What kind of Internet user are you? Do you primarily use the Net to do a little e-mail and look up phone numbers? Or are you online all day, watching YouTube videos, downloading music files, or playing online games? If you have a smartphone, do you use it to make calls and check the Web every so often, or do you stream TV shows and movies on a regular basis? If you’re a power Internet or smartphone user, you are consuming a great deal of bandwidth, and hundreds of millions of people like you might start to slow the Internet down. YouTube consumed as much bandwidth in 2007 as the entire Internet did in 2000, and AT&T’s mobile network will carry more data in the first two months of 2015 than in all of 2010. If user demand for the Internet overwhelms network capacity, the Internet might not come to a screeching halt, but users would be faced with very sluggish download speeds and slow performance of Netflix, Spotify, YouTube, and other data-heavy services. Heavy use of iPhones in urban areas such as New York and San Francisco has already degraded service on the AT&T wireless network. AT&T reports that 3 percent of its subscriber base accounts for 40 percent of its data traffic. Some analysts believe that as digital traffic on the Internet grows, even at a rate of 50 percent per year, the technology for handling all this traffic is advancing at an equally rapid pace. But regardless of what happens with Internet infrastructure, costs for Internet providers will continue to increase, and prominent media companies are searching for new revenue streams to meet those costs. One solution is to make Internet users pay for the amount of bandwidth they use. But metering Internet use is not universally accepted, because of an ongoing debate about network neutrality. Network neutrality is the idea that Internet service providers must allow customers equal access to content and applications, regardless of the source or nature of the content. Presently, the Internet is indeed neutral: all Internet traffic is treated equally on a first-come, firstserved basis by Internet backbone owners. However, this arrangement prevents telecommunications and cable companies from charging differentiated prices based on the amount of bandwidth consumed by content being delivered over the Internet. These companies believe that differentiated pricing is “the fairest way” to finance necessary investments in their network infrastructures. Internet service providers point to the upsurge in piracy of copyrighted materials over the Internet. Comcast, the second largest U.S. Internet service provider, reported that illegal file sharing of copyrighted material was consuming 50 percent of its network capacity. In 2008, the company slowed down transmission of BitTorrent files used extensively for piracy and illegal sharing of copyrighted materials, including video. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruled that Comcast had to stop slowing peer-to-peer traffic in the name of network management. Comcast then filed a lawsuit challenging the FCC’s authority to enforce network neutrality. In April 2010, a federal appeals court ruled in favor of Comcast that the FCC did not have the authority to regulate how an Internet provider manages its network. This was a considerable blow to net neutrality. In late 2010, Comcast reportedly began charging Level 3 Communications, which helps stream Netflix’s movies, an additional fee for continued normal service. Level 3 asked the FCC to investigate the action. Groups favoring net neutrality are pushing Congress to find ways to regulate the industry to prevent network providers from adopting Comcast-like practices. The strange alliance of net neutrality advocates includes MoveOn.org, the Christian Coalition, the American Library Association, every major consumer group, and a host of bloggers and small businesses........ 1. What is network neutrality? Why has the Internet operated under net neutrality up to this point in time? 2. Who’s in favor of network neutrality? Who’s opposed? Why? 3. What would be the impact on individual users, businesses, and government if Internet providers switched to a tiered service model? 4. Are you in favor of legislation enforcing network neutrality? Why or why not?
> Why might a labor supply curve be backward bending?
> Why is a firm’s demand for labor curve more inelastic when the firm has monopoly power in the output market than when the firm is producing competitively?
> A firm uses both labor and machines in production. Explain why an increase in the average wage rate causes both a movement along the labor demand curve and a shift of the curve.
> A small specialty cookie company, whose only variable input is labor, finds that the average worker can produce 50 cookies per day, the cost of the average worker is $64 per day, and the price of a cookie is $1. Is the company maximizing its profit? Expl
> The government wants to encourage individuals on welfare to become employed. It is considering two possible incentive programs: a. Give firms $2 per hour for every individual on welfare who is hired. b. Give each firm that hires one or more welfare wor
> You are an executive for Super Computer, Inc. (SC), which rents out super computers. SC receives a fixed rental payment per time period in exchange for the right to unlimited computing at a rate of P cents per second. SC has two types of potential custom
> Explain briefly how the U.S. antitrust laws are actually enforced.
