Michael Porter, the Only Way

¶ … Michael Porter, the only way to sustain advantage through the Internet is via effective strategy.

What is an electronic tender? Where is it cropping up?

An electronic tender is where a manufacturer, service provider, or third party monitors or cares for computers and it. Electronic tenders are cropping up in business-to-customer relationships.

Explain loose, close, and tight relationships?

A loose relationship is one where there is little integration between the two businesses, with one party just providing information to the other. A close relationship is one where two business exchange information informally, with this involving some joint tasks. A tight relationship is one where two business share a process that is important to them, with the information shared often being confidential.

Question 2 a. What is a demand-pull value chain? Explain this concept by citing an example.

A demand-pull value chain is one where products and services are built to order. Dell is an example of this, where Dell customers configure their own computers, with the demands than passed to Dell's suppliers, and the customer's computer built on demand.

b. What is a strategic envelope? What is m-commerce?

A strategic envelope is a guideline to the desired outcome or the direction, but does not include fixed plans and strategies. M-commerce is short for mobile commerce, which refers to the process of conducting commerce from wireless devices.

c. Briefly describe the goal of linkage analysis planning and the three steps in it.

The goal of linkage analysis planning is to define a strategy for utilizing electronic channels effectively. The first step is to define the power relationships among players and stakeholders. The second step is to map out the extended enterprise and to include suppliers, buyers, and strategic partners. The third step is to plan electronic channels to deliver information.

Question 3 a. What is the difference between an architecture and an infrastructure

The it architecture is the blueprint, while the it infrastructure is the implementation of the acrhitecture.

b. What are four attributes of a distributed system?

The four attributes of a distributed system are:

Processing is distributed

Processors are interconnected

Databases are distributed

System-wide rules provide the operating discipline that allows the components to work together c. Name and briefly describe Porter's five competitive forces

The first of Porter's five forces is the threat of new entrants, which refers to how easy or difficult it is for new competitors to enter the market. The second is the bargaining power of buyers, which refers to how much power buyers have to make demands, including price demands. The third is the bargaining power of suppliers, which refers to how much power an organizations suppliers have. For example, if there is only one supplier of a certain item, than that supplier has a lot of power over the organizations who need that item. The fourth is substitute products and services, which refers to how many products are available that buyers can substitute for an organization's products. The fifth is the intensity of rivalry among competitors, which refers to how competitive other organizations in the industry are.

d. Describe the four types of applications in the e-business value matrix.

The four types of applications in the e-business value matrix are:

New fundamentals projects - projects that provide a new way of doing business, but not in business-critical areas.

Operational excellence projects - projects that provide faster access to information.

Rational experimentation projects - projects that test new technologies and ideas.

Breakthrough strategy projects - projects that have the potential to impact the entire company and possible the entire industry.

Question 4 a. What are server-based computing and peer-to-peer computing?

Server-based computing occurs when programs are stored on the Internet so that mobile employees can gain access regardless of their locations. Peer-to-peer computing occurs when a task is distributed over a large number of computers connected to the Internet.

b. Briefly describe the functions of hubs, switches, routers, and file servers hub connects several devices together. A switch determines the path data travels and prevents collisions. A router routes data between computers on a network. A file server is a computer on a network that contains software used by computers on the network.

c. Assume telephone quality uncompressed audio requires 70,000 bits/sec and a CD can store at most 700 MB (Megabytes). How many seconds of telephone-quality audio could be stored on a CD?

There are 8 million bits in a megabyte. If a CD can store 700 MB, this means it can store 5600 million bits. If a telephone quality uncompressed audio requires 70,000 bits/sec, a CD can store 80,000 seconds of audio. (5600 million bits divided by 70,000 bits/sec).

Question 5 a. Briefly describe each layer of the OSI Reference Model

Physical layer - physical and electrical characteristics

Data link layer - access strategy for sharing data

Network layer - communicating via the network

Transport layer - transfer of data between users

Session layer - manages connections between applications

Presentation layer - unpacking and packing of application data

Application layer - end-user and end-application protocols b. What is a data warehouse? Briefly discuss how a data warehouse can support integration?

A data warehouse stores transaction data and/or customer data, with this data used to make decisions. A data warehouse can support integration by providing information that can be used to link processes more effectively. For example, if the data warehouse shows customer transactions, and therefore shows the demands of customers, this can be used to allow more effective integration with suppliers.

c. What is metadata? Why is XML important?

Metadata defines the data in a data warehouse. XML is important because it is used to change data from a human-readable format to a computer-readable format. Without this ability, a data warehouse based on bulk data would not be possible.

d. What is a platform interorganizational system? Give three examples.

A platform is a system that allows organizations to communicate and share information. Three examples are virtual private networks, open networks, and electronic data interchange.

Question 6 a. What are the three phases of the content management life cycle, according to Tucker, and what are the goals of each one?

The first stage of the content management life cycle is content creation and acquisition. The goal of this stage is to create quality content. The second stage is content administration and safeguarding. The goal of this stage is define a system for administering and safeguarding content that is effective and efficient. The third stage is content deployment and presentation. The goals of this stage are to attract visitors, allow them to navigate easily, and lead them to the desired actions.

b. What are it outsourcing, transitional outsourcing, best-of-breed outsourcing, offshore outsourcing, shared services, business process outsourcing, and e-business outsourcing.

IT outsourcing means outsourcing the it function to a provider. Transitional outsourcing refers to helping a company move to a new it platform. Best-of-breed outsourcing refers to outsourcing individual it functions to the provider that is the best at that function. Offshore outsourcing refers to outsourcing to providers in other countries. Shared services refers to consolidating services into one center in-house. Business process outsourcing refers to outsourcing an entire process that has a large it component. E-business outsourcing refers to outsourcing the business component related to e-commerce.

Question 7 a. Describe the five pillars of information security.

The five pillars of information security are:

Authentification - verifying the authenticity of users

Identification - identifying users and granting them appropriate access

Privacy - protecting information from being seen

Integrity - keeping information in its original form

Nonrepudiation - preventing parties from denying actions they have taken b. Name 6 features and functions of 4 GLS and briefly explain each.

Features of 4 GLs:

ease of programming able to be used by nonprogrammers

Functions of 4 GLs:

spreadsheet languages database languages application generators report generators c. What are five steps in building a Web Service?

The five steps in building a web service are:

Exposing the code

Writing a service description

Publishing the service

Finding the service

Invoking a Web service d. What is a quick-hit DSS? Define three types quick-hit DSS is a computer-based system that allows decision makers to interact directly with data and analysis models. Three types include data mining, executive information systems, and expert systems.