A2 ICT Unit 5 14.1

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  • Created by: Craig
  • Created on: 12-05-08 10:37

14.1

Chapter 14 questions

4)a) An ICT management policy is required to set out objectives on the use of ICT within the organisation and ensure that ICT resources are used efficiently so they increase profit or improve the service.

b) One issue that should be addressed by an ICT policy is access to information. The policy should determine who has access to information and at what level.

Another issue that should be addressed is the mechanisms for distribution of information. For example paper, E-mail or web based.

A third issue that should be addressed is the budget. Company-wide systems will be expensive and may not be affordable.

A final issue that should be addressed is maintenance. The policy should assign someone to assist in maintaining the running of the information system.

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14.1

5)a) One reason why this consultation is necessary is because departments might be using different versions of software so when it is standardised, there may be file compatibility problems.

b) One reason why the company may have adopted this strategy is ease of learning. It will be much easier to train workers when everybody uses the same software.

Another reason why the company may have adopted this strategy is getting a licence for software. This will most likely be cheaper if it is bought in bulk.

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14.1 IMS

Information Management Systems

1) An IMP is a statement of how the organisation stores and processes data and information, including hardware and software.

2) The IMP of the student support department should be centralised because it includes all students, regardless of the subjects they study. The same hardware and software needs to be used for everyone. It will be easier to communicate if everyone uses the same hardware and software. This will be cheaper on the budget because getting licences for software will be easier and mass buying of hardware will be cheaper.

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14.1 IMS

3)User Needs – Vice principle will need to look at a lot of records - spreadsheet, database software.

Data administrator will need to process a lot of data – database software

Central admissions will need to look at applications, communicate with applicants keep details – database.

Support tutors will need the same hardware and software as tutors so they can interact with them and support them.

Library will need to keep records of stock, loans, student’s details.

Web coordinator will need specialist software but it needs to be compatible with other software used in college.

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Policy and strategy

1) What critical success factors might there be for your college?

High level of education

High pass rate in exams

2) How might information systems be used to assess critical success factors?

Information systems could record grades from tests to see if students will meet their target grade.

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Policy and strategy

3) What do you think is the advantage and disadvantage of a centralised computing services department when compared to a distributed system?

The advantage of a centralised system over a distributed system is that if departments are in charge of their own systems there may not be compatibility between departments because they are using different software. The advantage of a distributed system is that it allows a department to use specialised software.

4) What levels of decision making can be made with these different systems?

Transaction processing systems can make operational level decision making.

Knowledge work systems can make tactical level decisions

Management support systems can strategic level decisions

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Policy and strategy

5) A company has one department that has a network of old Macs, while another department has a new network of PCs. What problems can this cause? How can this be reduced?

A problem with this is compatibility. PC and Mac software aren’t normally compatible with each other. One way to get around this isEmulation software. This is software that will make a PC operate like a Mac and vice versa. This way file types can be read without having to invest in new hardware. The disadvantages of this are that it takes up a lot of space and might run slower.

6) A new set of computers is going to be installed in a department in a company. The other computers are not powerful enough to run the new operating system. What problems will this cause? How can they be reduced?

This will problems as these computers will be separate to the others because of the operation system. Files from the other computers will them not be compatible with them. The only way to solve this is to replace all the other computers but this will be very costly.

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Policy and strategy

7 ) Why is it important for a company to back up its data?

A company depends on data and if it loses data it can lose money and customers. Especially if the data is financial records or part of an ordering system. They will lose reputation and therefore customers if they are seen as not being able to look after their data.

8A small company is working on its back up policy. State three back-up regimes and give one advantage and one disadvantage for each.

Zip drive. Like floppy disks but could only hold 100mb of data. Would be useless these days but cheap.

Digital audio tape drives. These are reliable but have a slow transfer rate.

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