Describe the view modeling process as applied to creating an REA diagram.

1. Identify the event entities.
2. Identify the resource entities.
3. Identify the agent entities.
4. Determine associations and cardinalities between entities.

Discuss the differences between ER and REA Diagram

-  Entities in an REA diagram, however, are divided into three classes (resources, events, and agents) and organized into constellations by class on the diagram.
-  The sequencing of events; ER diagrams present a static picture of the underlying business phenomena.
- Naming conventions for entities; In ER diagrams, entity names are always represented in the singular noun form.

What is REA Model? How does it differ from traditional accounting systems?

The REA model is an accounting framework for modeling an organization’s critical resources, events, and agents and the relationships between them. Unlike some traditional accounting systems, REA systems permit both accounting and non-accounting data to be identified, captured, and stored in a centralized database. From this repository, user views can be constructed that meet the needs of all users in the organization. REA models may be implemented within either relational or object-oriented database architectures.

Discuss the typical participants in systems developments.

- The participants in systems development can be classified into three broad groups: systems professionals, end users, and stakeholders.

Describe the stages involved in SDLC.

1) system strategy
2) project initiation
3) in-house system development
4) commercial packages
5) Maintenance and support

What is System Development Life Cycle?

Stages that organization go through in order to develop an information system.

Discuss the role of accountant in Information System Planning and Development

1) Identifying Information needs.
2) providing descriptions of information architecture
3) reviewing the development process
4) testing the system

Discuss how Client-Server Computing technology benefits the business organizations.

Providing systems such as ERP and ASP

What is Client-Server Computing?

A system whereby one computer provides an application service (server) and another computer subscribing to the service (client)

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Outsourcing

The Advantages of Outsourcing

• Swiftness and Expertise: Most of the times tasks are outsourced to vendors who specialize in their field. The outsourced vendors also have specific equipment and technical expertise, most of the times better than the ones at the outsourcing organization. Effectively the tasks can be completed faster and with better quality output
• Concentrating on core process rather than the supporting ones: Outsourcing the supporting processes gives the organization more time to strengthen their core business process.
• Risk-sharing: one of the most crucial factors determining the outcome of a campaign is risk-analysis. Outsourcing certain components of your business process helps the organization to shift certain responsibilities to the outsourced vendor. Since the outsourced vendor is a specialist, they plan your risk-mitigating factors better.
• Reduced Operational and Recruitment costs: Outsourcing eludes the need to hire individuals in-house; hence recruitment and operational costs can be minimized to a great extent. This is one of the prime advantages of offshore outsourcing.

The Disadvantages of Outsourcing

• Risk of exposing confidential data: When an organization outsources HR, Payroll and Recruitment services, it involves a risk if exposing confidential company information to a third-party.
• Synchronizing the deliverables: In case you do not choose a right partner for outsourcing, some of the common problem areas include stretched delivery time frames, sub-standard quality output and inappropriate categorization of responsibilities. At times it is easier to regulate these factors inside an organization rather than with an outsourced partner.
• Hidden costs: Although outsourcing most of the times is cost-effective at times the hidden costs involved in signing a contract while signing a contract across international boundaries may pose a serious threat.
• Lack of customer focus: An outsourced vendor may be catering to the expertise-needs of multiple organizations at a time. In such situations vendors may lack complete focus on your organization’s tasks.

What IT outsourcing?

IT outsourcing is a phrase used to describe the practice of seeking resources -- or subcontracting -- outside of an organizational structure for all or part of anIT (Information Technology) function. An organization would use IT outsourcing for functions ranging from infrastructure to software development, maintenance and support. For example, an enterprise might outsource its IT management because it is cheaper to contract a third party to do so than it would be to build its own in-house IT management team. Or a company might outsource all of its data storage needs because it does not want to buy and maintain its own data storage devices. Most large organizations onlyoutsource a portion of any given IT function.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using “Weblications” for business organizations.

In computing, a web-based application is any application that uses a web browser as a client. The term may also mean a computer software application that is coded in a browser-supported programming language and reliant on a common web browser to render the application executable. ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weblication

What is Internet? What do you think would be the next-generation technologies for the Internet?

Internet=collection of network computers. Wireless. Mobile. Social.

What is the technical term for a demonstration model? Discuss how the demonstration model assists the software development process.

Prototypes. Provides more understanding of the system.

What is business plan? Discuss the importance of writing business plan for a new product idea

.

Business plan – outlines the business planning

Discuss three problems that account for most systems failures that have plagued the SDLC

1. Poorly-specified system requirements.
2.Ineffective development technique.
3.Lack of user involvement.

What is PERT CHART? Provide a sample of PERT CHART and explain its components.

Define prototyping and explain its objective.

Prototyping is a technique for providing users a preliminary working version of the system. The proto-
type is built quickly and inexpensively with the intention that it will be modified. The objective of this
technique is for the prototype to represent ‘‘an unambiguous functional specification, serve as a vehicle
for organizing and learning, and evolve ultimately into a fully implemented’’ system.

Discuss the typical participants in systems developments

- The participants in systems development can be classified into three broad groups: systems professionals, end users, and stakeholders.

Describe the stages involved in SDLC

1) system strategy
2) project initiation
3) in-house system development
4) commercial packages
5) Maintenance and support

What is System Development Life Cycle?

