Discussion Questions (Information Systems) - Essay Example

Should producers of software-based services, such as ATMs, be held liable for economic injuries suffered when their systems fail? Software-based services cannot be held liable for economic injuries suffered. Also it depends upon what type of loss is suffered and who is to be blamed in the entire process. In the case of ATM we can come across many cases in which both the parties i.e. the customer and the software vendor can be held liable. For eg if there is some group or gang of techno-savy criminals who somehow manage to use such a slim card reader that it could be placed under the card slot in the ATM machine at a remote location and manage to steal the card info and pin code.

Now no one can be held accountable in such a scenario because the customers have privacy issues if monitoring services are installed. Also if the there is some issue in withdrawal of cash due to slow service and faces a queue of people , the customer on the safe side should have been careful and should have kept the time margin in mind while heading for the ATM. 2. Should companies be responsible for unemployment caused by their information systems? Why or why not? In the Era of Information technology one cannot imagine themselves surviving in this competitive world by sticking to the traditional methods of business and its operations.

Information systems had been basically developed as the need for enhancing the performance of business operation by organizing and integrating business activities grew. Companies cannot be held responsible for the unemployment cause by transference of certain tasks and jobs which were previously handled by people to the information systems. Instead people should learn to cope up with such changes, should enhance their skills and should learn and evolve themselves with firsthand experience. In doing so a person makes himself possess capabilities which make him important for an organization aswell as incase of dismissal this knowledge becomes a useful asset which can help him relocate himself into other entry positions into the business world.

Also by involving the users in the process of selection the risk of resistance falls and they become more welcoming to change. 3. It has been said that you do not need database management software to create a database environment. Discuss. A database organizes data so that it can be accessed and used by other applications. In doing so the data appears to be stored at one single location. This can be defined as the basic concept behind a database. The database environment actually serves as the base or the infrastructure for supporting the execution of a Database Management System.

Using DBMS reduces data dependencies of applications along with that the access, updation and management of data is faster due to centrally located data and enablement of adhoc queries which can be made by the programmer. Also data in database management system is more secure. 4.To what extent should end users be involved in the selection of a database management system and database design? There have been many experiences in which software systems failed because in the end they were not user friendly or were developed in a way which the users were not comfortable with or the interface of the system made it confusing for the users to operate it.

Such failures indicated that the users were not involved or given a say in the designing or selection process of the system. So user should be involved during the process of selection of database so that they have in mind what kind of dbms will they be working on and can get a head start regarding learning the functions and operations of the system. Also if any customization is required then the users can give opinion on that so that the system best fit the organization’s need. 5.Why is selecting computer hardware and software for the organization an important management Decision?

What management, organization, and technology issues should be considered when selecting computer hardware and software? Its is an important decision because you have to keep in mind that when your spending on the hardware and the software , consequently the performance should none the less also boost on the same rate. The management should select such hardware and software components which best meet the company requirements and are available for most reasonable prices. If the company has a certain brand image or persona then in that case the company should spend more on the hardware purchased to promote its image and reputation.

Also the components should be selected keeping in mind that the investment made should benefit the organization over a long period of time and help the organization achieve its targets and goals. 6. Should organizations use software service providers for all their software needs? Why or why not? What management, organization, and technology factors should be considered when making this decision? Ans: The use of service providers for all software needs of an organization depends upon the complexity and importance of the service that the software will provide.

If the company is a IT solution provider then it should itself be equipped with such stable softwares that the firm’s own IT structure becomes a model of the services which the firm can provide. Else if the company’s software need is for both complex and mere day to day transaction activities which is not a tedious task then in such a case service providers should be used only for complex tasks and the smaller tasks should be handled by the organization’s own IT dept. Reference: Laudon. (2008). Management Information Systems: Managing The Digital Firms .

Pearson Education India .