This addresses MultiTech & Low-Voltage Components Situations

MultiTech Interview Situation: You have an interview for an IT position with MultiTech, a large telecommunications company, and you want to learn more about the firm and its organizational structure. To prepare for the interview, you decide to review your knowledge about corporations, including the following questions:

a. What are the four organizational levels in a typical company?

b. How can you classify companies based on their mix of products and services?

c. What is empowerment?

d. What types of information systems might a large company use?

Low-Voltage Components Situation: You are the IT manager at Low-Voltage Components, a medium- sized firm that makes specialized circuit boards. Low-Voltage's largest customer, TX Industries, recently installed a computerized purchasing system. If Low-Voltage connects to the TX system, TX will be able to submit purchase orders electronically. Although Low-Voltage has a computerized accounting system, that system is not capable of handling EDI.

a. Should Low-Voltage develop a system to connect with TX Industries' purchasing system? Why, or why not?

b. What terms or concepts describe the proposed computer-to-computer relationship between Low-Voltage and TX Industries?

c. Is Low-Voltage's proposed new system a transaction processing system? Why, or why not?

d. Before Low-Voltage makes a final decision, should the company consider an ERP system? Why, or why not?