1 Discussion : An Overview of Information Systems and a Computer System "

• Read the article titled "Top 10 Reasons Why Systems Projects Fail". Next, compare and contrast the key differences between information systems and information technologies. Discuss one to two (1-2) ways in which a company uses management information systems in order to increase organizational efficiency and productivity.

• Explain the overall manner in which the four (4) building blocks (i.e., input devices, CPU, main memory, and output devices) of a computer system work together to perform the three (3) basic tasks of computer operation (i.e., arithmetic operations, logical operations, and storage and retrieval operations). Include one (1) example of such collaboration to support your response.

2 Discussion : "Personal, Legal, Ethical, and Organizations Issues of Information Systems "

• Describe at least two (2) methods that business owners could use in order to protect the privacy of both personal information and organizational data resources related to the Web and information technologies. Provide one (1) example of the use of each method to support your response.

• Use the Internet or the Strayer Library to research articles on Online Analytic Processing (OLAP) and Online Analytic Processing (OLTP). Next, compare and contrast the key similarities and differences between Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) and Online Transaction Processing (OLTP). Speculate on the primary manner in which a grocery chain could use OLAP to gain a competitive advantage. Provide a rationale to support your response.

3 Discussion : "Computer and Network Security"

• Identify two to three (2-3) information technology tools that affect privacy. Next, discuss the main way in which one would use the tools that you have identified to commit computer crimes. Provide a rationale to support your response.

• Assume that you have been asked to develop a security policy for your local bank. Suggest your top three (3) recommendations to the bank in order to improve the security and privacy of online banking. Provide a rationale to support your response.

4 Discussion : "Data Communication and Web 2.0"

• Describe the key components of a data communication system. Next, discuss the overall manner in which a company uses data communication in order to reduce its operations cost. Include one (1) example of such a reduction in operation costs to support your response.

• Use the Internet or the Strayer Library to research articles on Web 2.0 technologies and their applications for business. Next, identify two to three (2-3) ways in which a business could apply Web 2.0 technologies in order to improve its business operations. Provide one (1) example of such application to support your response.