Part -1:

Q 1: Define MIS ? What are the characteristics of MIS?

Q 2: Explain strategic MIS categories in detail. Give relevant examples.

Q 3: Write a detailed note on the planning and development of MIS?

Q 5: Explain the challenges before an E-business management.

Part -2:

Q 1 What is an internet? Explain the differences between internet, intranet and extranet.

Q 2 Explain the application of MIS by taking either materials management or production planning system in a manufacturing industry or service organization.

Part -3:

Case Study

THE CASE OF A DEPARTMENTAL STORE

Mr. BAWA, Director (Sales) of the BAWA Departmental Store Chain in Uganda is a worried person. The worries revolve around the number of complaints he has been receiving from the Store Mangers about non-availability of the store information.

The BAWA Stores chain was started about 6 years back. The then management thought it fit to install a Sales Information System (SIS) also. The present system, therefore, was installed at the beginning of the chain and became operational a year later.

The system is operated on batch-processing mode and it generates monthly and quarterly reports on several aspects of Sale.

The basic input document for the processing is the Sale Invoice. In fact the Store personnel enter the Sale Invoices of the day at the end of the day. The Store Manager is responsible to see that the input data is created and validated before the same is passed on to the Computer Department for further processing. Every Store was provided with a PC for this purpose, however, on persistent demands one more PC was provided to each Store. The Computer Department does the final processing at the Head Office, and then the Reports distributed to each Store.

The system worked very well for about 3 years, however, for the last two years there have been several complaints from the Store Managers about the system.

The Mohini started its operations with 3 Stores. In the last six years, the number of Stores has increased to 8. The management has plans to open an additional Store every year during the next five years. During the last 3 years the sales of Mohini has increased by nearly 120%.

Apart from the usual retail sales, almost all the Store in the chain cater to several bulk customers e.g. Government Departments, Factories Canteens etc. Which make bulk purchases from the Stores on a regular basis. The individual Store Managers generally enter into the sale contracts for these on annual basis. These are credit sales and the individual Store Manger is responsible for collecting the outstanding.

Discuss:

1. The general conditions of the Chain now and in the immediate future.

2. What are the problems, the Chain is facing. List them in order of priority.

3. Suggest a solution to overcome the problems as listed by you.

Part -4:

1. A computer-based information system consists of which of the following elements?

A. Computers, keyboards, display monitors, hard disks, and printers

B. People, procedures, data, programs, and computers

C. Input, processing, storage, and output

D. Planning, programming, organizing, and evaluating

2. Which of the following characteristics of a system reflects the fact that all systems are comprised of subsystems?

A. Synergy

B. Differentiation

C. Regulation

D. Hierarchy

3. The process by which workers develop their own applications, with or without the help of professional MIS staff, is called

A. decentralized computing

B. distributed computing

C. end-user computing

D. client/server computing

4. A database management system must include which of the following components?

I. A data definition language

II. A data manipulation language

III. A data dictionary

IV. A data redundancy protocol

A. I only

B. I and II only

C. I, II, and III only

D. I, II, III, and IV

5. Which of the following is NOT a benefit of electronic data interchange (EDI)?

A. It reduces errors

B. It reduces the volume of invoices or orders

C. It reduces transaction processing costs

D. It saves time

6. Which of the following terms is used to describe the transmission of data one character at a time?

A. Synchronous

B. Asynchronous

C. Half-duplex

D. Full-duplex

7. Multiplexors and concentrators are used in telecommunication systems to do which of the following?

A. Perform high-speed arithmetic operations

B. Increase utilization of the communication lines

C. Store and retrieve data

D. Display data on the monitor

8. Which of the following systems development approaches involves a highly iterative process of building, using, evaluating, and refining?

A. System development life cycle (SDLC)

B. Top-down analysis (TDA)

C. Prototyping

D. Critical-path analysis

9. In MIS the concept of "outsourcing" can be best defined as which of the following?

I. An option that some organizations use to control data processing costs

II. A process of releasing an organization's computer operations to an external vendor

III. A data support and retrieval system that organizations can access electronically

A. I only

B. I and II only

C. II and III only

D. I, II, and III

10 is an example of artificial intelligence. (Choose one only)

 a. ADSS

 b. Office automation

 c. The MIS

 d. An expert system

11 You would find an executive on the strategic-planning Level.?

 a. TRUE

b. FALSE

12 The system life cycle consists of three phases--planning, development, and use.?

a. TRUE

b. FALSE

13 Any time a manager engages in end-user computing (EUC), there is no need for information specialists such as systems analysts and programmers.

a. TRUE

b. FALSE

14 Users of the MIS include

 a.   managers

 b.   persons and organizations in the firm's environment

 c.   non-managers

 d. all of the above

15 The box that includes AIS, MIS, DSS, the virtual office, and knowledge-based systems is named (Choose one only)

 a. the supersystem

 b. the environment

 c. the computer-based information system (CBIS)

 d. information resources management (IRM)

16 Which one of these BEST describes the role of a manager?

A. Attending meetings, attending corporate luncheons, disciplining staff, representing the company.

B. Planning, organising, co-ordinating, making decisions, controlling.

C. Maintaining a rigid position in the hierarchy to prevent customer complaints from coming to the attention of the Board.

