Question 1 5 out of 5 points According to the lecture material, a system which is a major cross-enterprise business systems that support essential business functionality such as CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and SCM (Supply Chain Management) is called: Selected Answer: Enterprise Business Systems Answers: Functional Business Systems Enterprise Business Systems Enterprise Communication and Collaboration Systems Business Intelligence and Decision Support Systems E-Commerce Systems None of these Response Enterprise Business Systems are major cross-enterprise business systems Feedback: that support essential business functionality. Standard major systems in this category include CRM (customer relationship management), SCM (supply chain management) and ERP (enterprise resources planning) systems. Enterprise business systems often connect together functional business systems using EAI (enterprise application integration) and workflow and BPM (business process management) systems. Question 2 3.75 out of 5 points How has IT supported Organizational Agility? Select all that apply: Selected Answers: b. Structural Agility brought by internet based communication and collaboration, have enabled businesses to leverage outsourcing and geographically distributed teams. d. Business Process Agility has brought about rapid changes in business processes driven primarily by workflow and business process management systems. e. Management Agility through better decision making that business intelligence, data mining and decision support systems provide. Answers: a. The networked economy has forced businesses to become agile and adapt to competitive and environmental change more quickly b. Structural Agility brought by internet based communication and collaboration, have enabled businesses to leverage outsourcing and geographically distributed teams. c. IT has rendered the traditional organizational structure obsolete. Businesses need to become loosely coupled and unstructured to be able to rapidly adapt to competitive forces. d. Business Process Agility has brought about rapid changes in business processes driven primarily by workflow and business process management systems. e. Management Agility through better decision making that business intelligence, data mining and decision support systems provide. Response People need some type of organizational structure to provide guidance Feedback: and clarity on responsibilities and boundaries. While there is some truth that organizations need to be agile and adapt to competitive forces more quickly the need for a formal reporting structure is still needed. Question 3 5 out of 5 points IT supported agility which facilitates better decision making, largely driven by the growth of business intelligence systems, including data mining and decision support systems can be referred to as: Selected Answer: Management Agility Answers: Structural Agility Business Process Agility Management Agility Executive Agility None of these Question 4 0 out of 5 points What are the advantages of hardware Virtualization to an organization? Selected Answer: Answers: a. Running multiple applications that are not supported by the host operating system. a. Running multiple applications that are not supported by the host operating system. b. Creating a protected environment. c. Maximize their current hardware infrastructure by sharing resources of a single machine to support multiple virtual servers simultaneously. d. Reduce resource overhead such as power, cooling and rack space. e. All of the above Response Legacy operating systems that require specialized hardware such as Feedback: OpenVMS can be virtualized on a Windows Server using Charon-VAX. This allows an organization to eliminate running an expensive VAX or AlphaServer to host legacy applications that they cannot retire yet. Virtualization provides software protected environments which are useful in situations where one application that crashes may impact other applications running on the same operating environment. Wintel Server sprawl was a catalyst that brought more virtualization vendors such as VMware and Microsoft into the marketplace. Virtualization allows customers to consolidate multiple servers onto fewer physical servers which reduces their overhead costs while increasing overall server utilization. Question 5 5 out of 5 points IT supported agility which facilitates distributed teams and outsourcing, largely driven by the increasing capabilities of internet-based communication and collaboration can be referred to as: Selected Answer: Structural Agility Answers: Structural Agility Business Process Agility Management Agility Executive Agility None of these Question 6 5 out of 5 points Software As A Service or (SaaS), provides consumers with a “pay as you go” or “on demand” software model which removes the need for organizations to distribute software across their organization, but rather, provides them with a simple mechanism to license and leverage software on an as needed basis. There are some major benefits for organizations to move towards a SaaS model, according to the lecture material they are: Selected Answers: Flexibility and Scalability Monthly obligation rather than up front capital cost Focus budgets on competitive advantage rather than infrastructure Save money on not having to purchase servers or other software to support use Answers: Flexibility and Scalability Reduction of IT staff due to not having to support software Monthly obligation rather than up front capital cost Focus budgets on competitive advantage rather than infrastructure Save money on not having to purchase servers or other software to support use Question 7 5 out of 5 points Within cloud computing there are several deployment types. The deployment type where the cloud is focused on data security, corporate governance and reliability can be best described as: Selected Answer: Private Cloud Answers: Public Cloud Private Cloud Community Cloud Hybrid Cloud None of these Question 8 2.5 out of 5 points How might an IT deployment have an impact on Management? Select all that apply: Selected a. Answers: May support, hinder or alter how managers operate, and adapt to change. b. Affect the scope or quality of managements’ ability to plan, coordinate, make decisions and lead. Answers: a. May support, hinder or alter how managers operate, and adapt to change. b. Affect the scope or quality of managements’ ability to plan, coordinate, make decisions and lead. c. May improve or automate management tasks, thus enabling managers to engage with their teams in a more productive manner. d. May flatten the organization thus increasing the ratio of employees to manager and eliminating middle layers of management. In some cases this opens up new opportunities for affected managers to take on different roles. Response The introduction of new IT systems can lead to changes in management Feedback: dynamics as managers spend more screen time than face-time with their teams. Question 9 5 out of 5 points Within cloud computing there are several deployment types. The deployment type where the cloud is accessible, publicly, over the internet where the provisioning of resources is self-serving and is billed using a utility service model, can be best described as: Selected Answer: Public Cloud Answers: Public Cloud Private Cloud Community Cloud Hybrid Cloud None of these Response Public Cloud – This model is the traditional cloud computing deployment Feedback: where the cloud is accessible, publically, over the internet where the provisioning of resources is self-serving and is billed using a utility service model. For example, Google, IBM and EMC provide public cloud services. Question 10 5 out of 5 points According to the lecture material, a system that allows users to communicate, conference, share knowledge, and collaboratively work together is called: Selected Answer: Answers: Enterprise Communication and Collaboration Systems Functional Business Systems Enterprise Business Systems Enterprise Communication and Collaboration Systems Business Intelligence and Decision Support Systems E-Commerce Systems None of these Question 11 5 out of 5 points The use of IT leads to competitive benefits and advantages. However, it is becoming increasingly important to ask whether these advantages are sustainable. Select from the following ways that competitive advantage can be sustained via IT (select all that apply): Selected Answers: a. Continually improve the IT system by finding better ways to leverage existing technologies and being smart about new technology adoption. b. Leverage information to make quick decisions and match the pace of organizational change with the current market trends. c. Tailor the system to the organization, design for organization-specific processes and strategic approaches. e. Build IT systems that are inexpensive to replicate to avoid having to overpay for scarce IT staff with niche skills Answers: a. Continually improve the IT system by finding better ways to leverage existing technologies and being smart about new technology adoption. b. Leverage information to make quick decisions and match the pace of organizational change with the current market trends. c. Tailor the system to the organization, design for organization-specific processes and strategic approaches. d. Avoid using proprietary systems because they are difficult to maintain e. Build IT systems that are inexpensive to replicate to avoid having to overpay for scarce IT staff with niche skills Response In fact it is a competitive advantage to keep internally visible systems Feedback: proprietary so that the systems features and functionality will be difficult for competitors to replicate. It is also a competitive advantage to build IT systems that provide valuable functionality and are difficult and expensive to replicate until such time as the functionality shows up in commercial systems. Question 12 5 out of 5 points The operational perspective on an IT Deployment considers the impacts on an organization in which of the following areas (select all that apply): Selected Answers: a. Structure b. Technology c. Individuals and culture d. Business Processes Answers: a. Structure b. Technology c. Individuals and culture d. Business Processes e. Customers Response How to integrate, train users and maintain the system (Technology). Feedback: Workflows, policies and procedures (Business Processes). How the system is organizations including teams, reporting structure and work locations (Structure). How the system is managed (Management). Individuals and culture. Question 13 0 out of 5 points Why are Emerging Technologies important to driving Business Value? Selected Answer: Answers: b. Organizations need the ability to expand easily and introduce new products and services quickly. a. Organizations need the ability to make use of unstructured data sets to extract value and drive decision making. b. Organizations need the ability to expand easily and introduce new products and services quickly. c. Organizations need to be able to operate anywhere, anytime and expand their technology assets with simplicity and ease. d. All of the above Response Focusing on the business value and not the specific technologies, it is Feedback: important to recognize that emerging technologies should always be critically evaluated by an organizations CTO to determine how they may offer a competitive advantage in the future. Question 14 5 out of 5 points The Microservices Architecture Pattern has emerged in recent years for application development to take advantage of Platform as a Service in the Cloud Computing paradigm. Select from the following that are true about Microservices: Selected Answers: a. Microservices are the next step in the evolution of Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). b. Microservices decompose monolithic systems into smaller distinct functional contextual applications known as services. d. Each Microservice can sit in a container which is a virtualized space that runs on top of another operating system Answers: a. Microservices are the next step in the evolution of Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). b. Microservices decompose monolithic systems into smaller distinct functional contextual applications known as services. c. Microservices are difficult to implement and changes take a long time to rollout into production d. Each Microservice can sit in a container which is a virtualized space that runs on top of another operating system Response Microservices are easy for developers to work with as there are many PaaS Feedback: solutions available today with a rich set of development tools and IDE plugins, including Cloud Foundry. Microservices enable application developers to utilize agile and paired programming methodologies to rapidly prototype an application and deploy it in a DevOps environment. Changes to the application to be implemented and deployed quickly. Developers can make changes to their applications to add new functionality or fix bugs, test them and deploy them without incurring any application downtime. Question 15 5 out of 5 points According to the lecture material, a system that supports primary business functions such as manufacturing, procurement, logistics, accounting and finance, sales, marketing and HR are called: Selected Answer: Functional Business Systems Answers: Functional Business Systems Enterprise Business Systems Enterprise Communication and Collaboration Systems Business Intelligence and Decision Support Systems E-Commerce Systems None of these Question 16 5 out of 5 points How might the introduction of IT impact organizational structure? Select all that apply: Selected Answers: b. May increase or decrease support for agile structural changes in the future. c. It may support or damage the organizational structure. d. It may force an organizations structure to change. Answers: a. It may lead to large scale workforce reductions. b. May increase or decrease support for agile structural changes in the future. c. It may support or damage the organizational structure. d. It may force an organizations structure to change. Response The introduction of IT may allow a business to reduce its management Feedback: hierarchy and focus on core competencies which may lead to outsourcing non-core roles which is true in Business Process Outsourcing deals. Technology allows a business the flexibility to reorganize and redeploy employees to where they are needed to respond to new opportunities and competitive forces. Question 17 3.75 out of 5 points According to the lecture, there are a number of key features to Cloud Computing, please select all that apply: Selected Answers: Agility Multitenancy Metering Answers: Agility Multitenancy Reliability Metering Response There are several key features to cloud computing. Those features are: Feedback: * Agility – provides the ability to rapidly provision infrastructure and services * Cost – lower entry costs for organizations, as well as a facilitates a “pay as you go” model * Device and Location Independence – browser based and available through the internet, the cloud is available through any client * Multi-tenancy – provides the ability to share multiple resources across consumers typically through virtualization * Reliability – typical cloud vendors must provide critical service features and functionality to their consumers, much like a utility company. Therefore, backup, recovery, disaster recovery and business continuity is of critical importance to cloud computing vendors. * Scalability – since infrastructure within the cloud can be easily provisioned, on demand scalability is an extremely important to cloud computing * Security – there is a centralization of security with cloud computing. Although there are concerns with this model such as loss of control of sensitive data and the lack of security for stored kernels. * Maintenance – cloud computing applications can be easier to maintain since the applications do not need to be installed on a client directly * Metering – cloud computing usage and application usage can be monitored therefore, consumers only use resources they pay for. Question 18 5 out of 5 points IT deployments do not exist within a technology vacuum and need to be successfully integrated with existing IT systems and accommodate future IT plans. Introducing or expanding IT always affects existing technology. Which of the following questions should be addressed when introducing or expanding an IT system as part of the IT Governance process? Selected Answers: a. Does it solve or create availability, reliability, privacy security and compliance issues? b. Does it limit or facilitate expansion of future technology technology choices that the organization anticipates in the future? d. Does it integrate with an organizations existing IT systems? Answers: a. Does it solve or create availability, reliability, privacy security and compliance issues? b. Does it limit or facilitate expansion of future technology technology choices that the organization anticipates in the future? c. Does it replace (or obsolete) an organizations existing IT systems? d. Response Feedback: Does it integrate with an organizations existing IT systems? An IT deployment or expansion may end up replacing an existing IT system or rendering it obsolete over a longer period of time. This is not necessarily a primary impact on existing technology deployments. Question 19 5 out of 5 points Primary business functions are supported by a variety of standalone systems. In larger organizations these functional systems are being integrated. Which of the following Functional Business Systems would benefit the organization by being integrated to facilitate the flow of information? Selected Answers: b. Human Resource Information Systems c. Logistics Systems e. Manufacturing Information Systems Answers: a. Loss Prevention Systems b. Human Resource Information Systems c. Logistics Systems d. Document Management Systems e. Manufacturing Information Systems Response Loss Prevention Systems are often standalone and used in the retail and Feedback: distribution industries. They would not necessarily benefit from being integrated with other functional systems such as financial management or manufacturing. Document Management Systems are supporting systems for various parts of a business such as manufacturing or plant management. Question 20 5 out of 5 points Which of the following variables have an impact on IT System Extent with respect to technology infrastructure, support and cooperation of the IT staff affected by the system? Select all that apply. Selected Answers: a. Cost b. Complexity d. Time frame for developing and maintaining Answers: a. Cost b. Complexity c. Quality d. Response Feedback: Time frame for developing and maintaining IT System Extent impacts cost, complexity and time frame for developing and maintaining it.
