1. Five major objective are :

· Operational excellence (example : walmart’s)

· New products, services, and business models, (Example : netflix and apple’s iPad)

· Customer and supplier intimacy :

• customer intimacy : good services will leads to customer’s returning, which raises revenues and profits.

• supplier intimacy : intimacy with suppliers allow them to provide vital inputs, which lowers costs.

· Improved decision making, verizon’s web-based digital dashboard to provide managers with real-time data on customer’s compliants, network performance, line outages, and so on.

· Competitive advantage, delivering better performance, e.g.: apple and walmart

· Survival, information technologies as necessity of business, e.g.: citybank’s introduction of ATMs

1. DSS = A decision support system (DSS) is a computer-based application that collects, organizes and analyzes business data to facilitate quality business decision-making for management, operations and planning. A well-designed DSS aids decision makers in compiling a variety of data from many sources: raw data, documents, personal knowledge from employees, management, executives and business models. DSS analysis helps companies to identify and solve problems, and make decisions.

MIS = Management information system, or MIS, broadly refers to a computer-based system that provides managers with the tools to organize, evaluate and efficiently manage departments within an organization. In order to provide past, present and prediction information, a management information system can include software that helps in decision making, data resources such as databases, the hardware resources of a system, decision support systems, people management and project management applications, and any computerized processes that enable the department to run efficiently.

1. 5 primary activities from the value chain model:
   a. inbound logistics: automated warehousing systems
   b. operations: computer-controlled machining systems
   c. sales and marketing: computerized ordering systems
   d. services: equipment maintenance systems
   e. outbound logistics: automated shipment scheduling systems

2. 5 steps in ethical analysis:
   a. identify and clearly describe the facts
   b. define the conflits or dilemmas and identify the higher-order values involved
   c. identify the stakeholders
   d. identify the options that you can reasonably take
   e. identify the potential consequences of your options

3. Storage Area Network (SAN) is a network which provides access to consolidated, block level data storage. SANs are primarily used to enhance storage devices, such as disk arrays, tape libraries, and optical jukeboxes, accessible to servers so that the devices appear to the operating system as locally attached devices. A SAN typically has its own network of storage devices that are generally not accessible through the local area network (LAN) by other devices. The cost and complexity of SANs dropped in the early 2000s to levels allowing wider adoption across both enterprise and small to medium-sized business environments.

4. A. A DBMS makes it possible for end users to create, read, update and delete data in a database. The DBMS essentially serves as an interface between the database and end users or application programs, ensuring that data is consistently organized and remains easily accessible.

B. A DBMS reduces data redundancy and inconsistency by minimizing isolated files in which the same data are repeated.The DBMS uncouples programs and data, enabling data to stand on their own. Access and availability of information will be increased and program development and maintenance costs reduced because users and programmers can perform ad hoc queries of data in the database. The DBMS enables the organization to centrally manage data, their use, and security.

1. • Convergence in networking and communication trends
     convergence in networking and communication trends is the efficient coexistence of telephone networks and computer networks converging into single digital network using internet standards.
2. • How CRM helps firms to achieve customers intimacy

Customer relationship management (CRM) systems integrate and automate customer-facing processes in sales, marketing, and customer service, providing an enterprise-wide view of customers. Companies can use this customer knowledge when they interact with customers to provide them with better service or to sell new products and services. These systems also identify profitable or nonprofitable customers or opportunities to reduce the churn rate.
The major customer relationship management software packages provide capabilities for both operational CRM and analytical CRM. They often include modules for managing relationships with selling partners (partner relationship management) and for employee relationship management.

MS LENNY QUESTION :

1. IT Organization Evolution

IT organization is the department in a company that is tasked and responsible with establishing, monitoring and mantaining information technology system and services. It also may tasked with strategic planning to ensure that all IT initiatives support the goal of business that company have. IT organizatonal structures vary and can be up down or spread out decentralized. In Large companies usually this department headed by a Chief Officer, smaller one may just IT director or Operations manager.

1. SOA

A service-oriented architecture is essentially a collection of services. These services communicate with each other. The communication can involve either simple data passing or it could involve two or more services coordinating some activity. Some means of connecting services to each other is needed.

Service-oriented architectures are not a new thing. The first service-oriented architecture for many people in the past was with the use DCOM or Object Request Brokers (ORBs) based on the CORBA specification.

1. KPI (Key Performance Indicators)

KPIs represent a set of measures focusing on those aspects of organisational performance that are the most critical for the current and future success of an organisation. There are only a few KPIs in an organisation (no more than ten), and they have certain characteristics.

1. BCP (Business Continuity Planning)

A business continuity plan (BCP) is a plan to help ensure that business processes can continue during a time of emergency or disaster. Such emergencies or disasters might include a fire or any other case where business is not able to occur under normal conditions. Businesses need to look at all such potential threats and devise BCPs to ensure continued operations should the threat become a reality.