Starbucks is the world’s largest specialty coffee retailer, with more than 16,850 coffee shops in about 40 countries. For years, Starbucks has continued to grow throughout the United States and internationally, opening franchises at an impressive rate. From 2002 to 2007 alone, the company tripled the number of stores it operated worldwide. Starbucks offers a unique experience: high-end specialty coffees and beverages, friendly and knowledgeable servers, and customer friendly coffee shops. This was a winning formula for many years and enabled Starbucks to charge premium prices. During the economic downturn beginning in 2008 profits plunged. Customers complained that the company had lost its hip, local feel and had become more like a fast-food chain. Many coffee drinkers went in search of cheaper alternatives from McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts for their coffee fixes. Starbucks stock lost over 50 percent by the end of 2008. Major changes were in order. Starbucks used the opportunity to overhaul its business using several different strategies simultaneously. First, the company has revamped its in-store technology and sought to integrate its business processes with wireless technology and the mobile digital platform. Also, rather than copy the practices of competitors, Starbucks pursued a more aggressive product differentiation strategy, intended to emphasize the high quality of its beverages and efficient and helpful customer service. At the same time, however, Starbucks also focused on becoming ‘lean’, like many of its competitors, eliminating inefficiency wherever possible. When Starbucks set out to improve its customer experience, it found that more than a third of its customers are active users of smartphones. The company set out to implement several features and improvements that would appeal to this segment of its customer base. First, Starbucks implemented a technology that allows customers to pay using a smartphone app. The app is integrated with the Starbucks Card system, which allows regular customers to pay with a pre-paid and rechargeable card at any Starbucks branch. When customers make a purchase using the app, a cashier scans a bar code displayed on the phone, and the resulting sale is charged to the customer’s Starbucks Card account. Customers report that paying using this app, available for all major smartphone operating systems, is much faster than traditional forms of payment. Many of Starbucks’ most loyal customers regularly spend time using the free Wi-Fi wireless network offered in each store. A majority of these customers also use mobile devices to connect to the in-store Wi-Fi networks. Recognizing this, Starbucks launched what it calls the “Starbucks Digital Network”, a portal designed specifically for mobile devices as opposed to traditional Web browsers. The site is optimized for all major smartphone operating systems (iOS, Android, and BlackBerry), and responds to the multi-touch capability of devices like the iPad. MIS in ACTION 1. What functions are provided by the Web site? 2. How does the Web site support Starbucks’ business strategy?
> 55 car dealers provided customer data on an ad hoc basis. There is no real incentive for dealers to share information with the company. How could customer relationship management (CRM) and partner relationship management (PRM) systems help solve this pro
> Supply chain management is less about managing the physical movement of goods and more about managing information. Discuss the implications of this statement.
> Summit Electric Supply is one of the top wholesale distributors of industrial electrical equipment and supplies in the United States, with 500 employees and nearly $302 million in 2010 sales. Summit operates in four states and has a global export divisio
> Salesforce.com is the most successful enterprise-scale software as a service (SaaS) and the undisputed global leader in cloud-based customer relationship management systems. Users can access Salesforce applications anywhere through an Internetenabled mob
> “Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but they’ll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you or your money more than Southwest Airlines.” Crew humor at 30,000 feet? Must be Southwest Ai
> What issues must be addressed when building an e-commerce presence? 1. List and describe each of the factors that go into the building of an e-commerce Web site. 2. List and describe four business objectives, four system functionalities, and four informa
> It has been said that there is no such thing as a sustainable competitive advantage. Do you agree? Why or why not?
> 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.
> How should information systems projects be managed? 1. Explain the importance of implementation for managing the organizational change surrounding a new information system. 2. Define the user-designer communication gap and explain the kinds of implementa
> What types of systems are used for enterprise-wide knowledge management, and how do they provide value for businesses? 1. Define knowledge management and explain its value to businesses. 2. Define and describe the various types of enterprise-wide knowl
> What is the role of m-commerce in business, and what are the most important m-commerce applications? 1. List and describe important types of m-commerce services and applications. 2. Describe some of the barriers to m-commerce.
