Information systems in an enterprise – Questions and Answers
Subject Title: ICT Revision Kit
TOPIC: Information systems in an enterprise
QUESTION 1
April 2022 Question Two A
ABC Ltd. has opted to adopt a decision support system in the restructure of its business processes.
Required:
(i) State three moral dimensions the company would consider from this move. (3 marks)
(i) Outline three legal issues the company is likely to consider from this move. (3 marks)
QUESTION 2
April 2022 Question Four C
Outline seven indicators of a successful information system. (7 marks)
QUESTION 3
April 2022 Question Five B
Explain three reasons why organisations pursue business process integration. (6 marks)
QUESTION 4
April 2022 Question Seven B
Identify four benefits of requirements gathering process in an information system development. (4 marks)
QUESTION 5
December 2021 Question One B
(i) Explain five benefits of a strategic information system to a business. (5 marks)
(ii) Highlight five benefits of aligning an organisation’s information communication technology (ICT) with its business strategy. (5 marks)
QUESTION 6
December 2021 Question Two
(a) Discuss “sales and marketing systems” from a functional perspective. (5 marks)
(b) Explain five moral dimensions of the information age in the context of information systems. (5 marks)
(c) Alpha Limited is in the process of automating its operations.
State four types of office automation systems that the company should adopt. (4 marks)
(d) ABC Company intends to undertake an information systems project.
Outline three challenges that the company is likely to face. (3 marks)
(e) Explain three goals of a transaction processing system to an organisation. (3 marks)
QUESTION 7
December 2021 Question Three D
Describe four features of systems approach to information systems. (4 marks)
QUESTION 8
December 2021 Question Four C
ABC Transport company has opted to train its users before a new system is implemented.
Suggest four benefits of training users before implementing a new information system.
(4 marks)
QUESTION 9
December 2021 Question Seven A and B
(a) Describe each of the following types of information systems as used in organisations:
(i) Transaction processing system. (2 marks)
(ii) Management reporting system. (2 marks)
(iii) Decision support system. (2 marks)
(b) XYZ Company Lid. intends to implement a new information system.
Explain three organisational factors that should be considered to ensure success of the system. (6 marks)
QUESTION 10
November 2019 Question Four A, B and C
(a) Highlight four factors that need to be considered when selecting a management information system.
(b) An organisation is intending to install an enterprise resource planning system (ERP).
Explaining the meaning of ERP, highlight four benefits to be derived by the organisation from the use of ERP.
(c) Nyasake Ltd. acquired an off-the-shelf package from “not-a-very-well-known” vendor. The package became problematic only after six months from the time of acquisition. The management of Nyasake Ltd. invited the vendor from whom they procured the package and demanded that the vendor quickly do the fixes for normal operations to resume. After the vendor reported to have completed the fixes, operations resumed without any tests being performed. Two weeks later, operations nearly came to a standstill because of the software issues.
Required:
Examine five measures that should have been put in place before acquisition of the above package.
QUESTION 11
May 2019 Question Four A
The following are decisions that are taken in a certain hierarchically managed company:
i. The payment period is to be extended by five days to improve cash flows.
ii. Specified details on invoices must be checked and stamped to show that the checks have been carried out fully and satisfactorily.
iii. Suppliers who supply over Sh.500,000 worth of goods per annum join the company’s electronic data interchange network.
Required:
In each case, explain the type of the decision made by the managers in the hierarchy.
QUESTION 12
May 2019 Question Five C
Asha Nzale has a hardware shop and lately, she is finding the task of managing daily sales in the shop overwhelming.
Required:
i. Propose a retail system that she should acquire.
ii. Apart from enhancing the speed of operation, summarise five other benefits that Asha will gain from using such a system.
QUESTION 13
November 2018 Question One A
Describe each of the following changes brought by implementing information systems in organisations:
(i) Paradigm shift.
(ii) Rationalisation
QUESTION 14
November 2018 Question Two C
Highlight two characteristics of a good management information system
QUESTION 15
November 2018 Question Five A
Safeland Ltd. is a transport and logistics company operating in the East African region. The management of Safeland Ltd. has decided that the company no longer requires a head office and its strategic aim is to become a virtual organisation.
Required:
Assess three ways in which an office information system (01S) could aid in supporting management decision making in the virtual organisation.
QUESTION 16
November 2018 Question Seven D and E
Outline five functions of a database administrator in an information system.
Describe the following terms in the context of information systems:
(i) Office automation.
(ii) Vertically integrated information system.
QUESTION 17
May 2018 Question Three C and D
Discuss six essential accounting information systems used in business.
Explain three roles of enterprise collaboration systems in business.
QUESTION 18
May 2018 Question Five A and D
(a) Explain three roles of management during the development of an information system in an organisation.
