UNIT -1: Information and Systems Concept Short Questions: 1. What is an Information Systems? 2. What is Information? Write the differences between data and information? 3. Define the term System. 4. List the roles of Information Systems in Business. 5. List the trends in Information Systems. 6. List categories of Information Systems. 7. Why is feedback so essential in an Information System model? 8. Which are the different components of an information system? 9. What is Management Information System? 10. Which are the different components of an MIS? 11. What is Online Transaction Processing? 12. What is Online Analytical Processing? 13. What is Decision Support System? 14. What is Expert System? 15. What is Knowledge Base? 16. What is Knowledge Based System? 17. What is Intelligent Information System? 18. What is Executive Information System? 19. What is Enterprise Resource Planning? 20. What do you understand by the Systems approach? 21. What is the importance of Systems Thinking? 22. State the definition of Information Systems development cycle. 23. What is prototyping? 24. List any four examples of Prototyping Developments. 25. State the focus of Organizational Feasibility. 26. What is feasibility study? 27. What does Economic feasibility consists of? 28. What is Technical Feasibility? 29. Define Operational Feasibility with its scope. 30. What is System Analysis? 31. List focused criteria of organizational analysis. 32. Give some examples of Functional Requirements. 33. What is a System Design? 34. Define the term Implementation Process. 35. What are the activities covered in Implementation process? 36. What do you understand by evaluation factor? 37. What is Request for proposal or quotation? Page 1
Long Questions: 1. In what major ways have Information Systems in business changed during the last 40 years? 2. What are Information System activities? Explain each with examples. 3. Explain Tangible and Intangible benefits of Information systems of an information system with examples. 4. What is system? List and define components/functions of a system. 5. What does Information Systems function represents? 6. What are the components of an Information System? 7. Explain the Information System framework for Business Professional. 8. Explain types of Information Systems. 9. Which are the 5 major resources depicted in the basic IS model? Explain the importance of each of these. 10. State the importance of organizational analysis. 11. What is Information System Development cycle? Explain each stage IS Development cycle. 12. What are Systems Specifications? Explain giving appropriate examples. 13. Why is good documentation so important? 14. Why has prototyping become a popular way to develop business applications? What are the advantages and disadvantages of prototyping? 15. Explain feasibility study with its types. 16. Refer to the Real World Case on self-service Web systems. What are your top three complaints about the self-service features of the websites you visit regularly? Defend the value of several solutions you propose to address your complaints. Review the Buyer Zone and OfficeMax and Priceline real world examples. What design changes should BuyerZone and OfficeMax make to correct the design flaws at their site and bring their website design up to Priceline s standard? Explain your reasoning. Fill in the blanks: 1. and are a vital component of successful businesses and management. 2. including information systems are playing a vital and expanding role in business. 3. IS were created to give top executives an easy way to get the critical information they want, when they want it, tailored to the formats they prefer. 4. involve the use of software tools to support communication, co-ordination, and collaboration among the members of networked teams and workgroups. 5. is the buying and selling, and marketing and servicing of products, services, and information over a variety of computer networks. 6. are important examples of operation support systems that record and process data resulting from business transactions. 7. In transactions are accumulated over a period of time and processed periodically. 8. In processing, data are processed immediately after a transaction occurs. 9. A system monitors and control physical processes. 10. A system enhances team and work group communications and productivity. 11. A provides information in the form of pre-specified reports and displays to support business decision making. Page 2
12. A provides interactive adhoc support for the decision making processes of managers and other business professionals. 13. is the rapid development and testing of working models. Multiple Choice Questions: 1. Knowledge based systems that provide expert advice and acts as expert consultants to users is: a) Enterprise Systems b) Expert Systems c) Electronic System 2. Knowledge based systems that support the creation, organization and dissemination of business knowledge within the enterprise are: a) Enterprise Systems b) Expert Systems c) Knowledge Management System 3. Systems that support operations or management processes and that provide a firm with strategic products, services and capabilities for competitive advantage. a. Enterprise Systems b. Expert Systems c. Knowledge Management System d. Strategic Information System 4. Systems that support a variety of operational and managerial applications of the basic business functions of a company. a. Enterprise Systems b. Functional business systems c. Knowledge Management System d. Strategic Information System 5. The new method of developing ways to use IT in business includes designing the basic components of IS is also known as a. Development b. Management c. Applications d. Technology 6. A set of interrelated components with a clearly defined boundary, working together to achieve a common set of objectives is a. Loop b. Graph c. System d. Business 7. involves capturing and assembling elements that enter the system to be processed. a. Input Page 3
