A1.

A transport and logistics company has decided that it no longer requires a

Head Office and its strategic aim is to become a virtual organisation. a) Discuss
the various MIS technologies that could be used to create a virtual organisation.
(15 marks) b) The companys auditors have concerns that information held by
the virtual company would lack security. List and describe FIVE measures that
could be adopted to ensure this information remains secure. (10 marks)
OR
A large food retailing company has procured and implemented a new Human
Resources (HR) system. The management reporting functions of the HR system
are weak and senior management want to improve fixed management reporting
capabilities. The following options are being considered: Option 1: The in-house
development of a fixed reporting facility (using existing DBMS software) that
would import data from the HR system. Option 2: The procurement of a
compatible software package that provides a set of standardised fixed reports
directly off the HR data repository. a) Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of
the two options. State any assumptions you make about the organisation within
your answer. (13 marks) b) Irrespective of the strengths and weaknesses, senior
management have selected option 2. There are three packages available to
choose from. Explain, with the aid of examples, the process you would adopt to
choose the most suitable package to purchase. (12 marks)

You are the Systems Development Manager for a large organisation. A friend has
emailed you for help and advice regarding her new role as lead user
representative for an enterprise system. This system is of strategic importance
for her organisation which has failed to make a profit for the last two years.
Prepare an email to your friend which: a) Describes the fundamental purpose
AND likely duties of a user representative. (10 marks) b) Recommends and
justifies THREE areas of Management Information Systems knowledge that would
be useful in her new role.

You have been recruited as the Management Information Systems manager for a
life insurance company where the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has two
concerns: first, the capabilities of the company's policy administration legacy
system need to be improved and advice is needed regarding the range of options
available; secondly, since the introduction of a new network, there has been a
steady growth in the number of end user systems and the CEO feels that some
guidance is essential. Write a memorandum to the CEO to: a) Describe SIX
possible options the company has for improving the capabilities of its legacy
systems. Include in your answer the advantages and disadvantages of EACH
option. (15 marks) b) Discuss the prerequisites of successful end-user computing
and comment on how the success of such systems could be measured. (10
marks)

Wearable technology will have as big an impact on Management Information

Systems as did the introduction of the personal computer. Using a range of
examples, discuss and justify the extent to which you agree or disagree with the
above statement.

List THREE advantages and THREE disadvantages of group decision making over
individual decision making.

Our digital networks will be the backbone of our economy in the decades ahead,
just as roads and rails were the backbone of our physical infrastructure, and still
are. And we know that every aspect of our lives in local communities, every
school, every hospital, every workplace and even every home will be dependent
on the services that the digital network provides. (Gordon Brown, former British
Prime Minister, January 2009) In the context of the future provision of MIS,
discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with this statement.

You are a consultant who has been engaged to advise an organisation on the
development of an MIS strategy. Prepare a report for the Board to include the
following: a) A description of the internal and external issues that should be
considered before developing an MIS strategy.

A large international furniture manufacturer has an in-house IT department,

comprising 15 full time technical development and operations support staff. This
department develops and supports key business applications across a large
network of servers and client workstations. The company wants to implement a
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, and cannot decide between:
In-house development of a CRM system, based on an existing multi-user
Database Management System (DBMS) environment and associated
programming languages. Outsourcing the development of a CRM system to a
company that specialises in tailored CRM solutions using established CRM
software. Using Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) CRM software that is made
available by a cloud computing company. Prepare a briefing paper for the senior
management team that evaluates the merits of EACH of the THREE options, as
stated above, for the furniture manufacturing company. List any assumptions
that you make within your answer. (25 marks)

For EACH of the following phrases, explain what it means within the context of
MIS development, and justify why it is a typical Critical Success Factor for a large

MRS development: i) Top Management Support. ii) Quality of the development

team and its project manager.

Simon (1960)s decision making model identifies the following THREE phases of
decision making: Intelligence Design Choice a) Explain, with supporting
examples, EACH of the three phases of Simon (1960)s decision making model.
(6 marks) b) In terms of Simon (1960)s decision making model, explain the
differences between individual decision making and group decision making.

Discuss the various MIS technologies that could be used to create a virtual
organisation.
A medium sized trading company outsourced all IT services, including systems
development, five years ago. However, the Finance Director is very concerned
about the growing costs of the outsourced IT services, which have increased by
about 20% each year. She feels that it is time to bring all IT services back inhouse, otherwise the company will cease to make a profit and everyone will lose
their jobs. The Chief Executive disagrees and feels it would be a mistake to bring
IT back in-house. a) Describe the actions needed to re-establish an in-house IT
department. (12 marks) b) Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree
with the Finance Director. (13 marks)