International Information Systems for Global Trade

1. Which of the following consists of the basic information systems required by organizations to coordinate worldwide trade? • NAFTA • International information systems architecture • Global business strategy plan • Enterprise-wide IT plan • Technology platform

2. Which of the following consists of the basic information systems required by organizations to coordinate worldwide trade? • NAFTA • International information systems architecture • Global business strategy plan • Enterprise-wide IT plan • Technology platform As a manager, you’ll want to know what special issues must be addressed when developing and managing international information systems.

3. A force in the environment that influences the direction of a business is called a(n)… • internal force predictor. • external force predictor. • business driver. • technology platform. • global culture.

4. A force in the environment that influences the direction of a business is called a(n)… • internal force predictor. • external force predictor. • business driver. • technology platform. • global culture. The basic strategy to follow when building an international system is to understand the global environment in which your firm is operating. This means understanding the overall market forces, or business drivers, that are pushing your industry toward global competition.

5. Which of the following is not a major dimension for developing an international information systems architecture? • Technology platform • Structure of the organization • Network access • Corporate global strategies • Business drivers

6. Which of the following is not a major dimension for developing an international information systems architecture? • Technology platform • Structure of the organization • Network access • Corporate global strategies • Business drivers The major dimensions for developing an international information systems architecture are the global environment, the corporate global strategies, the structure of the organization, the management and business processes, and the technology platform.

7. Which of the following is not a general cultural factor a business needs to consider when developing a global IS infrastructure? • Global knowledge base • Global workforce • Global social norms • Political stability • Global communication technologies

8. Which of the following is not a general cultural factor a business needs to consider when developing a global IS infrastructure? • Global knowledge base • Global workforce • Global social norms • Political stability • Global communication technologies Consideration of the global workforce is actually a specific business factor that a business needs to take into account.

9. The movement of information across international boundaries in any form is called… • global data flow. • transborder data flow. • global information flow. • particularism. • global coordination.

10. global data flow. • transborder data flow. • global information flow. • particularism. • global coordination. The movement of information across international boundaries in any form is called… Different countries around the globe have different laws and expectations of how data will be managed. Financial services, travel, and health care companies can be directly affected by laws concerning transborder data flow and privacy.

11. Which type of global business strategy establishes numerous regional headquarters and takes advantage of any local competitive advantages? • Domestic exporter • Multinational • Franchisers • Transnational • Globally based

12. Which type of global business strategy establishes numerous regional headquarters and takes advantage of any local competitive advantages? • Domestic exporter • Multinational • Franchisers • Transnational • Globally based In a transnational strategy, nearly all the value-adding activities are managed from a global perspective without reference to national borders, optimizing sources of supply and demand wherever they appear, and taking advantage of any local competitive advantages.

13. Which type of global business strategy is characterized by a far-flung confederation of production and marketing facilities in different countries? • Domestic exporter • Multinational • Franchisers • Transnational • Globally-based

14. Which type of global business strategy is characterized by a far-flung confederation of production and marketing facilities in different countries? • Domestic exporter • Multinational • Franchisers • Transnational • Globally-based The multinational strategy concentrates financial management and control out of a central home base while decentralizing production, sales, and marketing operations to units in other countries.

15. The type of global system in which systems development and operation occur totally at the domestic home base is… • networked. • decentralized. • centralized. • transnational. • duplicated.

16. The type of global system in which systems development and operation occur totally at the domestic home base is… • networked. • decentralized. • centralized. • transnational. • duplicated. Information technology and improvements in global telecommunications are giving international firms more flexibility to shape their global strategies.

17. The type of global system in which systems development and operation occur in an integrated and coordinated fashion across all units is… • networked. • decentralized. • centralized. • transnational. • duplicated.

18. The type of global system in which systems development and operation occur in an integrated and coordinated fashion across all units is… • networked. • decentralized. • centralized. • transnational. • duplicated. The configuration, management, and development of systems tend to follow the global strategy chosen.

19. Which of the following is not necessarily a management challenge in developing global systems? • Software releases • Applications development • Changes in business processes • Common user requirements • Database definitions

20. Which of the following is not necessarily a management challenge in developing global systems? • Software releases • Applications development • Changes in business processes • Common user requirements • Database definitions It is interesting to note that these problems are the chief difficulties managers experience in developing ordinary domestic systems as well but are enormously complicated in the international environment.