b. Processing c. Output d. Feedback 8. involves transformation processes that convert input into output. a. Input b. Processing c. Output d. Feedback 9. involves transferring elements that have been produced by a transformation process to their ultimate destination. a. Input b. Processing c. Output d. Feedback 10. is data about the performance of a system. a. Input b. Processing c. Output d. Feedback 11. involves monitoring and evaluating feedback to determine whether a system is moving towards the achievement of its goal. a. Input b. Control c. Output d. Feedback 12. includes an operating system program, which controls and supports the operations of a computer program. a. Application software b. System software c. Procedures d. Data resources 13. a programs that direct processing for a particular use of computers by end users. a. Application software b. System software c. Procedures d. Data resources 14. are operating instructions for the people who will use an information system. a. Application software b. System software c. Procedures d. Data resources Page 4
15. may involve testing and debugging software, testing and website performance, and testing new hardware. a. System design b. System quality c. System testing d. System implementation 16. One of the most important implementation activities required when installing new software is a. Data documentation b. Data conversion c. Data warehousing d. Data mining True/False: 1. Using systems thinking to understand a problem or opportunity is one of the most important aspects of the systems approach. 2. How well the proposed system supports the business priorities of the organization is the scope of economic feasibility. 3. Operational feasibility includes hardware, software, and network capability, reliability and availability. 4. Tangible benefits can include improved information availability. 5. OLAP and data mining are examples of intangible benefits. 6. Improved customer service is a form of intangible benefits. 7. System analysis describes what a system should do to meet the information need of users. 8. Systems design specifies how the system will accomplish this objective. 9. Data dictionary formalize the design of an application s user interface methods and products, data structures etc. 10. Large companies frequently evaluate proposed hardware and software by requiring the processing of special benchmark test programs and test data. UNIT -2: Introduction to ERP Short Questions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. What is an enterprise? How do ERP systems help enterprises to function more efficiently? What is a business process? Write the difference between a business function and a business process? What are integrated information systems? What are Management Information Systems and why are they also called Information Reporting Systems? 7. Why are management information systems not suited for unstructured decision-making? 8. Write fundamental characteristics of information? 9. What is business modeling? Page 5
10. What is an integrated data model? 11. Define the term ERP? 12. How ERP differs from MRP II? 13. What do you mean by BOM? 14. What are the differences between MRP and closed-loop MRP? 15. Write misconceptions of an ERP. 16. Will the ERP systems make employees redundant and jobless? 17. Is ERP just for the managers and decision-makers? 18. Is ERP just for the manufacturing organizations? 19. What is the role of the ERP implementation team? 20. Will ERP slow down the organization's growth? 21. How will an ERP system improve customer satisfaction and goodwill? 22. Will the ERP system take care of all business functions and processes? 23. Will an ERP package suit all business processes of an organization? 24. How does ERP make the operation of the organization efficient and effective? 25. How does BPR help in streamlining the work process and achieving significant levels of improvement in quality, time management and cost? 26. What is the role of the IS function in a traditional organization? 27. How has ERP changed the IS function? 28. How does ERP help in reducing the IS workforce? 29. How do ERP vendors justify the cost of the ERP packages? 30. List tangible benefits of an ERP. 31. List intangible benefits of an ERP. 32. Why people issues are considered the most crucial factor for the success of the ERP implementation project? 33. What are the main technological risks of the ERP implementation? 34. What is the significance of software enhancements and upgrades in an ERP implementation? 35. What are the main implementation issues of the ERP project? 36. Why is there a high initial investment for ERP implementation? 37. How does organizational politics affect ERP implementation? 38. What are unexpected gaps and how do they affect the ERP implementation? 39. What are configuration difficulties and how do they affect the ERP implementation? 40. List benefits of the ERP systems. 41. What is on-time shipment and how does an ERP system help to ship goods on time? 42. What is cycle time? How ERP reduces the cycle time. 43. What is lead time? How ERP reduces the lead time. 44. How does an ERP system help in achieving improved supplier performance? Long Questions: 1. 2. 3. 4. Explain with the help of a neat sketch what an enterprise means. Explain the difference between the current and traditional approaches regarding enterprises. Explain with the help of an example how different departments have conflicting requirements. Describe with the help of a neat sketch, an organization where there is little or no communication between departments. 5. Explain with the help of a diagram an enterprise where all departments know what others are doing. 6. What are the limitations of the Management Information System? Page 6
7. What are the fundamental characteristics of information? Explain with examples. 8. Explain business modeling. 9. Explain the integrated data model and its relationship with the real world. 10. Explain with examples why it is important to have interdepartmental communication for the smooth and efficient functioning of an organization. 11. "Thinking in terms of business processes helps managers to look at their organizations from a customer's perspective". Explain with an example. 12. Explain management information systems and their limitations with examples. Also explain why the scenario where each department has its own information gathering system and information system is not efficient or good for the organization. 13. Explain the need of integrated management of information with examples. 14. Explain the role of the enterprise in the ERP implementation project. 15. Explain the duties and responsibilities of the various groups management, employees, vendors, consultants in the ERP implementation. 