> The company tries to offer a wider range of office supplies at lower costs than other retailers by using just-in-time replenishment and tight inventory control systems. It uses information from a demand forecasting system and point-of-sale data to replen
> Companies like DST Systems have recognized the value in Scrum development to their bottom lines, but making the transition from traditional developmental methods to Scrum development can be challenging. DST Systems is a software development company whose
> You may soon hear more about Honam Petrochemical Corporation. Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, this company manufactures and sells petrochemical products, such as synthetic resins, synthetic industrial materials, such as ethylene glycol and ethylene
> How do business intelligence and business analytics support decision making? 1. Define and describe business intelligence and business analytics. 2. List and describe the elements of a business intelligence environment. 3. List and describe the analytic
> Applebee’s is the largest casual dining chain in the world, with over 1,800 locations throughout the United States and 20 other countries. The menu features beef, chicken, and pork items, as well as burgers, pasta, and seafood. Applebee’s CEO wants to ma
> Describe various ways that knowledge management systems could help firms with sales and marketing or with manufacturing and production.
> Why are information systems vulnerable to destruction, error, and abuse? 1. List and describe the most common threats against contemporary information systems. 2. Define malware and distinguish among a virus, a worm, and a Trojan horse. 3. Define a hacke
> In February 2011, an IBM computer named Watson took on the two most-decorated champions of the game show Jeopardy, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. Watson, which was named after IBM’s founder, Thomas J. Watson, won handily. Watson’s achievement represents a
> Colgate-Palmolive Company is the second largest consumer products company in the world, and its products are marketed in over 200 countries and territories. The company had 39,000 employees worldwide and $16 billion in annual revenue in 2010. Colgate has
> What are the principal e-commerce business and revenue models? 1. Name and describe the principal e-commerce business models. 2. Name and describe the e-commerce revenue models.
> Company-sponsored blog: Visit Blue Nile, J.Crew, Circuit City, Black & Decker, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, and Priceline. Determine which would benefit most from adding a company-sponsored blog to the Web site. List the business benefits of the blog. Specify th
> The Internet may not make corporations obsolete, but the corporations will have to change their business models. Do you agree? Why or why not?
> Why is selecting computer hardware and software for the organization an important business decision? What people, organization, and technology issues should be considered when selecting computer hardware and software?
> Visit the Facebook and Twitter pages of Levi’s, Starbucks, or another company of your choice. Describe all of the ways the company is using its presence at these sites for engaging with customers, and their business benefits.
> How do supply chain management systems coordinate planning, production, and logistics with suppliers? 1. Define a supply chain and identify each of its components. 2. Explain how supply chain management systems help reduce the bullwhip effect and how the
> The three Internet titans—Google, Microsoft, and Apple—are in an epic struggle to dominate your Internet experience, and caught in the crossfire are search, music, books, videos, and other media, the device you use to do all of these things, cloud comput
> If a company wants to implement an enterprise application, it had better do its homework. Discuss the implications of this statement.
> Visit the Web sites of Salesforce.com, RightNow, or another competing company offering a cloud-based version of CRM. Then answer the following questions: 1. What CRM capabilities does the company offer? Describe some of the features. 2. Toward what types
> The publishing industry is grappling with disruptive technologies that may transform its business models and the way we buy and read books. What is the impact of the Internet and e-book technology on book and newspaper publishing? Who will win and who wi
> What is the business value of security and control? 1. Explain how security and control provide value for businesses. 2. Describe the relationship between security and control and recent U.S. government regulatory requirements and computer forensics.
> A survey of your firm's IT infastructure has identified a number of security vulnerabilities. Review the data on these vulnerabilities, which can be found in a table in MyMISLab. Use the table to answer the following questions: • Calculate the total numb
> If you were developing a business continuity plan for your company, where would you start? What aspects of the business would the plan address?
> Have you ever purchased antivirus software for your iPhone, Android, or cell phone? Probably not. Many users believe that their iPhones and Androids are unlikely to be hacked into because they think Apple and Google are protecting them from malware apps,
> In July 2010, reports surfaced about a Stuxnet worm that had been targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities. In November of that year, Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad publicly acknowledged that malicious software had infected the Iranian nuclear facilitie
> Cloud computing has just begun to take off in the business world. The biggest player in the cloud computing marketplace is one you might not expect: Amazon. Under its Web Services (AWS) division, the company has streamlined cloud computing and made it an
> What are the main telecommunications transmission media and types of networks? 1. Name the different types of physical transmission media and compare them in terms of speed and cost. 2. Define a LAN, and describe its components and the functions of each
> Security isn’t simply a technology issue, it’s a business issue. Discuss.
> BestMed Medical Supplies Corporation sells medical and surgical products and equipment from over 700 different manufacturers to hospitals, health clinics, and medical offices. The company employs 500 people at seven different locations in western and mid
> Should all major retailing and manufacturing companies switch to RFID? Why or why not?
