1. What are the principal components of telecommunications networks and key networking technologies? Describe the features of a simple network and the network infrastructure for a large company.
2. What are the different types of networks? Define an analog and a digital signal.
3. What are the principal technologies and standards for wireless networking, communications, and Internet access? Define Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, WiMax, and 3G and 4G networks.
Discussion Questions
4. It has been said that within the next few years, smartphones will become the single most important digital device we own. Discuss the implications of this statement.
Student answers to this question will vary.
5. Should all major retailing and manufacturing companies switch to RFID? Why or why not?
Student answers to this question will vary.
6. Compare Wi-Fi and high-speed cellular systems for accessing the Internet. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?
Student answers to this question will vary.
Building Information Systems
Review Questions
1. How do building new systems produce organizational change?
2. What are the core activities in the systems development process?
Distinguish between systems analysis and systems design. Describe the activities for each.
3. What are the principal methodologies for modeling and designing systems?
Compare object-oriented and traditional structured approaches for modeling and designing systems.
4. What are the alternative methods for building information systems?
Define the traditional systems life cycle. Describe each of its steps and its advantages and disadvantages for systems building.
5. What are new approaches for system building in the digital firm era? Define rapid application development (RAD) and agile development and explain how they can speed up system-building?
Discussion Questions
6. Why is selecting a systems development approach an important business decision? Who should participate in the selection process?
7. Some have said that the best way to reduce system development costs is to use application software packages or user-friendly tools. Do you agree? Why or why not?
8. Why is it so important to understand how a business process works when trying to develop a new information system?