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Solutions – Chapter2

Ethical and Societal Issues

Electronics Manufacturers Face the Global E-Waste Problem

Discussion Questions

  1. The real problem with electronics waste, or e-waste, lies in theuse of toxic heavy materials such as mercury, cadmium, beryllium, and lead, along with PVC plastic and hazardous chemicals like brominated flame retardants (BFR) that are included in electronics components. When dumped in landfills, these toxic components leach into the land over time and are released into the atmosphere. Burning computer components also releases these toxic components into the atmosphere, with harmful results to the people doing the burning in the short term, and a gradual eroding of the global environment in the long term.
  1. CurrentlyNokia is ranked greenest due to its comprehensive voluntary take-back programs and recycling practices. Samsung is number two because it removed PVC from its LCD displays, BFR from some of its cell phones, and halogen from its chips and semiconductors.

Critical Thinking Questions

  1. Student responses may vary. Note that the European Union has already passed two directives todeal with e-waste: the Restriction on the Use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE).
  1. Answers may vary.

Information Systems @ Work

Blended Platforms at LinkedIn

Discussion Questions

1.Rather than forcing employees to use onestandard operating system and compatible software, LinkedInallows its employees to choose either the Windows or Mac platform and sometimes even Linux.

2.Big Web companies such as LinkedIn hire a variety of specialists ranging from Web developers and software engineers to graphic artists, designers, accountants, and executives. Often professionals from different disciplines prefer one platform over another because of specific software tools designed for that platform. Forcing them to learn new software would definitely detract from employee productivity.

Critical Thinking Questions

1.Student responses will vary.

2.Student responses will vary. One advantage that may be considered is compatibility.

Review Questions

  1. Users must clearly understand their current and future requirements so that they can make informed decisions when determining the proper hardware components. These components include the input devices, output devices, communications devices, primary and secondary storage devices, and the central processing unit. Users must weigh the options between overall system performance and cost, control, and complexity.
  1. RAM is temporary and volatile -RAM chips lose theircontents if the current is turned off or disrupted. Read-only memory (ROM) is usually nonvolatile. In ROM,the combination of circuit states is fixed, and therefore its contents are not lost if the poweris removed.ROM provides permanent storage for data and instructions that do not change.
  1. The purpose of a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system is to transmit data by amobile device, called a tag, which is read by an RFID reader and processed according to theneeds of an information system program. One popular application of RFID isto place a microchip on retail items and install in-store readers that track the inventory onthe shelves to determine when shelves should be restocked.
  1. The CPU has three main components. They are the arithmetic/logic unit (ALU), the control unit, and the register areas. The ALU performs mathematical calculations and makes logical comparisons. The control unit sequentially accesses program instructions, decodes them, and coordinates data flows in and out of the ALU, registers, primary storage, secondary storage, and various output devices. Registers are high-speed storage areas used to temporarily hold small units of program instructions and data immediately before, during and after execution by the CPU.
  1. Solid state storage devices (SSDs) store data in memory chips rather than magnetic or opticalmedia. These memory chips require less power and provide faster data access than magneticdata-storage devices. In addition, SSDs have few moving parts, so they are less fragile than hard disk drives. All these factors make the SSD a preferred choice for portable computers.
  1. Classes of computers include:
  2. Thin client: a low-cost, centrally managed computer with no extra drives, such as a CDor DVD drive, or expansion slots.
  3. Desktop computers: relatively small, inexpensive single-user computer systems that arehighly versatile.
  4. Workstations: more powerful than personal computers but still small enough to fit on adesktop.
  5. Nettop computer:is an inexpensive (less than $300) desktop computer designed to besmaller and lighter and to consume one-tenth the power of a traditional desktop computer.
  1. Examples of recent operating systems include Windows 7, Snow Leopard (OS X v10.6), and Chrome OS.
  1. Software as a service (SaaS) allows businesses to subscribe toWeb-delivered business application software by paying a monthly service charge or a per-usefee.SaaS can reduceexpenses by sharing its running applications among many businesses.
  1. There are two basic types of software: systems software and application software. Systems software is the set of programs designed to coordinate the activities and functionsof the hardware and various programs throughout the computer system. Each type of systemssoftware is designed for a specific CPU design and class of hardware. Application softwareconsists of programs that help users solve particular computing problems. In most cases,application software resides on the computer’s hard disk before it is brought into the computer’smain memory and run.
  1. Cloud computing refers to the use of computing resources, includingsoftware and data storage, on the Internet (the cloud) rather than on local computers. Cloud computing provides the benefit of being able to easily collaborate with others by sharing documents on the Internet.
  1. An application service provider, or ASP, is a company that provides both end-user support and the computers on which to run the software from the user's facilities. Application service providers use the Internet to quickly change and upgrade software. Using an application service provider is not without risks: sensitive information can be compromised in a number of different ways. The application service provider might be unable to keep its computers and networks up and running as consistently as needed, or a disaster might befall the application service provider's data facility.
  2. Applications make use of the operating system by making requests for services through a defined application program interface (API). Programmers can use APIs to create application software without having to understand the inner workings of the operating system.
  1. Enterpriseresource planning (ERP) software is a set of integrated programs that manage a company’svital business operations for an entire multisite, global organization. Thus, an ERP systemmust be able to support multiple legal entities, multiple languages, and multiple currencies.Although the scope of an ERP system may vary from vendor to vendor, most ERP systemsprovide integrated software to support manufacturing and finance. Additional functionssupported might include human resources, sales, and distribution.

