the database. It is
necessary as the whole data is based on that stores data and further analysis are based upon
that.
3. What is data warehouse? How is it different from a transactional database?
 In order to do management decisions, there are a large number of data resources from
which data is extracted processed and then stored. This process is known as a data
warehouse.
 A transactional database just more precise form of a database, it is described in the
form of timelines, numeric values. These data can be altered and modified as per the process
and need. The more the transactions occur the quickly the database is updated.
4. What is blogging and what potential does it have for business?
 Blogging can be described as a personal web log in which that person can describe the
services and activities that person has been doing and also the feedbacks and reviews of the
owner.
 For business, it is very much useful in joining with the client base and giving them up
to date information about the services. It also helps in making position in the market along
with trust and rapport.
5. What are an intranet and purpose does it serve? What is an extranet, and what purpose
does it serve?
 An intranet can be said as a local network that connects user over a small area and let
them communicate with each other. It is mainly used to store company’s details like the
contacts, mail id. DOB etc.’
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 An extranet can be one form of the intranet in which some partial users outside the
designed network can access the internet structure of the company by using special access.
This is mainly used when the owner or CEO is not in the same place as employees but they
are allowed to access the intranet of the company from outside.
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Discussion Activity-5
1. What is meant by “global information system”?
A global information system is mainly used geographically to store, retrieve and analyse the
data. They can use to coordinate the latitude and longitude of different countries. They can be
accessed and used globally to extract and study the specific topic required.
2. The European Union has stricter privacy laws than the United States, and not many US
companies are willing to comply with the EU Directive on Data Protection. How would
you resolve the conflict?
European data privacy laws have been focussing more on the privacy of user’s data on social
and other sites. As US-based companies are using data without using the consent of the
consumers but this is wrong. Due to the conflict between both the countries, it is suggested to
make certain laws to make sure that the data taken from the site are with users consent and
without that if the data is taken then that should be penalized.
3. Decision Support Systems use models to process data. Explain what a model is. Give
two examples
 The model is basically used to show the way the communication is done to make the decision
in a particular form. The Decision support system can give data using artificial intelligence or
by using information graphically
 EX1-The example of a communication driven system is using chats and emails to
communicate with each other.
 EX2-Data based system can use a process like query driven approach to generate a query to
extract the data and do any changes on client/server link.
4. What is a sensitivity test? Give two examples.
 Sensitivity test can be done in those cases when the changes in input variable affect the
output of the mathematical model. The variation in the input variables will gradually affect
the output process.
 EX1- the change in the speed of the car can eventually affect the average speed of the journey
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 The increase in the number of subjects in the examination will eventually affects the overall
percentage of the student.
5. How could you use a Geographic Information System to schedule your classes? Give an
example.
 The geographic information system can tell about the demographics of any place, their data
with the geography relate. Mostly used in predicting the climate.
 This can be used to schedule the classes like a class need to study about a special flora but the
geographical conditions are not supportive for that this process is used to study the structure
of that place and then conducting a personal visit to that place.
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