Stages that organization go through in order to develop an information system.

Explain the Packet Switching concept.

- messages are divided into small packets for transmission. Individual packets of the same message may take different routes to their destinations. Each packet contains address and sequencing codes so they can be reassembled into the original complete message at the receiving end.

Discuss the three factors that contribute to the growth of Internet

- national commercial telecommunications companies took control of the backbone elements of the Internet and have continued to enhance their infrastructures.
- online services enables users of different services to communicate with each other.
- the development of graphics-based Web browsers, such as Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, has made accessing the Internet a simple task.

Define E-Commerce

Commerce activities taking place in electronic medium.

“An ERP is more than simply an elaborate transaction processing system.” Elaborate this statement.

It is a decision support tool that supplies management with real-time information and permits timely decisions that are needed to improve performance and achieve competitive advantage. Online analytical processing (OLAP) includes decision support, modeling, information retrieval, ad hoc reporting/analysis, and what-if analysis. Some ERPs support these functions with their own industry-specific modules that can be added to the core system. Other ERP vendors have designed their systems to accept and communicate with specialized bolt-on packages
that third-party vendors produce. Sometimes the user organization’s decision support requirements are so unique that they need to integrate in-house legacy systems into the ERP.

Explain Closed Database Architecture. Provide diagram to support your explanation.

What is ERP?

- ERP systems are multiple module software packages that evolved primarily from traditional manufacturing resource planning (MRP II) systems. The Gartner Group coined the term ERP, which has become widely used in recent years. The objective of ERP is to integrate key processes of the organization such as order entry, manufacturing, procurement and accounts payable, payroll, and human resources. By doing so, a single computer system can serve the unique needs of each functional area.

Provide an example of Basic REA Model Diagram

Describe elements of an REA Model

-Resources
-Events
- Agents

What is REA Model? How does it differ from traditional accounting systems?

The REA model is an accounting framework for modeling an organization’s critical resources, events, and agents and the relationships between them. Unlike some traditional accounting systems, REA systems permit both accounting and non-accounting data to be identified, captured, and stored in a centralized database. From this repository, user views can be constructed that meet the needs of all users in the organization. REA models may be implemented within either relational or object-oriented database architectures.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Microsoft Office 2013

ADVANTAGES

Cloud Integration
When your files and data are saved in the cloud, they’re more secure than when simply stored on your hard drive. MS Office 2013 is completely integrated with SkyDrive, which means you’re able to access and perform actions on your files, regardless of where you’re located, as long as you have an Internet connection.
Read Mode
As a practical and valuable addition to the new version of MS Office, the new “read mode” will allow users to read documents in an easy-to-read environment. The only drawback is that you can’t make changes to the text while you’re in “read mode.”
Tablet-Friendly
MS Office 2013 is tablet-friendly, unlike the older versions of Office. Mobile users can use the suite on their tablet without any issues or inconveniences.
Simple Editing
In MS Office 2013, editing files is easier than ever before. In addition, you can now edit PDF files using Office, which wasn’t possible in the past.
Add Videos to Documents
In MS Office 2013, adding videos to your content is easy; it allows you to search for appropriate videos within the software application you’re using.

DISADVANTAGES

While there are many advantages and benefits, MS Office 2013 also has its fair share of disadvantages.
New User Interface
The new user interface is overly simplistic, and many people find the simplicity lacks bulk. However, the animated transitions seem to make up for the simplistic user interface, as they’re interesting and attractive.
Live Layout
You can add media and images to your documents with the “live layout” feature in Word 2013. However, many users have reported difficulty when adding pictures; apparently, the photos sometimes refuse to go where you want them to.

Describe some of the approaches of conducting Financial Feasibility of an investment.

NPV-
IRR -
Payback -

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Bing Search

Advantages of Bing:

More relevant and accurate search results
Search history in view
Cleaner appearance makes browsing easier
Show just results for ... option
Brief simple descriptions

Disadvantages of Bing:

Fancy background images slow loading
Does not have scientific notation function of Google
Not different enough for consumers to warrant a change
Does not display broadly related topics

Discuss the weaknesses of Xbox 360

1. Design flaws
2. Small target market

The Xbox's biggest weakness is its flawed design. There are many problems associated with this product therefore there are many risks a potential customer considers before purchasing a Xbox360. Some of the most common problems are the red ring of death, loss of video/audio input or inability to read optical media after installing an update, scratching CDs, and the inability to read CDs.

These problems were the reason Microsoft extended the warranty on the Xbox360. This entailed a $1.15 billion bailout (Acheson-Gray, 2007) to compensate consumers experiencing these flaws. Microsoft inevitably lost more money repairing these problems then it would have if they had put forth a proper initial design.

Relative to the competition the Xbox360 has the smallest target market demographic. The Xbox360 is seen as a console for “hardcore” gamers when compared to the Wii. Most of the games for the Xbox360 are rated Teen or Mature unlike the Wii where most are rated E10+ and under (McCann, 2009). Therefore we are losing potential customers to other gaming consoles because we simply don't market to them. The Wii was the first gaming system targeted not just young male gamers but to families and people of all ages(McCann, 2009).

Briefly explain Windows, Android and iOS

Windows – OS to run a PC.
Android – OS to run a mobile device owned by Google.
iOS – OS to run Apple’s iPhone and iPad.