16. Explain integrated data model, how it is created, how it is used, and its advantages using a diagram. 17. Are ERP systems expensive? If yes, then what are the advantages in implementing them? 18. What do you mean by MRP? Explain 19. What is closed-loop MRP? 20. Explain what you mean by MRP II. 21. Explain evolution of ERP. 22. Explain the reasons of growth of ERP market. 23. How do ERP systems achieve business integration? 24. How do conventional application packages and ERP packages differ? 25. List the common myths about the ERP system and demystify them. 26. Explain advantages of ERP? 27. Explain the roadmap to a successful ERP implementation. 28. Why is it said that ERP affects almost all organizations? 29. How does ERP force the competition to change? 30. Explain how ERP forces business partners to become more competitive. 31. Why ERP is called the most important tool for Business Process Reengineering? 32. What are the seven principles of reengineering suggested by Hammer and Champy? 33. How does ERP enforce best practice business processes in organizations? 34. ERP utilizes the true potential of client-server computing to deliver an enterprise product. Explain 35. How has ERP changed the nature of the IS function and job profile of IT professionals? 36. How has ERP changed the nature of jobs in all functional business areas? 37. How does ERP help organizations in creating value? 38. How does ERP help in enabling organizational standardization? 39. How does ERP eliminate information asymmetries? 40. ERP systems provide on-line and real-time information. Explain 41. ERP systems allow simultaneous access to the same data for planning and control. Illustrate. 42. How ERP facilitates intra-organization communication? 43. How does ERP enable inter-organization collaboration? 44. Will ERP fit the ways a company does business? 45. Explain the different quantifiable benefits from an ERP system. 46. What are the intangible benefits of an ERP system? Discuss. Page 7
47. How do ERP systems help in reducing production time and getting products to market more quickly and efficiently? 48. What are the risks of ERP implementation? 49. How do you minimize the risk of ERP implementation? 50. Discuss the process risks of ERP implementation. 51. Discuss the technological risks of ERP implementation. 52. Discuss the operation and maintenance issues of ERP implementation. 53. Explain how risks are managed and mitigated during an ERP implementation. Fill in the blanks: 1. is the group of people with a common goal, which has certain resources at its disposal to achieve this goal. 2. In the, the organization is divided into different units based on the functions they perform. 3. In the way the entire organization is considered as a system and all the departments are its sub-systems. 4. In the, information about all the aspects of the organization is stored centrally and is available to all departments. 5. The help to make this task by integrating the information systems, enabling smooth and seamless flow of information across departmental barriers, automating business process and functions and thus helping the organization to work and move forward as a single entity. 6. A is a collection of activities that takes one or more kinds of input and creates an output that is of value to the customer. 7. Information systems can be designed so that accurate and timely data are shared between functional areas and these systems are called. 8. An/A is an organized combination of people, hardware, software, communications networks and data resources that collects, collates, transforms and disseminates in an organization. 9. were the original type of management support systems. 10. are useful only for structured type of decision-making. 11. The most important and critical activity the company management has to do for making the ERP implementation a success is to designate the to lead the project. 12. is one of the first activities in any ERP project. 13. The business model is usually represented in the graphical form using and. 14. The company uses the integrated data for its and. 15. ERP is an abbreviation for. 16. The most crucial factor in the successful implementation of an ERP system is. 17. provide high-quality, timely and relevant information. 18. MRP stands for. 19. MRP II stands for. 20. BOM is the abbreviation of. 21. MPS stands for. 22. MRP uses the to find out what products are going to-be made. 23. MRP gets the details of the materials required to make the products from. Page 8
24. is the step of negotiation between the company requirements and the functions a package possesses. 25. is a set of tools and processes that integrates departments and functions across a company into one computer system. 26. is a solution that uses new business computing paradigms to integrate IT processes across the company's divisions and departments. 27. SMB stands for. 28. forces the competitors to change their business strategies and processes. 29. BPR stands for. 30. deliver measurable, sustainable benefits over time and improve business performance. 31. CRM stands for. 32. EAM stands for. 33. PLM stands for. 34. SCM stands for. 35. SRM stands for. 36. SOA stands for. 37. ROI stands for. 38. are notoriously resource intensive, highly complex, time-consuming and unpredictable in cost. 39. are the most crucial factor that decides the success or failure of an ERP system. 40. The external people involved in an ERP implementation are and. 41. is the most misjudged activity of the implementation life cycle. 42. are experts in the implementation of the ERP package. 43. BPR stands for. 44. Training and employee resistance are issues of ERP implementation. 45. BPR and stage transition are risks of ERP implementation. 46. Technological obsolescence and application portfolio management are risks of ERP implementation. 47. EDT stands for. 48. EFT stands for. 49. is a potential failure point. 50. The elapsed time between placing an order and receiving it is known as the. 51. ECC stands for. 52. ECO stands for. 53. is the time between placement of the order and delivery of the product. 54. CAD stands for. 55. CAM stands for. 56. means meeting or exceeding customers' requirements for a product or service. 57. CTO stands for. 58. ETO stands for. 59. ASQC stands for. 60. Internal failure cost, external failure costs, appraisal costs and prevention costs are the typology of quality-related costs developed by. 61. The costs include cost of inspecting upon arrival, during manufacture, in laboratory tests and by outside inspectors. Page 9