> How are enterprise applications taking advantage of new technologies? 1. How are enterprise applications taking advantage of SOA, Web services, open source software, and wireless technology? 2. Define social CRM and explain how customer relationship man
> Thanks to the explosion of social media and mobile computing, the amount of data consumers are generating is much larger than ever before. What’s more, most of the data are unstructured—generated from a variety of different events such as Facebook status
> Why are RFID and wireless sensor networks (WSNs) valuable for business? 1. Define RFID, explain how it works and how it provides value to businesses. 2. Define WSNs, explain how they work and describe the kinds of applications that use them.
> Why is data quality assurance so important for a business? 1. List and describe the most common data quality problems. 2. List and describe the most important tools and techniques for assuring data quality.
> What are the principal issues in managing hardware and software technology? 1. Explain why managers need to pay attention to capacity planning and scalability of technology resources. 2. Describe the cost components used to calculate the total cost of ow
> How do competing on a global scale and promoting quality enhance competitive advantages? 1. Describe how globalization has increased opportunities for businesses. 2. List and describe the four main ways of organizing a business internationally and the ty
> How have information systems affected everyday life? 1. Explain why it is so difficult to hold software services liable for failure or injury. 2. List and describe the principal causes of system quality problems? 3. Name and describe four quality of lif
> How should information systems projects be selected and evaluated? 1. Explain the difference between tangible and intangible benefits? 2. List six tangible benefits and six intangible benefits. 3. List and describe the major components of an information
> What are the business benefits of using intelligent techniques in decision making and knowledge management? 1. Define an expert system, describe how it works, and explain its value to business. 2. Define case-based reasoning and explain how it differs f
> How has e-commerce affected business-to-business transactions? 1. Explain how Internet technology supports business-to-business electronic commerce. 2. Define and describe Net marketplaces and explain how they differ from private industrial networks (pri
> What are the challenges posed by enterprise applications? 1. List and describe the challenges posed by enterprise applications. 2. Explain how these challenges can be addressed.
> What are the most important tools and technologies for safeguarding information resources? 1. Name and describe three authentication methods. 2. Describe the roles of firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and antivirus software in promoting security. 3
> Michele Witte was one of dozens of parents who lost their children because of the defective design of drop-side cribs. In 1997, Witte’s 10-month-old son Tyler perished when the drop-side rail on his crib came loose, partially detached, and then trapped h
> What are the principal technologies and standards for wireless networking, communications, and Internet access? 1. Define Bluetooth, wi-fi, WiMax, 3G, and 4G networks. 2. Describe the capabilities of each and for which types of applications each is best
> What is the role of information policy and data administration in the management of organizational data resources? Define information policy and data administration and explain how they help organizations manage their data.
> What are the most important contemporary hardware and software trends? 1. Define and describe the mobile digital platform, nanotechnology, grid computing, cloud computing, autonomic computing, virtualization, green computing, HTML5, and multicore process
> It has been said that the advantage that leading-edge retailers such as Walmart have over competitors isn’t technology; it’s their management. Do you agree? Why or why not?
> Why do contemporary information systems technology and the Internet pose challenges to the protection of individual privacy and intellectual property? 1. Define privacy and fair information practices. 2. Explain how the Internet challenges the protectio
> Discuss the pros and cons of allowing companies to amass personal data for behavioral targeting.
> What are the principal methodologies for modeling and designing systems? Compare object-oriented and traditional structured approaches for modeling and designing systems.
> Why is building a system a form of organizational problem-solving?
> How do information systems help people working in a group make decisions more efficiently? Define a group decision-support system (GDSS) and explain how it works and how it supports organizational decision making.
> How much can business intelligence and business analytics help companies refine their business strategy? Explain your answer.
