MS-54 Management of Information Systems Exam Paper

MBA - Master of Business Administration

Note: Attempt ant three questions from Section-A each carries 20 marks. Section-B is compulsory and carries 40 marks.

1. (a) 'Management involves decision making 'In the light of the above statement discuss how does MIS help management in an organisation.

(b) How would you evaluate an existing MIS in an organisation? Explain.

2. What is Local Area Network (LAN)? What are its characteristics? How can it be useful to an organisation? Explain with examples.

3. "A good DBMS (Data Base Management System) adds to the usefulness of MIS." In the light of the statement what would be a good DMBS? How can it be of advantage to MIS and in turn, to the organisation?

4. Discuss the social dimensions of computerisation with respect to organisations and society.

SECTION B

Read the case given below and answer the given questions:

Time Johnson is a dynamic young businessman. In 1975, he started a machine shop that makes special parts of any that anyone is willing to pay for. When he first he and a steady flow of work, but he wanted to expand; hence he developed a policy of taking all jobs on a first0come, first-served basis. By 1980, Johnson's machine shop work was backlogged four weeks consistently, and he had reached capacity within his space constraints. By 1982, the backing was four months, and some customers were going elsewhere rather than wait for delivery.

Johnson has II machinists working full time and some overtime. All work is done on a cash basis. Bills are paid by check when they come due. Inventory control consists of buying raw materials and tools when the stock "looks low" or the supplies run out. Payroll consists of collecting everyone's time cards. Thursday afternoon. Thursday night Jack Johnson, Tim's father, does the payroll and writes the paychecks by hand.

In 1980, Tim bought the hardware store next door. Sales to the general public are for cash. Credit is given to some builders on a 2,10 net 30 basis. Bills are paid by check as they come due. Payroll is handled the same way as at the machine shop (17 employees). Inventory control is the usual manual system: a card is kept on each part stocked. Purchases are added by hand, and sales are deducted by hand. A recorder point has been identified for most items. It takes a clerk full time plus overtime to handle this.

Last month, the key plumbing service firms it town came up for sale. There are 24 employees, Two of them sell replacement parts of the general public. This is done from a window in the stock room that these same two employees manage (inventory system comparable to the hardware store). There is one salesman who specializes in schools, hospitals, and so on in the area. Another calls on the large businesses. Yet another deals with individual contractors who are building houses and apartments. There is a fleet of 10 trucks, each regularly used by a journeyman plumber. Although the foal id to have an apprentice plumber assigned to each of the experienced plumbers, there are carefully 8 in training. One badly overworked secretary serves as receptionist, dispatcher, and bookkeeper (payroll, accounts receivable, accounts payable, general ledger etc). Payroll id calculated differently for each job classification. The owner has in the past worked at whatever was most critical that day 9sales, plumbing, ordering parts, helping the secretary).

Time wants to buy the plumbing firm. But his dad is getting tired of spending. Thursday nights doing payrolls by hand and weekends paying bills and figuring taxes. He is strongly in favour of helping Tim expand, but he sees that management control cannot be maintained without some change in the way the firm does business. Computers are common in accounting firms such as Jack Johnson's, and lately, more and more of his co-workers have small computers at home. Jack believes Johnson Enterprises could make good use of a small computer, both as an accounting device and as aid to management decision making as Johnson Enterprises. Tim is not particularly interested in the details. In fact, he suspects his father really wants the computer to play with. He recognizes the evolving strains on management decision-making capacity, he wants to expand, and he needs his father's backing.

Jack has talked to some knowledgeable people and has concluded that his database decisions can have a profound impact on both the initial and operational costs of his computer system. He has decided that he should make an effort to define his database system correctly.

Jack wants to have a sales analysis MIS to apply to the plumbing service firm when they buy it. How would like to measure the productivity of the two stockroom employees in two days: (1) revenue generated and (2) selling hours versus general stockroom work (selling adds revenue, putting things on shelves is overhead). Jack would like to measure the three fields sales representatives against on "opportunity" quota, which he is not sure yet how to describe.

Case Questions:

1. List all data items required to (a) Determine revenue generated by each stockroom employee.
(b) Determine selling hours and general stockroom work for each stock room employee.
2. What pieces of data must Jack have to set the sales quotas fairly for the three field sales representatives?
3. What data items must each sales rep report for Jack to be able effectively to measure performance?