62. The three fundamental characteristics of information are, and. Multiple Choice Questions: 1. Which of the following is part of the enterprise? a) People b) Common goal c) Resources 2. What are the different components of a business functional area? a) Business functions b) Business activities c) Business rules 3. What are the elements of an information system? a) People, procedures and data b) Data, information and knowledge c) Hardware, software and information processing 4. What are the characteristics of information? a) Accuracy b) Relevancy c) Timeliness 5. Which of the following people are involved in the implementation of the ERP system? a) Management b) Employees c) Vendors and consultants 6. Which of the following is the expansion of ERP? a) Enterprise resource planning b) Emergency response planning c) Executive response procedure 7. Which of the following is the predecessor of ERP? a) MRP b) Closed-loop ERP c) MRP II 8. Which of the following is a misconception about ERP systems? a) ERP means more work and procedures b) ERP will make people redundant and jobless Page 10
c) One ERP system will be suited for all organizations 9. Which of the following is true in the case of ERP systems? a) ERP is for decision-makers only b) ERP is just for manufacturing organizations c) ERP is the sole responsibility of the management d) A properly implemented ERP system makes the organization more efficient 10. Which document does MRP use to find out what products are going to-be made? a) Bill of material b) Requirements definition document c) Master production schedule 11. Which of the following is an advantage of ERP? a) Business integration b) Better analysis and planning capabilities c) Use of latest technology and flexibility 12. Which of the following things should be done by an organization to become competitive? a) Deliver high-quality products on time b) Deliver high-quality products as quickly as possible c) Deliver high-quality products at the best possible price 13. Which of the following is not true in the case of an ERP system? a) It forces the competition to change their strategies and processes b) It influences business partners to become more competitive c) It improves the profits of the consulting organizations 14. Which of the following is a best practice business process attribute? a) Support organization's unique environment and requirements b) Automate the streamlined new processes c) Distill lengthy, complex, multi-step processes into the fewest number of steps 15. SAP Best Practices empower your company with: a) A proven methodology that leverages a prototype approach to implementation b) Thoroughly documented scenarios from both a business and a technical perspective c) Proven pre-configurations of SAP solutions 16. Which of the following is not true in the case of ERP systems? a) They allow increased control b) They open up access to information to those who need it c) Information becomes available across the organization Page 11
d) They create more work and hence increases the IS workforce 17. Which of the following is a reason for getting the full benefits of an ERP system? a) Partially or poorly implemented ERP system b) Improper use of the system c) Inefficient maintenance of the system 18. Which of the following is not an intangible benefit of the ERP system? a) New business opportunities b) Improved customer goodwill c) Reduction in inventory costs d) Better relationships with business partners e) All of the above 19. Which of the following is a quantifiable benefit of ERP systems? a) Reduced inventory and inventory carrying costs b) Reduced manpower costs c) Improved sales and customer service 20. Which of the following is a decision support tool? a) Spreadsheets b) Statistical packages c) Data managers 21. Who are the people involved in the ERP implementation? a) Vendors and consultants b) Management c) Employees 22. Which of the following is a people issue of ERP project implementation? a) Change management b) Training c) Employee Resistance 23. Which of the following is a process issue of ERP project implementation? a) Employee re-location b) Employee re-training c) Employee turnover 24. Which of the following is a people issue of ERP project implementation? a) Program management b) BPR c) Stage transition and benefit realization Page 12
25. Which of the following is a technology issue of ERP project implementation? a) Software functionality b) Technological obsolescence c) Application portfolio management 26. Which of the following is an implementation issue of ERP project? a) Project size b) Lengthy implementation time c) High initial investment 27. Which is not a manufacturing method? a) Made-to-order b) Made-to-stock c) Made-to-forecast d) Engineer-to-order 28. Which of the following is a benefit ERP systems? a) Reduction in inventory costs b) Improved customer satisfaction c) Reduction in cycle time True/False: 1. The sidewalk espresso cart is an example of an enterprise. 2. The enterprise acts as a single entity. 3. In the modern approach, the various departments are compartmentalized and have their own goals and objectives, which from their point of view is in line with the organization's objectives. 4. Unless all the departments know what the others are doing and for what purpose, interdepartmental conflicts will arise thus disrupting the normal functioning of the organization. 5. The transparency and information access in an enterprise does not ensure that the departments will no longer be working in isolation pursuing their own independent goals. 6. Business managers are now trying to view their business operations from the perspective of a satisfied customer. 7. Sharing data effectively and efficiently between and within functional areas leads to more efficient business processes. 8. Management information systems are also called information reporting systems. 9. The ERP implementation project is an enterprise in its own right. 10. ERP systems should not mirror the business processes. 11. ERP packages are integrated software packages that help in the effective use of management resources to improve the efficiency of enterprise management. 12. Originally, ERP packages were targeted at the service industry. Page 13