> When you were at work, how minutes (or hours) did you spend on Facebook today? Did you send personal e-mail or visit some sports Web sites? If so, you’re not alone. According to a Nucleus Research study, 77 percent of workers with Facebook accounts use t
> When you were at work, how minutes (or hours) did you spend on Facebook today? Did you send personal e-mail or visit some sports Web sites? If so, you’re not alone. According to a Nucleus Research study, 77 percent of workers with Facebook accounts use t
> What kind of Internet user are you? Do you primarily use the Net to do a little e-mail and look up phone numbers? Or are you online all day, watching YouTube videos, downloading music files, or playing online games? If you have a smartphone, do you use i
> What are the principles of a database management system? 1. Define a database management system (DBMS) and describe how it works and explain how it benefits organizations. 2. Define and compare the logical and a physical view of data. 3. Define and descr
> Your industrial supply company wants to create a data warehouse where management can obtain a single corporate-wide view of critical sales information to identify bestselling products, key customers, and sales trends. Your sales and product information a
> To what extent should end users be involved in the selection of a database management system and database design?
> 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’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
> On April 19, 2011, system administrators at Sony's online gaming service PlayStation Network (PSN), with over 77 million users, began to notice suspicious activity on some of its 130 servers spread across the globe and 50 software programs. The PlayStati
> Look around. On the street, at restaurants, sports events, and stores, you’ll find many people using their smartphones. By 2013, 1.3 billion people will be able to use their mobile phone to do work on the go, and by 2015, 4.4 billion people, which is mor
> What are the major computer hardware, data storage, input, and output technologies used in business? 1. List and describe the various types of computers available to businesses today. 2. Define the client/server model of computing and describe the differ
> Qantas Airways, Australia’s leading airline, faces cost pressures from high fuel prices and lower levels of global airline traffic. To remain competitive, the airline must find ways to keep costs low while providing a high level of customer service. Qant
> Should organizations use software service providers (including cloud services) for all their software needs? Why or why not? What people, organization, and technology factors should be considered when making this decision?
> Look around. On the street, at restaurants, sports events, and stores, you’ll find many people using their smartphones. By 2013, 1.3 billion people will be able to use their mobile phone to do work on the go, and by 2015, 4.4 billion people, which is mor
> Computer rooms are becoming too hot to handle. Datahungry tasks such as watching videos on demand, downloading music, exchanging photos, and maintaining Web sites require more and more power-hungry machines. Power and cooling costs for data centers have
> How do the value chain and value web models help businesses identify opportunities for strategic information system applications? 1. Define and describe the value chain model. 2. Explain how the value chain model can be used to identify opportunities fo
> Despite aggressive campaigns to attract customers with lower mobile phone prices, Sprint Nextel has been losing large numbers of monthly contract subscribers. Management wants to know why so many customers are leaving Sprint and what can be done to entic
> What are some of the issues to consider in determining whether the Internet would provide your business with a competitive advantage?
> Have you ever purchased antivirus software for your iPhone, Android, or cell phone? Probably not. Many users believe that their iPhones and Androids are unlikely to be hacked into because they think Apple and Google are protecting them from malware apps,
> 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
> 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. F
> Computer rooms are becoming too hot to handle. Data hungry tasks such as watching videos on demand, downloading music, exchanging photos, and maintaining Web sites require more and more power-hungry machines. Power and cooling costs for data centers have
> What ethical, social, and political issues are raised by information systems? 1. Explain how ethical, social, and political issues are connected and give some examples. 2. List and describe the key technological trends that heighten ethical concerns. 3.
> USAData’s Web site is linked to massive databases that consolidate personal data on millions of people. Anyone with a credit card can purchase marketing lists of consumers broken down by location, age, income level, and interests. If you click on Consume
> How does a relational database organize data and how does it differ from an object-oriented database? 1. Define and explain the significance of entities, attributes, and key fields. 2. Define a relational database and explain how it organizes and stores
> Should producers of software-based services, such as ATMs, be held liable for economic injuries suffered when their systems fail?
