mckeen ch13
DESCRIPTION
IT strategy mckeen test bankTRANSCRIPT
IT Strategy in Action, 1e (McKeen/Smith)
IT Strategy in Action (McKeen/Smith)
Chapter 13
Digital Dashboards
1)
Strategic plans articulate a comprehensive framework for corporate goals that could be cascaded down the hierarchy via sub-goals as well as aggregated and rolled back up into corporate goals.
Answer:
FALSE
Page Ref: 174
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
2)
Executive information systems allow information to be tailored to managers needs and pulled from discrete systems, providing "drill down" capability into details as needed.
Answer:
FALSE
Page Ref: 174
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
3)
The concept of executive information systems is that there are a limited number of factors that must be monitored by managers on a continuous basis in order to stay in control.
Answer:
FALSE
Page Ref: 174
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
4)
The promise of balanced scorecards is no less than the delivery of a robust, integrated system of accountability and performance.
Answer:
FALSE
Page Ref: 174
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
5)
Digital dashboard usage is definitely increasing, and is primarily focused on operationaland/or financial data.
Answer:
TRUE
Page Ref: 176
Skill:
Easy
AACSB:
Use of IT
6)
The most popular category of dashboard usage is strategy based.
Answer:
FALSE
Page Ref: 177
Skill:
Easy
AACSB:
Use of IT
7)
Everything displayed in a digital dashboard relates to outcomes.
Answer:
TRUE
Page Ref: 177
Skill:
Easy
AACSB:
Use of IT
8)
Score keeping is not an example of the management information use of an executive support systems.
Answer:
FALSE
Page Ref: 177
Skill:
Hard
AACSB:
Use of IT
9)
Problem solving is typically a standardized process that evolves over long periods of time in an organization.
Answer:
FALSE
Page Ref: 177
Skill:
Hard
AACSB:
Use of IT
10)
Score keeping represents information-collecting activity to justify past decision making, rather than to guide future decision making.
Answer:
FALSE
Page Ref: 178
Skill:
Hard
AACSB:
Use of IT
11)
Opportunity-based and project-based dashboards predominantly represent score keeping and problem-identification applications and offer little capability for problem solving and analysis.
Answer:
FALSE
Page Ref: 178
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
12)
The strategy-based dashboard works to focus organizational attention and facilitate learning and offering problem-solving activity.
Answer:
FALSE
Page Ref: 178
Skill:
Hard
AACSB:
Use of IT
13)
The decision as to what is most important to monitor via a digital dashboard is a decision about where organizational attention will be focused.
Answer:
TRUE
Page Ref: 178
Skill:
Hard
AACSB:
Use of IT
14)
Designing and developing digital dashboards is solely the responsibility of IT.
Answer:
FALSE
Page Ref: 178
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
15)
While dashboards are most effective when managers are allowed to personalize them, it is not very important to set limits on how much personalization to allow.
Answer:
FALSE
Page Ref: 179
Skill:
Hard
AACSB:
Use of IT
16)
A digital dashboard as an electronic interface that provides employees with timely, personalized information to enable them to monitor and analyze the performance of the organization.
Answer:
TRUE
Page Ref: 175
Skill:
Easy
AACSB:
Use of IT
17)
Data mining systems are much more focused on the provision of information and less focused on supporting the analysis of the information provided.
Answer:
FALSE
Page Ref: 175
Skill:
Hard
AACSB:
Use of IT
18)
Digital dashboards have much broader application within organizations than executive information systems.
Answer:
TRUE
Page Ref: 175
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
19)
Digital dashboards offer real-time or near-real-time access to data and are automated to the point of requiring little or no manual intervention to process and summarize information.
Answer:
TRUE
Page Ref: 176
Skill:
Easy
AACSB:
Use of IT
20)
A company begins to become a performance-accountable organization when management commits to increasing each person's knowledge and understanding of what drives organizational performance.
Answer:
TRUE
Page Ref: 176
Skill:
Easy
AACSB:
Reflective Thinking
21)
________ articulate a comprehensive framework for corporate goals that could be cascaded down the hierarchy via sub-goals as well as aggregated and rolled back up into corporate goals.
A)
Strategic plans
B)
Balanced scorecards
C)
Executive information systems
D)
Data mining systems
Answer:
B
Page Ref: 174
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
22)
________ allow information to be tailored to managers needs and pulled from discrete systems, providing "drill down" capability into details as needed.
A)
Strategic plans
B)
Balanced scorecards
C)
Executive information systems
D)
Data mining systems
Answer:
B
Page Ref: 174
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
23)
The concept of ________ is that there are a limited number of factors that must be monitored by managers on a continuous basis in order to stay in control.
A)
Strategic plans
B)
Balanced scorecards
C)
Executive information systems
D)
Data mining systems
E)
Critical success factors
Answer:
E
Page Ref: 174
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
24)
The promise of ________ is no less than the delivery of a robust, integrated system of accountability and performance.