13. ERP software is a mirror image of the major business processes of an organization. 14. ERP means more work and procedures 15. ERP tools automate many of the repetitive, monotonous and tedious procedures, tasks and processes, thus making the life of employees a lot easier. 16. ERP systems will make people redundant. 17. The hostility towards ERP can be eliminated if users are properly educated and made aware of the benefits of the ERP system. 18. ERP slows down the organization's growth. 19. Today the ERP system is completely and seamlessly integrated with the supply chain tools and techniques right from customer relationship management and supply chain management to logistics management. 20. ERP tools are no substitute for human intelligence and decision-making. 21. ERP tools are not very expensive. 22. The fundamentals of ERP are not the same as that of MRP II. 23. ERP system is capable of integrating with other tools like customer relationship management and supply chain management, thereby supporting businesses across company boundaries. 24. The most important step of ERP implementation steps is the phase called gap analysis. 25. ERP is an enterprise reengineering solution. 26. ERP does not offer a means of effectively increasing and managing the required resources. 27. Organizations that do not have an efficient ERP system will find it very difficult in this brutally competitive business environment. 28. ERP is called the electronic embodiment of reengineering. 29. Historically and traditionally, ERP was exclusive to the service industry. 30. Legacy information systems have been functionally based and not integrated across multiple locations or functional areas. 31. ERP facilitates value creation by changing the basic nature of organizations. 32. Some examples of quantifiable benefits of ERP systems are new business opportunities, improved customer satisfaction and customer goodwill, better relationships with partners, etc. 33. The quantifiable benefits of ERP have a bottom-line impact on profitability and asset turnover and a potential effect on stock value. 34. Even the simplest effort probably has only a 90 percent chance of success. 35. The ERP implementation team members should be people who have initiative, dedication, enthusiasm, team skills and excellent communication skills. 36. Employee turnover during the transition phase will not affect the ERP implementation. 37. If the ERP implementation does not have the full backing of the top management it will definitely fail. 38. The ERP system introduces hundreds of new business processes and will eliminate a lot of existing processes. 39. Stage transition is the process of finding out who is responsible after we go-live. 40. The typical IT organization expends as much as 80% of its human and capital resources. 41. The cycle time and cost of production are high for made-to-stock items. Page 14
42. ERP systems help in reducing cycle times. 43. Costs of scrap, re-work, re-inspection and low production yields for non-conforming items that are detected before they leave the company are external failure costs. 44. Design and development of new quality equipment, evaluation costs of a new product or service, training of quality personnel are prevention costs. 45. Cost of inspecting upon arrival, during manufacture, in laboratory tests and by outside inspectors are quality appraisal costs. UNIT -3: Business Process Re-engineering Short Questions: 1. Write full form of BPR. 2. Write full form of TQM. 3. List some common features of BPR and TQM. 4. What is BPR? 5. List basic characteristics of BPR. 6. List different objectives of implementing BPR. 7. List myths of BPR. 8. List the enterprise redesign principles. 9. What is clean-slate re-engineering? 10. What is technology-enabled re-engineering? 11. List various financial benefits when IT is coupled with BPR. 12. What is the disadvantage of technology-enabled re-engineering? 13. List the phases of BPR implementation. 14. List various BPR success and risk factors as per Al-Mashari and Zairi. Long Questions: 1. Define BPR. Explain basic characteristics of BPR. 2. Explain basic myths of BPR. 3. Identify various business process redesign principles adopted to enable re-engineering in an organization. 4. List and explain enterprise redesign principles. 5. Write differences between BPR and TQM. 6. How is BPR different from TQM? Identify the level of change, investment and risk factors involved in a re-engineering effort. 7. Explain different approaches in BPR implementation. 8. Explain various financial benefits when IT is coupled with BPR. 9. Explain advantages of using clean-slate re-engineering approach. 10. Explain disadvantages of using clean-slate re-engineering approach. 11. Discuss advantages of technology-enabled re-engineering approach. 12. Differentiate between the technology-enabled and clean-slate re-engineering approaches. Page 15
13. List the phases of BPR implementation and explain any one of them in detail. 14. Explain Plan BPR implementation phase of BPR implementation. 15. Explain Identify Opportunities for BPR in existing processes phase of BPR implementation. 16. Explain Develop a blueprint of the existing processes phase of BPR implementation. 17. Explain Implementation phase of BPR implementation. 18. Discuss the factors affecting the success/failure of BPR. 19. Explain how BPR affects in change management in an organization. 20. Write note on: Effect of BPR in implementation of ERP. Fill in the blanks: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. BPR stands for TQM stands for and are two approaches to implement re-engineering. Successful BPR implementation yields enormous reduction in and. BPR makes enterprise more and to changes in the market. Process innovation is also known as. Multiple Choice Questions: 1. Which of following statements is incorrect in reference to BPR? a) Clean-slate thinking process b) Software re-engineering c) Process innovation 2. Which of following is true in reference to BPR? a) TQM b) Software re-engineering c) Process innovation 3. Which of following are elements of business re-engineering? a) Business processes b) Integration c) Technology 4. Which of following is a valid BPR strategy? a) Different databases for different applications b) Sequential development cycle c) Capturing information at source 5. Which of following is an invalid BPR strategy? a) Organize around outcomes, not tasks b) Sequential development cycle c) Capturing information at source Page 16