Discussion Questions

  1. Software upgrades are an important source of increased revenue for software manufacturers and can provide useful new functionality and improved quality for software users.
  1. It could be argued that with no hard disk, thin clients never pick up viruses or suffer a hard disk crash. Unlike personalcomputers, thin clients download software from a network when needed, making support,distribution, and updating of software applications much easier and less expensive.
  1. Answerswill vary. Handheld computers often include a variety of software and communications capabilities. Most can communicate with desktop computers over wireless networks. Tablet computers are portable, lightweight computers with no keyboard that allow you to roam the office, home, or factory floor carrying the device like a clipboard. You can enter text with a writing stylus directly on the screen thanks to built-in handwriting recognition software.
  1. A student’s perception of the ultimate computer will change from month to month as better equipment and new ideas enter the marketplace. In order to locate information about computers, students should perform a Web search using key words such as ‘computer systems’ or ‘computer sales’. A large number of computer sales outlets will be displayed. Most offer ultimate configurations.
  1. For most companies, the spheres of influence are personal, workgroup, and enterprise. Information systems that operate within the personal sphere of influence serve the needs of an individual user. These information systems enable their users to improve their personal effectiveness, increasing the amount of work they can do and its quality. Such software is often referred to as personal productivity software.

A workgroup is two or more people who work together to achieve a common goal. An information system that operates in the workgroup sphere of influence supports a workgroup in the attainment of a common goal. Information systems that operate within the enterprise sphere of influence support the firm in its interaction with its environment.

  1. Sources of application software areproprietary software and off-the-shelf software. An advantage of proprietary software is that you can get exactly what you need in terms of features and reports. A disadvantage however is that it can take a long time, plus significant resources, to develop required features. An advantage of off-the-shelf software is that the initial cost is lower since the software firm is able to spread the development costs over a large number of customers. One disadvantage is that the organization may have to pay for features that are not required and are never used.
  1. Software as a service (SaaS) allows businesses to subscribe toWeb-delivered business application software by paying a monthly service charge or a per-usefee.SaaS can reduceexpenses by sharing its running applications among many businesses. In addition, by providing one high-quality SaaS application to thousands ofbusinesses is much more cost-effective than custom designing software for each business.
  1. The operating system for a mainframe computer can accommodate hundreds or thousands of users at the same time. The operating system for a laptop computerallows one user at time to operate the computer. The operating systems for both executes the following activities:
  2. Performing common computer hardware functions
  3. Providing a user interface
  4. Providing a degree of hardware independence
  5. Managing system memory
  6. Managing processing tasks
  7. Providing networking capability
  8. Controlling access to system resources
  9. Managing files
  1. Students may point out that the disposal and reclamation operations must be extremely careful to avoid unsafe exposure in recycling operations and leaching of materials such as heavy metals from landfills and incinerator ashes.
  1. Grid computing is the use of a collection of computers, often owned by many people ororganizations, to work in a coordinated manner to solve a common problem. Grid computing is one low-cost approach to parallel processing. The grid can include dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of computers that run collectively to solve extremely large parallel processing problems. Cloud computing refers to the use of computing resources, including software and data storage, on the Internet (the cloud) rather than on local computers.