21. critical systems. • core systems. • vital systems. • strategic systems. • emergency systems. Systems that support functions that are absolutely critical to the organization are called…

22. critical systems. • core systems. • vital systems. • strategic systems. • emergency systems. Systems that support functions that are absolutely critical to the organization are called… Consider that not all systems should be coordinated on a transnational basis; only some core systems are truly worth sharing from a cost and feasibility point of view.

23. feasibility study. • data-flow study. • workflow analysis. • integration analysis. • process analysis. The way to identify core business processes is to conduct a(n)…

24. The way to identify core business processes is to conduct a(n)… • feasibility study. • data-flow study. • workflow analysis. • integration analysis. • process analysis. You should be able to identify and set priorities in a short list of 10 business processes that are absolutely critical for the firm with a work-flow analysis.

25. The recommended approach to designing a global information system architecture is… • piecemeal. • grand design. • incremental. • evolutionary. • total incorporation.

26. piecemeal. • grand design. • incremental. • evolutionary. • total incorporation. The recommended approach to designing a global information system architecture is… The recommended approach is to evolve transnational applications from existing applications with a precise and clear vision of the transnational capabilities the organization should have in five years.

27. The technology challenge of making data flow seamlessly across networks shaped by disparate national standards is categorized as a… • software challenge. • network challenge. • data-flow challenge. • hardware challenge. • cultural challenge.

28. The technology challenge of making data flow seamlessly across networks shaped by disparate national standards is categorized as a… • software challenge. • network challenge. • data-flow challenge. • hardware challenge. • cultural challenge. The major networking challenge is making data flow seamlessly across networks shaped by disparate national standards.

29. adequate workforces. • connectivity. • large numbers of users. • consolidated software. • outsourced management. Truly integrated global systems must have…

30. Truly integrated global systems must have… • adequate workforces. • connectivity. • large numbers of users. • consolidated software. • outsourced management. Connectivity is the ability to link together the systems and people of a global firm into a single integrated network just like the phone system but capable of voice, data, and image transmissions. Integrated global networks are extremely difficult to create.

31. Which of the following is not necessarily a problem with developing international networks? • Hardware management • Network management • Installation delays • Regulatory constraints • Disparate standards

32. Hardware management • Network management • Installation delays • Regulatory constraints • Disparate standards Which of the following is not necessarily a problem with developing international networks? Other difficulties with developing international networks include costs and tariffs, poor quality of international service, changing user requirements, and network capacity.

33. Which of the following is a software method companies are using to standardize their business processes on a global basis? • Install enterprise systems • Install Microsoft office suites • Use outsourced software • Use Internet-based software • Use intranet-based software

34. Which of the following is a software method companies are using to standardize their business processes on a global basis? • Install enterprise systems • Install Microsoft office suites • Use outsourced software • Use Internet-based software • Use intranet-based software Increasingly, firms are turning to supply chain management and enterprise systems to standardize their business processes on a global basis and to create coordinated global supply chains.

35. Intranet data exchanges • Electronic data interchanges • Videoconferencing • Groupware systems • Outsourcing Which of the following is a method manufacturing firms are using to connect to suppliers on a global basis?

36. Which of the following is a method manufacturing firms are using to connect to suppliers on a global basis? • Intranet data exchanges • Electronic data interchanges • Videoconferencing • Groupware systems • Outsourcing Electronic data interchanges are used by manufacturers to connect to suppliers. Groupware systems, e-mail, and videoconferencing are important for knowledge and data-based firms.

37. The practice of handing off new systems development work or maintenance of existing systems to external vendors in another country is… • external programming. • foreign programming. • external systems development. • offshore software outsourcing. • foreign systems development.

38. The practice of handing off new systems development work or maintenance of existing systems to external vendors in another country is… • external programming. • foreign programming. • external systems development. • offshore software outsourcing. • foreign systems development. Both global and domestic firms increasingly are managing their hardware and software resources using global teams including offshore software outsourcing.

39. Which of the following is not a solution guideline for managing international information systems? • Coordinate applications development • Coordinate software releases • Agree on common user requirements • Coordinate changes in business processes • Coordinate changes in international standards

40. Coordinate applications development • Coordinate software releases • Agree on common user requirements • Coordinate changes in business processes • Coordinate changes in international standards Which of the following is not a solution guideline for managing international information systems? When firms operate in many different countries, creating an appropriate organizational and technology infrastructure for conducting international business is very challenging.