6. 7. 8. 9. Which of following are valid BPR objectives? a) Downsizing b) Software re-engineering c) Process improvement d) Process innovation What is the starting point for BPR process? a) Based on existing process b) Clean slate c) None of the above d) Both (a) and (b) What is the level of risk involved in a BPR exercise as compared to TQM? a) Same b) Higher c) Lower What is the investment in BPR as compared to TQM implementation? a) Low initially, high to sustain b) High initially, less later c) Always high True/False: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. BPR stands for Business Procedure Re-engineering. TQM stands for Time Quality Management. High level of risk involved in a BPR exercise as compared to TQM. Clean slate is the starting point for BPR process. Same level of risk involved in a BPR exercise as compared to TQM. BPR is also called as a process innovation. TQM is also called as a process innovation. Clean-slate is thinking process with reference to BPR. UNIT -4: ERP Implementation, In Action and Support Short Questions: 1. What are the benefits that motivate organizations in implementing ERP systems? 2. How are the reasons for going in for ERP systems grouped? 3. Organizations have used a number of technology rationales to justify the choice of an ERP system. Why is the choice of these rationales important? 4. What are the various challenges to successful ERP implementations? 5. What do you mean by software-business process incompatibility and why is it important for the success of an ERP implementation? Page 17
6. Why is communication important and how will poor communication affect the progress of an ERP implementation? 7. Why is top management support important for the success of an ERP implementation? 8. What are the popular misconceptions about ERP systems? 9. How is resistance of change dealt with? 10. What are the resources that are usually inadequate during an ERP implementation? 11. How does lack of organizational readiness hinder the ERP implementation? 12. Why is a long payback period an ERP implementation challenge? 13. What are data quality costs? 14. What are the hidden costs of ERP implementation? 15. How do ERP systems deliver dramatic productivity improvements and cost reductions? 16. What are the two basic characteristics of ERP implementation projects? 17. What are the objectives of ERP implementation? 18. What should one do in order to get the maximum benefit out of the ERP implementation? 19. What are the different phases of the ERP implementation life cycle? 20. What is the main objective of the pre-evaluation screening process? 21. Why is it better to limit the number of packages that are evaluated to less than 5? 22. Why is package evaluation said to-be a 'do it right the first time' proposition without any room for error? 23. What is the main objective of the package evaluation process? 24. Why is it said that there is no perfect package and the objective of the package selection process should be to find one that could be customized to obtain a 'good fit'? 25. Why is it important to develop selection criteria for package evaluation? 26. What are the most common reasons for ERP implementation failures? 27. Why ERP teams are formed and why is it a critical ERP implementation success factor? 28. Why is it that the suggestions of vendors and consultants on team composition can be wrong? 29. Why is it important to train users in the new ERP package as well as the new business processes? 30. How should the organization of the ERP team be done? 31. Why is it important to ensure complete knowledge transfer from vendors and consultants to the employees? 32. What are the issues that need to be addressed before the ERP system implementation? 33. What is the most critical factor that decides the success of any ERP system implementation? 34. Who are the people involved in the implementation of the ERP system? 35. What are the skills required by ERP team members in addition to the technical skills? 36. Who heads the executive committee? 37. Who heads the project management team and what is its composition? 38. What is the difference between the roles of management consultants and application consultants? 39. What is the responsibility of technical consultants? 40. What are the responsibilities of the package vendors? 41. Who within the company should participate in the project? 42. How does normal work of the organization happen during the ERP implementation? 43. Why is it necessary to have an owner or sponsor for the project? 44. What kind of training should be given to the managers and operational staff? 45. What is the nature of participation of various members of the organization in the ERP implementation? 46. What changes will happen in the organization once the ERP system is implemented? Page 18
47. What are the responsibilities of the CEO or project sponsor? 48. Briefly explain the role of external consultants in the ERP implementation. 49. What are the duties of the work team leaders? 50. What are technical and administrative support teams? 51. Why is it said that ERP implementation is just the beginning? 52. What are the things the organization has to do in order to remain competitive? 53. Is the position of the executive sponsor a temporary one? If yes, who will ensure that the system and the business evolve hand-in-hand? 54. Why is continuous training required in the operation and maintenance phase? 55. What do you mean by an escalation mechanism? 56. What is the difference between the O&M phase of the ERP systems and other software systems? 57. What do you mean by product documentation? 58. What are the problems with an outdated or corrupted ERP database? 59. How is the real value of the ERP system realized during the O&M phase? 60. What happens during the ERP maintenance phase? Long Questions: 1. How do ERP systems simplify business processes? 2. Explain how the ERP systems enhance productivity, flexibility and customer responsiveness? 3. What are compliance and control and how does an ERP system help organizations in achieving them? 4. How do ERP systems improve the efficiency of organizations? 