A)
Strategic plans
B)
Balanced scorecards
C)
Executive information systems
D)
Digital dashboards
Answer:
D
Page Ref: 174
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
25)
A ________ as an electronic interface that provides employees with timely, personalized information to enable them to monitor and analyze the performance of the organization.
A)
digital dashboard
B)
executive information system
C)
data mining system
D)
a web portal
Answer:
A
Page Ref: 175
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
26)
________ are much more focused on the provision of information and less focused on supporting the analysis of the information provided.
A)
Digital dashboards
B)
Executive information systems
C)
Data mining systems
D)
Web portals
Answer:
A
Page Ref: 175
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
27)
The most popular category of dashboard usage is:
A)
performance based.
B)
project based.
C)
opportunity based.
D)
strategy based.
E)
None of the above
Answer:
A
Page Ref: 177
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
28)
The type of dashboard that displays a basic mix of financial and non-financial results is called:
A)
performance based.
B)
project based.
C)
opportunity based.
D)
strategy based.
E)
None of the above
Answer:
A
Page Ref: 177
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
29)
The type of dashboard that displays information related to status reporting where the only comparative data is actual to budget on specific projects or activities is called:
A)
performance based.
B)
project based.
C)
opportunity based.
D)
strategy based.
E)
None of the above
Answer:
B
Page Ref: 177
Skill:
Easy
AACSB:
Use of IT
30)
Which of the following IS NOT an example of the management information uses of executive support systems?
A)
Score keeping
B)
Problem solving
C)
Focusing organizational attention and learning
D)
Legitimizing decisions
E)
None of the above
Answer:
E
Page Ref: 177
Skill:
Hard
AACSB:
Use of IT
31)
Which type of digital dashboard predominantly represents problem-identification applications and offers little capability for problem solving and analysis?
A)
performance based.
B)
project based.
C)
opportunity based.
D)
strategy based.
E)
Both A and B
Answer:
E
Page Ref: 178
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
32)
The issues with respect to digital dashboard design and development primarily relate to:
A)
content and delivery.
B)
project and content.
C)
delivery and strategy.
D)
strategy and delivery.
E)
project and strategy.
Answer:
A
Page Ref: 178
Skill:
Hard
AACSB:
Use of IT
33)
Which of the following are some ways that that executive support systems can create business value?
A)
Enhancing the way executives think about the business.
B)
Providing executives with better planning and control capabilities.
C)
Leveraging executives' time.
D)
Educating executives about the use and potential of IT.
E)
All of the above.
Answer:
E
Page Ref: 180
Skill:
Easy
AACSB:
Use of IT
34)
Requiring all digital dashboard analytic reporting to operate from the same set of facts is referred to as:
A)
data mining.
B)
database management.
C)
data definitions.
D)
single view of the truth.
E)
None of the above
Answer:
D
Page Ref: 180
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
35)
The type of thinking a manager engages in to think back in time to review and interpret past events and experiences while making a decision is called:
A)
Strategic
B)
Retrospective
C)
Introspective
D)
Prospective
E)
None of the above
Answer:
B
Page Ref: 181
Skill:
Hard
AACSB:
Reflective Thinking
36)
The type of thinking a manager engages in to think out into the future and envisioning the future state of the organizational environments while making a decision is called:
A)
Strategic
B)
Retrospective
C)
Introspective
D)
Prospective
E)
None of the above
Answer:
D
Page Ref: 181
Skill:
Hard
AACSB:
Reflective Thinking
37)
The type of thinking a manager engages in to reflect and examining one's own thoughts, beliefs, and assumptions while making a decision is called:
A)
Strategic
B)
Retrospective
C)
Introspective
D)
Prospective
E)
None of the above
Answer:
C
Page Ref: 181
Skill:
Hard
AACSB:
Reflective Thinking
38)
Digital dashboards provide managerial benefits to the extent that they can support:
A)
strategic thinking.
B)
one type of management thinking.
C)
two types of management thinking.
D)
three types of management thinking.
E)
all four types of management thinking.
Answer:
D
Page Ref: 181
Skill:
Hard
AACSB:
Reflective Thinking
39)
Organizations use a blend of leading indicators instead of lagging indicators to extract trends in support of more ________ management thinking.
A)
Strategic
B)
Retrospective
C)
Introspective
D)
Prospective
E)
None of the above
Answer:
D
Page Ref: 181
Skill:
Hard
AACSB:
Reflective Thinking
40)
Which of the following will doom a digital dashboard implementation to failure?
A)
Inappropriate metrics
B)
Unaligned goals
C)
Nonstandard data definitions
D)
Absence of senior management support
E)
All of the above
Answer:
E
Page Ref: 185
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
41)
What is a digital dashboard?
Answer:
A digital dashboard as an electronic interface (typically a portal) that provides employees with timely, personalized information to enable them to monitor and analyze the performance of the organization. There is an information component inherent within this definition, as well as a delivery component. Digital dashboards are not limited to executives and they are not necessarily interactive. Digital dashboards have much broader application within organizations than executive information systems. Digital dashboards are much more focused on the provision of information and less focused on supporting the analysis of the information provided.