Problem-Solving Exercises

  1. Students should develop a spreadsheet that compares the features, the initial purchase price, and the ongoing operating costs for three color laser printers and for three ink-jet printers. Students should then write a brief memo on which printer they would choose and why.
  1. Students should document their needs as a computer user and their justifications for choosing either a desktop or laptop computer. After visiting Web sites of companies that customize computers, students should enter their computer specifications into a spreadsheet and copy it into the document of their needs. Dell and Hewlett Packard are examples of companies that allow customers to order and customize computers through their Web site.
  1. Students should enter five software products that are likely to be used at work into a database table and list the name, vendor/manufacturer, cost and features in the columns of the table. Students should then write a report on the software and copy the database table into the report.

Team Activities

  1. Students should visit a popular retail store and discuss the reason for the popularity of netbook computers.
  1. Students should visit a retail store that employs Radio Frequency Identification chips to track inventory and document the advantages and disadvantages observed in this technology
  1. Students should write a reporton the advantages and limitations of the spelling and grammarchecking features of the word processing program used.

Web Exercises

  1. Students should create a table in a word processing documentto show what applications are provided by the competingsuites.
  1. Students should write a two-page report identifying the current state of development and production of advanced technology secondary storage devices.
  1. Students should write a brief reportdescribing how the application software can be usedto increase profits or reduce costs.

Career Exercises

  1. Students should describe their findings in a report.
  1. Students should describe five application software packages that will advance them in their chosen career.

Case Studies

Case 1: Union Pacific Retires Its Big Iron

Discussion Questions

  1. The railroad used themainframe to roll out one of the earliest transaction processing systems. UP was also the first railroad to develop a computerized car-scheduling system. Because it could efficiently schedule railroad car pick-ups and deliveries, the scheduling system gave UP a competitive advantage. UP customers with numerous cars to deliver to multiple locations could accurately inform their customers of delivery dates.
  1. One reason for the change is the difficulty UP has experienced findingcomputer programmers that can work with the 11 millionlines of antiquated assembler code that run the mainframe.

Another reason for the change is that UP wants to offerits customers more detailed information about the movementof their shipments. Rather than just tracking cars, UP wantsto track the palettes of crates within the cars.

Critical Thinking Questions

  1. Some students may suggest speed, efficiency, and fault tolerance.
  1. Student responses will vary. Note that the system should be able to grow, or scale, with the business.

Case 2: Office Depot Gets SaaSy

Discussion Questions

  1. Systems developed with SOA are flexible and ideal for businesses that needa system to expand and evolve over time.
  1. SOA modules can be reused for a variety of purposes,which reduces development time.

Critical Thinking Questions

  1. Manageability may have been a concern.
  1. Student responses will vary. Some may argue that allowing managers to create their own services is a good thing.

Questions for Web Case

Altitude Online: Choosing Hardware

Discussion Questions

1.During the systems analysis phase, Altitude Online will be able to determine what new hardwaredevices it requires to support the service that its employees use.

2.Jon and the systems administrators will determine the exact amount of processing power and storage capacity they need after further investigation and collaboration with the ERP vendor.

Critical Thinking Questions

  1. Altitude Online could donate the old hardware to high schools and/or universities.
  1. There was an immediate need for employees that work outside the Altitude Online offices to have convenient access to e-mail and corporate systems from any location.

Altitude Online: Choosing Software

Discussion Questions

  1. Many of its Web developers and graphic artists prefer the Mac platform, while its business staff tends to prefer the Windows platform.
  1. Because software packages are sold with a license that specifies how many copies can be used.

Critical Thinking Questions

  1. Altitude Online uses Microsoft Office for its word processing, spreadsheet, email, and presentation capabilities. Many of its customers and partners use Office as well, so using the same software makes Altitude Online compatible with those it does business with.
  1. Student answers may vary.