> When new expensive medical therapies come along, promising to cure people of illness, one would think that the manufacturers, doctors, and technicians, along with the hospitals and state oversight agencies, would take extreme caution in their application
> Do you think that the more information managers receive, the better their decisions? Well, think again. Most of us can no longer imagine the world without the Internet and without our favorite gadgets, whether they’re iPads, smartphones, laptops, or cell
> 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
> In July 2010, reports surfaced about a Stuxnet worm that had been targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities. In November of that year, Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad publicly acknowledged that malicious software had infected the Iranian nuclear facilitie
> What are the core problem-solving steps for developing new information systems? 1. List and describe the problem-solving steps for building a new system. 2. Define information requirements and explain why they are important for developing a system solut
> The Warm and Toasty Heating Oil Company used to deliver heating oil by sending trucks that printed out a ticket with the number of gallons of oil delivered and that was placed on customers’ doorsteps. Customers received their oil delivery bills in the ma
> Discuss the role of business end users and information system professionals in developing a system solution. How do both roles differ when the solution is developed using prototyping or end-user development?
> In recent years, the airline industry has seen several low-cost, high-efficiency carriers rise to prominence using a recipe of extremely competitive fares and outstanding customer service. Two examples of this business model in action are JetBlue and Wes
> How does Porter’s competitive forces model help companies develop competitive strategies using information systems? 1. Define Porter’s competitive forces model and explain how it works. 2. List and describe four competitive strategies enabled by informat
> Companies like DST Systems have recognized the value in Scrum development to their bottom lines, but making the transition from traditional developmental methods to Scrum development can be challenging. DST Systems is a software development company whose
> Emerson Process Management, a global supplier of measurement, analytical, and monitoring instruments and services based in Austin, Texas, had a new data warehouse designed for analyzing customer activity to improve service and marketing. However, the dat
> You may soon hear more about Honam Petrochemical Corporation. Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, this company manufactures and sells petrochemical products, such as synthetic resins, synthetic industrial materials, such as ethylene glycol and ethylene
> What are the different types of decisions, and how does the decision-making process work? 1. List and describe the different decision-making levels and decision-making groups in organizations and their decision-making requirements. 2. Distinguish betwee
> U.S. Pharma Corporation is headquartered in New Jersey but has research sites in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Australia. Research and development of new pharmaceuticals is key to ongoing profits, and U.S. Pharma researches and te
> What are the principal components of telecommunications networks and key networking technologies? 1. Describe the features of a simple network and the network infrastructure for a large company. 2. Name and describe the principal technologies and trends
> If businesses used DSS, GDSS, and ESS more widely, would they make better decisions? Why or why not?
> The world’s fastest growing gaming company doesn’t boast top-of-the-line graphics, heart-pounding action, or masterful storytelling. It doesn’t make games for the PlayStation, Xbox, or Wii. The company in question is Zynga, and if you have a Facebook acc
> In February 2011, an IBM computer named Watson took on the two most-decorated champions of the game show Jeopardy, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. Watson, which was named after IBM’s founder, Thomas J. Watson, won handily. Watson’s achievement represents a
> Colgate-Palmolive Company is the second largest consumer products company in the world, and its products are marketed in over 200 countries and territories. The company had 39,000 employees worldwide and $16 billion in annual revenue in 2010. Colgate has
> What are the unique features of e-commerce, digital markets, and digital goods? 1. Name and describe four business trends and three technology trends shaping e-commerce today. 2. List and describe the eight unique features of e-commerce. 3. Define a dig
> Columbiana: A small, independent Caribbean island that wants to develop its tourist industry and attract more visitors. How can a Web presence help? What Internet business model would be appropriate? What functions should the Web site perform?
> Macy’s, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates approximately 800 department stores in the United States. Its retail stores sell a range of merchandise, including apparel, home furnishings, and housewares. Senior management has decided that Macy’s needs
> It has been said that you do not need database management software to create a database environment. Discuss.
> How does the Internet change consumer and supplier relationships?
> Founded by Tim and Nina Zagat, the Zagat Survey has collected and published ratings of restaurants by diners since 1979. Zagat publishes surveys for restaurants, hotels, and nightlife in 70 major cities. Today, as more people use their smartphones for in
> Your company supplies ceramic floor tiles to Home Depot, Lowe’s, and other home improvement stores. You have been asked to start using radio frequency identification tags on each case of tiles you ship to help your customers improve the management of you
> To most people, Facebook and Twitter are ways to keep in touch with friends and to let them know what they are doing. For companies of all shapes and sizes, however, Facebook and Twitter have become powerful tools for engaging customers. Location based b
> Who’s the leader in retail e-commerce? Of course, it’s Amazon.com. Since the early 1990s, Amazon has grown from a small online bookseller to one of the largest retailing companies in the world, and easily the largest e-commerce retailer. Its constantly g
> How do enterprise systems help businesses achieve operational excellence? 1. Define an enterprise system and explain how enterprise software works. 2. Describe how enterprise systems provide value for a business.
> 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