Page Ref: 175
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
42)
What are the (4) benefits to an organization to develop digital dashboards?
Answer:
Alignment with strategy and accountabilities. Enhanced decision-making support and analysis. Improved integrity and timeliness of data. Operational efficiencies.
Page Ref: 182
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
43)
List and describe (3) strategies for successful deployment of digital dashboards.
Answer:
Any combination of the following:Make a good first impression. The power of dashboards relies significantly on the success of user adoption. It comes down to how rapidly a critical mass of users will adopt the dashboard interface to perform their daily activities which can depend heavily on the initial dashboardlaunch.
Metrics first . . . dashboards second. Organization need to be careful what is measured. Staff will make every effort to perform well against established measures, and sometimes this unexpectedly produces dysfunctional behavior. Dashboards are a means to an end.Use "decision-impelling" designs for dashboards. The majority of the information provided by a dashboard is essential for monitoring it's a firm's operation. Dashboards provide a tool for management to react to situations that present themselves, sometimes with very little warning.
Align dashboards with prevailing organizational culture. Dashboard deployment should adhere to whatever culture is in place or risk dysfunctional behavior. It is easy to underestimate the impact of resident norms and values.
Design dashboards for action, not analysis. Dashboards allow management to "get everyone on the same page" when making important management decisions. Dashboards should not be used on problem solving. Dashboards also need to be action oriented if they are to be effective.
Page Ref: 185
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
44)
Is there a difference between digital dashboards and electronic reporting? If so, what are the differences?
Answer:
Dashboards offer real-time or near-real-time access to data and are automated to the point of requiring little or no manual intervention to process and summarize information. Electronic reporting systems reports tend to be more standardized and institutionalized within the organization, offering much less capability for customization. Dashboards should offer all of the critical information required for the task at hand. Thus, reports tend to be more specific, without the expectation of being comprehensive.
Page Ref: 176
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
45)
List and describe (3) categories of digital dashboards.
Answer:
Performance based. These dashboards display a basic mix of financial and non-financial results broken out by year, actual versus target, sometimes earmarking performance against competition. Content might be product sales, cash flow, inventory management, sales growth, market trends, or repeat versus new business. Most offer drilldown capability and near-real-time if not real-time information. The implicit intent of this category of dashboard is to alert employees to either an impending or an existing problem requiring action.Project based. Information presented by these dashboards relates primarily to status reporting where the only comparative data is actual to budget on specific projects or activities. These reports might reflect completion of key tasks and/or milestone events, assignment and availability of resources, modifications to plan, revision of estimates and progress tracking, and implementation forecasts.
Opportunity-based. The dashboards guide employees toward new opportunities for enhancing the business.
Page Ref: 177
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
46)
List and describe (4) management information uses of executive support systems.
Answer:
Score keeping. Score keeping is typically a standardized process that evolves over long periods of time in an organization. It provides consistency among time periods so comparisons are easy to make.Problem solving. This consists of a sequence of steps, including recognizing the existence and nature of a problem, outlining alternative possible corrective actions, and deciding on the best action then implementing it.Focusing organizational attention and learning. This first aims to obtain agreement on what the targets of attention should be then provides a feedback loop to link attention, action, and outcome.Legitimizing decisions. Legitimizing decisions represents information-collecting activity to justify past decision making, rather than to guide future decision making
Page Ref: 178
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
47)
What are critical success factors?
Answer:
The concept of critical success factors is that there are a limited number of factors that must be monitored by managers on a continuous basis in order to stay in control. By extension, information systems focused on CSFs would guarantee the provision of mission-critical information. One can think of CSFs as an early warning system; when signals appear, managers need to act. The CSF methodology does not identify what action to take; it is simply a minimalist approach to information overload.
Page Ref: 174
Skill:
Easy
AACSB:
Analytic Skills
48)
What are (2) issues associated with digital dashboard design and development?
Answer:
The issues with respect to dashboard design and development primarily relate tocontent and delivery. While content issues focus on the information that is includedwithin the dashboard, delivery issues focus on how that information is presented.Logically, the two are separate; in practice, they are closely related.
Page Ref: 178
Skill:
Hard
AACSB:
Use of IT
49)
What are some of ways that executive support systems can create business value?
Answer:
Enhancing the way executives think about the business. Providing executives with better planning and control capabilities. Leveraging executives' time. Educating executives about the use and potential of IT.
Page Ref: 180
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Use of IT
50)
List and describe the (3) types of thinking that managers engage in while making a decision.
Answer:
A manager must engage in three types of thinking:Retrospective. Thinking back in time to review and interpret past events and experiences.Introspective. Reflecting and examining one's own thoughts, beliefs, and assumptions; looking into one's own mental models.Prospective. Thinking out into the future and envisioning the future state of the organizational environments.
Page Ref: 181
Skill:
Moderate
AACSB:
Reflective Thinking10Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall