IE349 – Final Exam
Student Name_______________________
IE349
Enabling Competitive Advantage through Information
Technology
Final Exam – Fall 2012
Please answer the following questions in short-essay form. Please
use concrete examples to support your answer. Also, please read
ALL of the questions BEFORE you begin to answer, because you
should not use the same case study to answer multiple questions (the
only exception being Question 7 [extra credit]. If you need additional
space to answer a particular question, please ask for additional blank
paper.
1. Pick one of the case studies from the course that demonstrates
the concept of competitive advantage through IT (25 points)
a. Describe the state of competition before the investment
in IT
b. Describe the investment in IT (what did the company do)
c. Describe the results on the company's competitive
advantage
d. Infrastructural or proprietary (explain your answer)
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IE349 – Final Exam
Student Name_______________________
Question 1 (continued space for answering)
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IE349 – Final Exam
Student Name_______________________
2. What were the main obstacles that Billy Bean of the Oakland
A's faced in implementing the statistics-based approach to
managing the team? How did he overcome these obstacles?
(15 points)
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IE349 – Final Exam
Student Name_______________________
3. Describe the concept of “Network Effect”: What is it? How does
it create competitive advantage? Please use a concrete
example to explain your answer (15 points)
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IE349 – Final Exam
Student Name_______________________
4. In 2011, Facebook considered two avenues for revenue
growth. Briefly describe the two strategies, and then pick
which one you think will provide the best opportunity for
growth gained by competitive advantage. Please support your
answer by explaining why and how your chosen strategy will
deliver competitive advantage and revenue growth (15
points)
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IE349 – Final Exam
Student Name_______________________
5. Do you think Google has developed a strategy to achieve and
maintain sustainable competitive advantage through IT?
Please use Porter's view of competitive advantage and strategy
to defend your evaluation of Google's actions in this area (15
points)
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IE349 – Final Exam
Student Name_______________________
6. Looking back at Carr's article "IT Doesn't Matter", was he right?
Using material/examples from lectures, readings and group
projects, please explain and defend your answer (15 points)
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IE349 – Final Exam
Student Name_______________________
7. EXTRA CREDIT: Imagine that you have $1000 to invest in 4
companies: Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google. Your
objective is to invest such that you get the maximum return in
10 years. Keeping in mind that stock prices are the market’s
estimates of future profit growth, how would you invest your
money? Why? Please note that you can decide to invest in 1, 2,
3 or all 4 companies. If you do decide to invest in more than
one company, explain why you choose to invest in each
company.
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