Introduction to Information Systems 5th Canadian Edition by R. Kelly Rainer solution manual

Discussion Questions

 
1.  Describe a business that you would like to start. Discuss how information technology could: (a) help you find and research an idea for a business, (b) help you formulate your business plan, and (c) help you finance your business.
 
ANSWER:
This will be different depending on each student’s background and major. The responses for (a), (b), and (c) will depend on the service the business would be providing. The answers may depend on if the business is product or services based, or both.
 
Level: Easy
Section/Learning Objective: Section 1.1/Learning Objective 1
Bloom’s Category: Application
AACSB Category: Technology
 
2. Your university wants to recruit high-quality high school students from your province. Provide examples of (a) the data that your recruiters would gather in this process, (b) the information that your recruiters would process from these data, and (c) the types of knowledge that your recruiters would infer from this information.
 
ANSWER:
Senior testing scores: potential for success in college classes
Test scores (e.g., LSAT): potential for success in college classes
Location: some students may want to stay close to home
Alumni parents (legacy students): chance parents would want their children to attend same school as they did
Other factors that may be unique to your school.
 
Level: Easy
Section/Learning Objective: Section 1.1/Learning Objective 1
Bloom’s Category: Comprehension
AACSB Category: Technology
 
3. Can the terms data, information, and knowledge have different meanings for different people? Support your answer with examples.
 
ANSWER:
Yes. Students will have different responses based on their personal experiences and possibly their majors.   
 
Level: Easy
Section/Learning Objective: Section 1.1/Learning Objective 1
Bloom’s Category: Comprehension
AACSB Category: Technology
 
4. Information technology makes it possible to “never be out of touch.” Discuss the pros and cons of always being available to your employers and clients (regardless of where you are or what you are doing). How will “never being out of touch” be considered a strategy to gain competitive advantage? 
 
ANSWER:
This discussion should touch on email and instant messaging and their impact on a 24/7/365 business environment. If you are teaching an online class or the students are familiar with the concept, discuss how being available has changed the way you are interacting with students. Social media such as Facebook and Twitter should also be considered in the overall discussion given that businesses have embraced these as marketing tools.   
 
Level: Medium
Section/Learning Objective: Section 1.3/Learning Objective 3
Bloom’s Category: Application
AACSB Category: Technology
 
5. Robots have the positive impact of being able to relieve humans from working in dangerous conditions.  What are some negative impacts of robots in the workplace?
 
ANSWER:
Potentially reducing or eliminating some non-skilled repetitive production line jobs.
Robots are made up of hardware and software; hence, upgrades are required. Robots have a “shelf life.”
 
Level: Easy
Section/Learning Objective: Section 1.3/Learning Objective 3
Bloom’s Category: Comprehension
AACSB Category: Technology
 
6. Is it possible to endanger yourself by accessing too much medical information on the Web? Why or why not? Support your answer.
 
ANSWER:
Discuss the issue of reliability of the sources of information and danger of self-diagnosis. Also discuss problems related to non-tested “miracle cures” and possible negative interactions with medications a patient may be taking for other conditions. The Internet has given many of us the opportunity to access expert advice, including a medical advice; however, this advice may not have come from actual medical or scientific experts. So, we must be very careful when seeking help using information on the Internet.
 
Level:
Section/Learning Objective: Section 1.4/Learning Objective 4
Bloom’s Category: Application
AACSB Category: Technology
 
7. Describe other potential impacts of IT on societies as a whole.
 
ANSWER:
Most of your students have grown up using technology and will not remember a time when it was not around. Open the discussion by asking how many students have Facebook and/or Twitter profiles. Ask them how they kept up with their friends before Facebook Then open the discussion as to how they use social media, how often they access their accounts, how many “friends” they have, do they block any friends or followers, and how often they post?  If students have hundreds of friends on social media, ask why and if they consider it a problem (why or why not?). Ask how many of the students have smartphones. How often do they use text messaging and for what? Do they maintain an electronic calendar to remind them of events (including birthdays and appointments)?  This questions has a number of possibilities.