5. ERP systems enable new business and growth strategies. Explain. 6. How do ERP systems improve the agility of organizations? 7. Explain how ERP systems reduce costs and eliminate inefficiencies. 8. What is continuous improvement and how do ERP systems help? 9. How do ERP systems help in expanding the knowledge of key business data? 10. How do ERP systems help in extending your business to use the Internet? 11. What are the technology motivations for an ERP system? 12. What are the operational motivations for an ERP system? 13. Explain how inadequate definition of requirements affects the ERP implementation. 14. Why is resistance to change or lack of buy-in an ERP implementation challenge? 15. How do inadequate resources affect the success of an ERP implementation? 16. Why is inadequate training and education considered as a critical success factor of ERP implementation? 17. How do unrealistic expectations of benefits and ROT affect the ERP implementation? 18. How can the miscalculation of time and effort affect the success of an ERP implementation? 19. How do poor project design and management affect the success of an ERP implementation? 20. Why is it said that poor ERP package selection is a disaster? 21. How can creating champions help in dealing with employee resistance? 22. Explain the implementation success rate with the help of a graph. 23. Explain the implementation facts and figures with the help of a graph. 24. What are the customization challenges of ERP implementation? 25. What are the four basic choices to customization? 26. How do improper use and operation cause ERP systems to fail? Page 19
27. Why are almost all organizations turning to some ERP package? 28. What are the technological, strategic, operational and business reasons for implementing ERP? Explain. 29. Explain the challenges faced before, during and after an ERP implementation. 30. What do you mean by the speed of an ERP implementation project? 31. What is the scope of an ERP project? 32. What are the resources of an ERP implementation project? 33. What are the risks of an ERP implementation project? 34. What do you mean by the complexity of an ERP implementation? 35. What are the benefits of an ERP implementation? 36. What do you mean by pre-evaluation screening and what are the activities done in this phase? 37. Why are package evaluation and selection important and what are the major tasks to-be done in this phase? 38. What are major activities of the project-planning phase? 39. What do mean by gap analysis? How is it done? 40. What is reengineering and how is it performed? 41. What is the customization phase and what are the activities involved in this phase? 42. What do you mean by implementation team training and how is the training conducted? 43. Why is the testing phase important and what are the major activities of this phase? 44. What do you mean by going live? 45. Explain the importance of end-user training and the various tasks performed in this phase. 46. What do you mean by the post-implementation phase and what are the main activities of this phase? 47. Why it is important to form a selection committee to conduct the evaluation process and what should be the composition of the committee? 48. What are the different solutions to bridge the 'gaps' between the company's business process and the package's functionality? 49. Why is it said that ERP should not be used as a downsizing tool? 50. What do you mean by the BPR approach to ERP implementation? 51. How are ERP vendors reducing the customization costs? 52. Why there is a lack of top management buy-in, commitment and support for ERP implementation and how can it lead to project failure? 53. How does improper planning and budgeting result in failed ERP implementations? 54. Why does the use of a wrong ERP tool lead to implementation failure? 55. How does lack of training lead to ERP implementation failure? 56. Why is the work culture of the organization important in the success of an ERP implementation? 57. Explain in detail the various issues, factors to be considered and steps to be followed during the ERP package implementation. 58. Discuss the success factors of an ERP implementation. 59. Explain the organization structure taking into account the permanent nature of the ERP systems. 60. What are the roles and skills needed for the employees in the post-implementation scenario? 61. How will one decide whether to upgrade or go in for new software? 62. Explain the various tasks during the operation of the ERP system. 63. How should the ERP training be conducted? Fill in the blanks: 1. The is revolutionizing the way in which we live and work. Page 20
2. 3. 4. 5. SOA stands for. KM stands for. XML stands for. integrates all the departments of the organization thus allowing free and seamless information flow across departmental boundaries. 6. are everything that is needed to support the project. 7. of the project includes all of the functional and technical characteristics that the company wants to implement. 8. of a project is a factor that impacts the overall success of the ERP implementation. 9. is the degree of difficulty of implementing, operating and maintaining the ERP system. 10. are the amount to which the company will utilize functionality of the ERP system for software development, maintenance and other support activities. 11. CIO stands for. 12. Adopting an ERP system successfully or to make the changeover from one system to another, is a must. 13. is essential for the success of the ERP system before, during and after the implementation. 14. The most critical factor that decides the success of any ERP system implementation is the. 15. The project sponsor heads the. 16. The heads the project management team. 17. oversee the day-to-day operations of their respective functional areas. 18. focus primarily on the function of management as it relates to the organization of resources and business process flows. 19. focuses on the process of communicating, teaching, demonstrating and configuring software for the business process flows. 20. deals with technical issues such as database conversions, source code modifications, communication protocols, operating systems, software installation, hardware systems and integration programs. 21. are the people who have developed the ERP packages. 22. advise about best working practices, software functionality and assist with technical issues. 23. The is a group of senior management who represent the interests of the company management and is headed by the person who is in-charge of the ERP project implementation. 24. The defines the objectives, monitors progress and quickly resolves the issues that are brought to their attention. 25. The or implementation teams are composed of people who will actually perform the tasks set forth in the project plan. Page 21