D. Supervising the work of junior staff.

17 Which one of these statements describes the role of a management information system?

A. Software that makes decisions based on external and internal data.

B. Software that provides information to enable a manager to make decisions based on internal data.

C. Software that provides information to enable a manager to make decisions based on external data.

D. Software that provides information to enable a manager to make decisions based on internal and external data.

18 Which one of these statements describes a function that is NOT carried out by a mangement information system.

A. Recording the sale of an item to a customer.

B. Recording information about the products produced by a competitor.

C. Calculating the financial implication for the company form a rise in the minimum wage.

D. Modelling the impact on the business of a new piece of Government legislation.

19 Which one of these statements best describes a formal flow of information.

A. An article written in a trade paper.

B. A chance comment in a telephone conversation

C. Data that are collected from a data collection agency.

D. A conclusion drawn while thinking about a particular problem

20 A manager has to make an unstructured decision, which means that:

A. the decision has a definite procedure to deal with the problem.

B. the manager has to use judgement based on previous experience, insight and careful evaluation.

C. the decision will result in no correct course of action.

D. no decision can be made.

21 Which one of these features is desirable in a management information system?

A. It takes up little space on the computer.

B. It can make decisions for the manager

C. The manager receives all the data that are stored by the company in as tables of numbers.

D. It can be interrupted so that the manager can come back at a later stage

22 Why do computer projects in MIS need to be carefully managed?

A. Computer professionals are rather disorganised people.

B. Many specialist skills are needed, which have to be coordinated.

C. MIS systems are powerful bits of software that make decisions.

D. The hardware is complex to set up.

23 Which one of these statements describes the waterfall model of project management?

A. Each stage is completed before the next stage is undertaken.

B. The next stage is undertaken after completion of the previous stage, but it is possible to rework previous stages in the light of experience gained at later stages.

C. A model is made of the system that allows the end user to have an input into the new system.

D. It is a scornful description of a project that has failed.

24 A drawback of prototyping is:

A. that the end user is involved in the project.

B. the end user notices the missing functions, which can be an embarrassment to a computer professional.

C. the software is more susceptible to viruses.

D. that the project management can be sloppy.

25 How is information collected for the requirements analysis in a new IT project?

A. A quick discussion with the managing director on the telephone.

B. Detailed discussion with board members and other members of senior management.

C. Interviewing all staff at all levels, sending out questionnaires, detailed examination of documentation and information flows, and observation of company practice.

D. Discussion with the network manager and the IT techniciansAns 25 c

26 When a system is designed, it is put together with a modular design structure. This means that:

A. system is constrcuted according to the prototype model.

B. the software is made up of sub-units and put together to make a finished unit.

C. the hardware is made up of sub-units that are put together,

D. the implementation will be in phases.

27 Which one of the following statements would indicate that a new MIS was successfully implemented?

A. Perfective maintenance has been carried out.

B. The hardware has high specification

C. The system processes data adequately.

D. There is a high degree of user satisfaction.

28 Governance of IT is shifting from being handled exclusively by IS executives to being a collaborative effort between IS business and their constituencies.

A True

B False

29 Governance of IT is a collaborative effort between IS, the business, and their constituencies.  

A True

B False

30 System integration and infrastructure development is the ______________.

 31 ______________ is characterized as the development and management of relationships with external service providers.     

32 The device that was hailed as a technological marvel in the 1950's was the:

a.      Mainframe

b.      PC

c.       Calculator

d.      Terminal

e.      Abacus

33 ______________ was credited with the creation of the first handheld calculator.

34 ____________ and ___________ emerged as key players in the DBMS market.

35 Products in digital formats that can be delivered anywhere, at any time, at a low cost and no delivery cost are sold on ______________.

36 The emerging trend that has shifted focus from tangible items such as capital, equipment, and factories to intangibles such as ideas, intellectual capital, and knowledge is known as ______________.

37 An MIS helps businesses achieve:

a.      its goals and objectives.

b.      parity.

c.       fairness.

d.      security.

38  The most important component of an information system is the_________________.

a. software.

b. hardware.

c. data.

d. people.

39 Which of the following is not a characteristic of good information?

a. interchangeability

b. relevance

c. cost effectiveness

d. timeliness

40 In order to be cost effective, information must be:

a. timely.

b. adaptable.

c. be worth the cost of producing it.

d. an input into another system.