> What’s the best way to find out what your customers want? If you’re a large business with millions of customers, it’s impossible to ask each one face-to-face. But thanks to modern data management and data mining technology, you can “ask” each one by mini
> How has e-commerce transformed marketing? 1. Explain how social networking and the “wisdom of crowds” help companies improve their marketing. 2. Define behavioral targeting and explain how it works at individual Web sites and on advertising networks. 3.
> How have social technologies changed e-commerce?
> How do customer relationship management systems help firms achieve customer intimacy? 1. Define customer relationship management and explain why customer relationships are so important today. 2. Describe how partner relationship management (PRM) and empl
> Which enterprise application should a business install first: ERP, SCM, or CRM? Explain your answer.
> What are the components of an organizational framework for security and control? 1. Define general controls and describe each type of general control. 2. Define application controls and describe each type of application control. 3. Describe the function
> Suppose your business had an e-commerce Web site where it sold goods and accepted credit card payments. Discuss the major security threats to this Web site and their potential impact. What can be done to minimize these threats?
> How do the Internet and Internet technology work and how do they support communication and e-business? 1. Define the Internet, describe how it works, and explain how it provides business value. 2. Explain how the domain name and IP addressing system work
> Compare wi-fi and high-speed cellular systems for accessing the Internet. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?
> What are the principal tools and technologies for accessing information from databases to improve business performance and decision making? 1. Define a data warehouse and describe how it works. 2. Define business intelligence and explain how it is relat
> What are the consequences of an organization not having an information policy?
> What are the components of IT infrastructure? 1. Define information technology (IT) infrastructure and describe each of its components.
> What are the major types of computer software used in business? 1. Distinguish between application software and system software and explain the role played by the operating system of a computer. 2. List and describe the major PC and server operating syst
> What are the advantages and disadvantages of cloud computing?
> How do information systems help businesses use synergies, core competencies, and network-based strategies to achieve competitive advantages? 1. Explain how information systems promote synergies and core competencies. 2. Describe how promoting synergies
> What specific principles for conduct can be used to guide ethical decisions? 1. List and describe the five steps in an ethical analysis. 2. Identify and describe six ethical principles.
> As the head of a small insurance company with six employees, you are concerned about how effectively your company is using its networking and human resources. Budgets are tight, and you are struggling to meet payrolls because employees are reporting many
> Do you like your smartphone? Living on the grid has its advantages. You can access the Internet, visit your Facebook page, get Twitter feeds, watch video, and listen to music all with the same “communication and media device.” Less well known is that liv
> What are the alternative methods for building information systems? 1. Define the traditional systems lifecycle and describe its advantages and disadvantages for systems building. 2. Define information system prototyping and describe its benefits and lim
> Caterpillar is the world’s leading maker of earth-moving machinery and supplier of agricultural equipment. The software for its Dealer Business System (DBS), which it licenses to its dealers to help them run their businesses, is becoming outdated. Senior
> It has been said that systems fail when systems builders ignore “people” problems. Why might this be so?
> The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) relies on information systems to operate 19 hospitals, a network of other care sites, and international and commercial ventures. Demand for additional servers and storage technology was growing by 20 per
> When we hear "snowboarding," we tend to think of snow-covered slopes, acrobatic jumps, and high-flying entertainment. We don’t usually think of improving business process efficiency. But snowboarding is business for Burton Snowboards, an industry pioneer
> Citicorp recently faced a billion dollar discrimination suit. Use Web sites such as http://www.allbusiness.com/legal/legal-services-litigation/5062526-1.html to discuss what happened with these suits.
> And finally, aside from the specific problems, what other human resource management matters (application forms, training, and so on) have to be reviewed given the need to bring them into compliance with equal rights laws?
> “The allegations against Madison Square Garden in this case raise ethical questions with regard to the employer’s actions.” Explain whether you agree or disagree with this statement, and why.