26. The or forms the basis for project tracking and monitoring. 27. The success of the operation and maintenance phase is measured by. 28. SWOT stands for,, and. 29. FAQ stands for. Multiple Choice Questions: 1. Which of the following is an objective of ERP implementation? a) Speed and scope b) Resources and risk c) Complexity and benefits 2. Which of the following is not an ERP implementation life cycle phase? a) Package selection b) Customization c) Reengineering d) Recruitment 3. Which of the following reduces customization costs? a) ASAP b) Customizer c) Configuration 4. ROI stands for. a) Return on investment b) Repeatable operational incidents c) Regular official instructions 5. Which of the following is an ERP team member? a) Project sponsor b) Project manager c) Consultants and vendors 6. Which of the following is not an executive committee member? a) CEO b) CIO c) Project manager d) Employee representative 7. Which of the following is a project management team member? a) Project manager b) Vendor representative c) Consultant's representative 8. Who heads the project management team? a) CEO b) CIO c) Project manager d) COO 9. Which of following are valid PR strategies? Page 22
a) b) c) d) Database centralization Concurrent engineering Capturing information at source All of the above True/False: 1. The speed of a project is directly related to the amount of time that a company has before the completion of the ERP implementation. 2. Companies of different sizes, business environments and organizational cultures have the same levels of complexity. 3. ERP resources include people, hardware systems, software systems, technical support and consultants. 4. A quickly implemented ERP system tends to-be at lesser risk than one implemented at a slower pace, taking the necessary precautions. 5. ERP tools automate almost all aspects of the organization's activities. 6. PeopleSoft is strong in HR and less so in manufacturing; Baan, on the other hand, is historically stronger in manufacturing than in financials. 7. Human factors are taken into account during the reengineering phase. 8. Customization is the phase where ERP is made available to the entire organization. 9. ERP teams can be dismantled after successfully implementing the ERP system. 10. Employee co-operation is the most critical factor for the successful implementation and operation of the ERP system. 11. The role of the project sponsor is to ensure that the ERP implementation gets all the assistance it needs from resources to management backing. 12. The executive committee includes the top management but not the vendors and external consultants. 13. After the implementation of the ERP system, the functional participants become end-users. 14. Application consultants often participate in project management and will provide high-level direction for the overall successful implementation and use of an ERP system. 15. Technical consultants work closely with application and management consultants. 16. The executive committee is responsible for the monitoring and evaluation of the project and its progress. 17. The implementation team is responsible for conducting the scheduled work, administering the project, and communicating with the in-house team and the consultants. 18. Work teams are also called implementation teams. 19. A successfully implemented ERP system will automatically produce results. 20. An ERP is an ongoing project. 21. An enterprise system is not a project; it is a way of life. 22. The O&M phase of the ERP system is the same as that of other software systems. 23. The O&M project manager conducts the SWOT analysis. Training is a never-ending activity. UNIT -5: ERP and Related Technologies Page 23
Short Questions: 1. What are technologies that improve the efficiency of ERP systems and enable the companies to do business at Internet speed? 2. How does BPR help in the implementation of ERP system? 3. What is a data warehouse? 4. What do you mean by data warehousing? 5. What is the primary concept of data warehousing? 6. What is data mining? 7. What are the problems with data analysis by human analysis? 8. What is difference between OLAP and OLTP? 9. What do you mean by PLM? 10. What are the different phases of a product life cycle? 11. What do you mean by SCM? 12. What is customer relationship management? 13. What is a geographical Information System? 14. What is difference between Intranets and Internet? 15. Why it is important to give business partners and customers access to an organizations data? 16. How are technological advancements changing the way companies do business? 17. What do you mean by middleware? 18. What are the inherent characteristics of computers that leave them open to attack or operating error? 19. What are the technologies that are integrated into the organization s ERP system to make it an e-business? 20. What do you mean by e-business? 21. What are the five major processes in a typical ERP system? 22. What are the advantages of doing business the e-business way? 23. What are the tools that help organizations to make better and informed decision? 24. What do you mean by data mart? 25. List components of data warehouse. 26. List advantages of data warehouse. Long Questions: 1. What are the limitations of ERP systems? 2. How can we overcome the limitations of ERP systems? 3. What is the difference between operational data and archive data? 4. How does data warehousing improve the efficiency of ERP systems? 5. What is the need for automated computer systems for intelligent data analysis? 6. Why OLAP is called fast analysis of shared multi-dimensional information? 7. What are the uses of OLAP? 8. What are the advantages and uses of PLM? 9. What are the areas in which PLM helps an organization? 10. How does SCM help in improving the efficiency of an organization? 11. How does CRM help in improving the efficiency of an organization? 12. How does GIS help an organization? Page 24