(d) (i) Explain the term “database mirroring” as used in information systems.
(ii) Evaluate three benefits an organisation might derive from database mirroring
QUESTION 19
May 2018 Question Six B and C
Describe the nature of each of the following reports generated by a Management Information System (MIS):
(i) Push reports.
(ii) Exception reports.
Lynnet Wanjiru has been presented with the following features of an information system:
• High security.
• Interactive.
• Network connections, email access, face book.
• Access to internal and external data.
• Modelling and analysis. capability.
• Drill up and down.
• What-if analysis.
• Ad hoc reports.
Required:
i) Identify the information system described above.
ii) Suggest the level in management where the system identified in (c)(i) above is applied.
iii) Highlight five benefits of the system identified in (c)(i) above to an organisation.
QUESTION 20
November 2017 Question One B
The management information system (MIS) in an organisation uses external and internal sources of information.
Required:
Describe four sources of the external information used in a management information system (MIS).
QUESTION 21
November 2017 Question Two A and D
Outline three reasons that could prompt the creation of a new information system in an organisation.
The manager of Bidii Company complained that the company’s information system continually failed to provide the correct level of information.
Required:
Suggest four possible reasons why the system continually failed.
QUESTION 22
November 2017 Question Three B and C
Outline four categories of information from the perspective of a computer application
Itemise how information systems could help participants in supply chain management.
QUESTION 23
November 2017 Question Five A
Outline six broad categories of management information systems (MIS).
QUESTION 24
November 2017 Question Six A
Discuss six ways that could be used to classify decision support systems (DSS)(
QUESTION 25
May 2017 Question One B and C
Distinguish between the following types of information:
(i) “Knowledge information” and “organisational information’.
(ii) “Planning information” and “control information”.
Summarise three business benefits and three technical benefits that could accrue to a university from implementing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
QUESTION 26
May 2017 Question Four C
Discuss six reasons why many organisations have invested heavily in information systems.
QUESTION 27
May 2017 Question Five C
Many organisations are today incorporating information systems plans into their business planning at all levels.
Required:
i. Explain the term “information systems planning” as used in management information systems.
ii. Outline four steps involved in information systems planning process.
QUESTION 28
May 2017 Question Six B
Outline two reasons for outsourcing information systems by an organisation under each of the following categories:
i. Financial reasons.
ii. Technical reasons.
iii. Political reasons.
QUESTION 29
November 2016 Question One C
Outline four examples of information systems based on each of the following criteria:
(i) Functional perspective.
(ii) Constituency perspective.
QUESTION 30
November 2016 Question Two A (ii)
Distinguish between the following terms as used in management information systems:
“Qualitative information” and “quantitative information”.
QUESTION 31
November 2016 Question Three E
Describe four types of information systems that could be used for enterprise-wide knowledge management and their value to a business.
QUESTION 32
November 2016 Question Four B and C
To deliver genuine benefits, information systems must be built with a clear understanding of the nature of the organisation in which they will be used.
Required:
Identify six organisational factors to consider when planning a new information system.
Describe each of the following mechanisms as used in management information systems:
(i) Early warning mechanism.
(ii) Exception principle.
QUESTION 33
November 2016 Question Six E
Identify four questions that need to be asked when undertaking analysis of an information system.
QUESTION 34
May 2016 Question Four B (iii)
List three examples of enterprise systems used in business organisations
QUESTION 35
November 2015 Question Two
Distinguish between “information system” and “management information system”
Discuss six ways of classifying management information systems by application.
Outline four functionalities accomplished by a complete business information system.
QUESTION 36
November 2015 Three C
Outline six services provided by enterprise applications
QUESTION 37
September 2015 Question 5
a) Enumerate six characteristics of a well-designed computerised management information system.
b) Describe four types of decision support systems.
c) In management information system (MIS), information is recognised as a major resource. If this resource is to be well managed, it calls upon the management to plan for it and control it so that the information becomes a vital resource for the system.
Required:
Identify six challenges which could affect the effectiveness of implementation of a management information system
QUESTION 38
Pilot paper 2015 Question Two C
Highlight four types of reports produced by information systems in an organisation.
QUESTION 39
Pilot paper 2015 Question Three B (i)
Transaction Processing Systems (TPS) are the backbone of any organisation’s information system.
Required:
i. State four reasons why business managers must be conversant with transaction processing systems.
ii. Outline the transaction processing cycle.
QUESTION 40
Pilot paper 2015 Question Six B
Distinguish between a “decision support system” and an “executive information system”.
QUESTION 41
Pilot paper 2015 Question Seven D (i)
Identify five characteristics which might indicate that an information system has reached the end of its economic life.