> Give examples of how the HR manager’s duties are different from 30 years ago?
> Working individually or in groups, evaluate the rating scale in Figure 8.4. Discuss ways to improve it.
> Give examples of five potential appraisal problems.
> One reason for implementing global training programs is the need to avoid business losses "due to cultural insensitivity." What sort of cultural insensitivity do you think is referred to, and how might that translate into lost business?
> Write a short essay discussing some of the ethical and legal considerations in testing.
> For what sorts of jobs do you think computerized interviews are most appropriate? Why?
> What are the main things you would do to recruit and retain a more diverse workforce?
> Briefly describe how you would apply talent management principles in improving your employer’s workforce planning processes.
> We discussed several methods for collecting job analysis data—questionnaires, the position analysis questionnaire, and so on. Compare and contrast these methods, explaining what each is useful for and listing the pros and cons of each.
> Present a summary of what employers can and cannot do legally with respect to recruitment, selection, and promotion and layoff practices.
> Explain why strategic planning is important to all managers.
> Working individually or in groups, write a paper entitled “What the manager should know about how the EEOC handles a person’s discrimination charge.”
> What is Title VII? What does it state?
> Given the fact that each of its stores has only a handful of employees, is her company in fact covered by equal rights legislation?
> Aside from the appeal, what would you do now if you were the Garden’s top management?
> Give at least three examples of how current EEOC policy reflects public policy decisions.
> Based on your personal experiences, list 10 examples showing how you used (or could have used) human resource management techniques at work or school.
> Identify the required HR system policies and activities.
> Working individually or in groups, develop several examples showing how the new HR management practices mentioned in this chapter (using technology, for instance) have or have not been implemented to some extent in the college or university you are now a
> President Obama’s “pay czar” tried to reduce the pay of executives at AIG. According to sites such as www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/08/pay-czar-caveson-aig-pay_n_383973.html, how successful was he, and why?
> Explain how to conduct an appraisal feedback interview.
> Is it true, as Jack Carter claims, that “we can’t be accused of being discriminatory because we hire mostly women and minorities anyway?”
> What performance appraisal system would you develop for the secretaries if you were Rob Winchester? Defend your answer.
> According to http://careercompass.berkeley.edu/perfmgmt resources/evalforms.html, how does Berkeley appraise supervisors? What do you think of the form it uses?
> What are some typical on-the-job training (OJT) techniques? What do you think are some of the main drawbacks of relying on informal on-the-job training for breaking new employees into their jobs?
> Give a short presentation entitled “How to Be Effective as an Interviewer.”
> Explain the shortcomings of background investigations, reference checks, and pre-employment information services, and how to overcome them.
> How should her company terminate employees caught stealing, and what kind of procedure should be set up for handling reference calls about these employees when they go to other companies looking for jobs?
> Would you take the job offer if you were Maria? If you’re not sure, is there any additional information that would help you make your decision, and if so, what is it?
> Explain how you would use the alternation ranking method, the paired comparison method, and the forced distribution method.
> Could an employer actually use a typing test like that in www.iphonetypingtest.com/ to help select employees? If so, how exactly?
> What are the five main things you would do to recruit and retain a more diverse workforce?
> Provide a brief illustrative outline of a strategy map for Siemens.
> Do you think Ms. Browne Sanders had the basis for a sexual harassment suit? Why or why not?
> What conclusions can you draw from sites such as http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2008-05-20-overweight-bias_N.htm about handling and avoiding discrimination against obese people?
> Compare and contrast the issues presented in recent court rulings on affirmative action. Working individually or in groups, discuss the current direction of affirmative action.
> List five strategies for successfully increasing diversity in the workforce.
> How should she and her company address the possible problems of age discrimination?
> Based on the few facts that you have, what steps could Garden management have taken to protect itself from liability in this matter?
> Explain with examples how the evolution of equal employment law in the 1960s helps illustrate how public policy considerations drove the original EEO legislation.
