Below are the possible essay questions for the easy
portion of the final exam. You will be
given a full page to answer each question for your convenience. I WISH
1. You have been assigned to look at
the strategic IT needs of your organization.
Before proceeding with IT planning, you need to perform a business
analysis. For the company assigned (at
the final), develop an industry analysis (Porter Model) and a company analysis
(Value Chain with IT included) to serve as a basis of the current position of
the organization for future planning. (Chapter 1) Comprehensive
2. As a business manager trying to
set up an IT infrastructure for your company, you have to review
the selection and procurement of hardware, software, connectivity (network
access) and infrastructure management tools. Please write a one page essay
on your understanding of these five components explaining what constitutes:
Hardware, Software, Network, Database, People (management, users, customers,
suppliers) and their role in the total solution. (Chapters 3, 5, 6. 7) Comprehensive
3. You have been told by the company
management that you are considering replacing the current operational systems
for each business function/department. Identify the major classes of systems
and the functions they support (think application architecture diagram). Then name and describe the business functions
supported by these classes of software. (Chapters 8, 9, 10) Comprehensive
4. You are considering starting your
own eCommerce company. As part of your
strategic analysis, you must consider what markets you want to serve with what
products. Name and describe the three
common categories of eCommerce (hint B or C2X) and the types of businesses
models (ex: retail) and products offered for each. (Chapter 3) Comprehensive
5. You have just been hired as a
consultant at a new start up and they are asking to help define the roles of
the executive staff in general management and in IT planning and
governance. For comparison, identify the
four top C-Level executives (CSO, CPO, etc from book) and their primary roles
in managing an organization. Then
identify the roles of these executives play in managing IT for an organization.
(information from the text plus that provided in lecture) (Chapter 1) Comprehensive
6. You have been given the
responsibility to implement a new information system causing a reorganization
of departments and jobs. Describe the
change process by drawing the change curve and identifying each of the
steps. Then describe how the elements of
change management (sponsorship, organization, communication, and training)
affect the depth and length of the change. (Chapter11)
7. As a result of a strategic
planning process, your organization has decided to develop a new custom
customer management system. As manager
of the affected department, describe each of the steps in developing a new system,
and what role you (manager) and your employees (users) might play in that
process. (Chapter 11)
8. You have been made responsible for
the conversion to a new ERP system as cross multiple countries,
world-wide. Name and describe the four
conversion approaches you have available to you, and then describe which one
you would choose for this implementation and why. (Chapter 11)
9. You have been named project
manager for a world-wide implementation of a financial system. There are three project elements and a fourth
that is non-negotiable that you can manipulate through the project’s lifecycle
to ensure success. Describe these
elements and the limitations of each. (Chapter 12)
10. You work for an online
retailer. Security is paramount in the
operation of your business, and the privacy of your customers. Name and describe four common system security
threats, and then discuss the five steps in a well thought out information
security plan. (Chapter 4).