Project management.

Chapter 11:

1. Explain the triple constraint and its importance in project management.
A triple constraint refers to an intelligent trade off between the aspects of time, scope and cost of a project. It works in a way that as one of these three aspects changes or is alter e.g. time then the other two are also alter so as the balance is held between the three. The issue arises within business when one of these three constraints is alter but the other two are not and therefore there is a lack of balance or cohesion between the constraints.

The success of a project and in turn a business relies on whether these 'trade offs' in a successful project, which is on time and in budget, still meets the requirements of the business and fulfills the customers needs.
2. Describe the two primary diagrams most frequently used in project planning.
Pert and Gantt charts are the two primary diagrams that are used most frequently in the project management field.
A Pert chart is a graphical network model which pictorially presents the project being completed in relation to other projects and demonstrates the relationship between them

A Gantt Chart is a simple bar chart which compares the progress of the project in comparison to a calendar, similarly like a time plan of how the project is going time wise.

3. Identify the three primary areas a project manager must focus on managing to ensure success.
Managing people: being able to resolve conflict and overlook personal issues to continue with the task/ project that is being completed.
Managing communication: All information that is conveyed need to be useful and relevant to completing a successful project. 
Managing Change: Time, cost, Quality and scope are the focus, as one is altered or changed the others will be impacted, the management should be able to control this and react to these changes in a way that best maintains the success of a project.
4. Outline 2 reasons why projects fail and two reasons why projects succeed.
Two reasons why projects succeed would be that they have successful project management and there is a clearly outlines purpose and structured decision making team.
Commonly two reasons why they are unsuccessful or fail is due to a lack of cohesion between decision makers and a formation of unrealistic goals or ideals which are not overlooked but on the contrary are focused on.

Customer relationship management and Business intelligence

Chapter 9:

1. What is your understanding of CRM?
A CRM is a system which allows firms to manage customers better. by using these systems companies are able to gain insight into customers shopping and buying habits. They are then able to produce products, sales and items which are best suited to there target market, creating a customer loyalty between the store and the customer. These types of systems are often used by marketing and sales departments of a firm.

2. Compare operational and analytical customer relationship management.
Operational customer relationship management refers in particular to the recording of customer details, often called front office operations, operations customer relationship management directly refers to interaction with customers.
Analytical Customer relationship management refers to the use of operational data and data mining to gain competitive advantage by understanding market buying and selling trends and other customer data which could boost the success  of customer relations with the company and the customer.
3. Describe and differentiate the CRM technologies used by marketing departments and sales departments

The Customer Relationship Management technologies used by marketing departments are campaign management and opportunity management. Campaign and opportunity management includes information such as costs, target audience and return on investment.

The CRM technologies used by sales departments essentially allows for the streamlining of the sales process. CRM technologies in this department are used to coordinate the sales process, by helping salespeople organise their jobs, calendars, contacts, appointments, meetings and multimedia presentations. 

Campaign management systems which enable guides for uses through the marketing campaigns and Cross Selling selling additional products/services, and Up-Selling increasing the value of the sale. This looks at the Marketing Metrics which consists of new customer retention rates and number of reposonses/purchases by a marketing campaign, revenue generated and customer retention rate.
Sales looks at more the number of prospective customers, new customers, retained customers and the amount of new revenue and proposals given.
4. How could a sales department use operational CRM technologies?

there are many advantages that arise within sales departments who use CRM technology. Sales departments are able to use list generators with customer information to determine key statistics to assist in success of sales for example identifying where a particular type of product is sold... removing risk of playing high cost products into lower paying areas.  They are also able to use CRM technology to create cutomer loyalty and this is done by using terms such as creating loyalty card or offering sales such as 'buy one product get the second piece free' or offering pre sale on new products.

5. Describe business intelligence and its value to businesses.

Business inteligence refers to the applications and technologies that are used to gather and analyse data and information to simplify decision making. This allows for businesses to identify problems, study the data that is collected from the sales of a company's products and simplify the way they make decisions in relation to the business and in particular there goods or services.

6. Explain the problem associated with business intelligence. Describe the solution to this business problem.

The key issue with BI is that though it gathers multitudes of data it is unable to gather it into useful pieces of information that are relevant to areas of a business. This causes businesses to be unable to determine there own strengths and weaknesses or areas which need improvement.
7.What are two possible outcomes a company could get from using data mining?
Cluster analysis: refers to the grouping of information or data from multiple databases in order to identify trends and establish behavioral traits of the target market/s
Statistical analysis: Uses regression analysis and statistics to evaluate the trends within the data.

Operations management and supply chain management.

Chapter 8:

1. Define the term 'operations management.'
Operations management is "the management of systems or processes that convert or transform resources ins goods and services." 
2. Explain operations managements role in business
Its main use in a company environment is to assist in the systematic production steps of goods and services. The main focus of operation management is on the forecasts of production within the company, inputs of production, The Quality of production, attempting to lower cost of production and to also in turn reduce the cost of the final product.
3. Describe the correlation between operations management and information technology

The main correlation between operation managment and information is visibility. By using them together it allows for *Visibility* throughout the whole of the company. It allows for operations managers to determine whether the production is successful and if not  understand how and where they can make it more sufficient.
4. Explain supply chain management and its role in business. 
Supply chain management (SCM) involves the management of the flow of production at all stages of production. 
Supply chain refers  to all parties involved in the production of a product, directly or indirectly, and how they impact the success of the product. 
5. List and describe the five components of a typical supply chain

The five components of a supply chain are:
Plan: refers to the 'strategic portion' of the chain. Focus on how to sustain resourced for production, efficiency,cost effective, delivery of high quality and the value of products to customers.
Source: this stage is where suppliers are sought and this depend fully on the reliability and how a supplier will deliver goods and services which are required in the production of the companies product.
Make: This is the supply chain step which the product it produced!
Deliver: "Logistics is the set of processes that plans for and controls the efficient and effective transportation and storage of supplies to customers." The delivery stage of the supply chain is generally referred to as the logistical stage.
Return: this stage is referring to a point where the company is able to receive defective of excess of their product and also support customers whom have issues with the product. 
6. Define the relationship between information technology and supply chain.
The main relationship between information technology and the supply chain is that a supply chain is effectively enhanced in success and efficiency with the addition of technology to the 5 components of the supply chain. There is a possibility of information technology have either a positive or negative effect on the supply chain but either way the infiltration of technology into the functioning of a company's production line had changed the way the traditional function of a supply chain.

Networks and Wireless

Chapter 7:

1. Explain the business benefits of using wireless technology.
There are many benefits of using wireless technology in a business and each gains advantage within the business function.
Within the functionality of the businesses three things emerge from the use of wireless technology. Firstly Companies are able to connect with all workers wherever they may be, this meaning that information can be passed to employees who are not on work premises. This enables them to be more productive and time effective while also balancing work and home life. The use of wireless technology also opens many avenues when it comes to works. Many companies operate from different states or countries and the use of wireless technology allows for a simple and easy connection between the offices and staff of the company. Finally in the operation of the company, wireless technology allows for work to be completed on the move. This allows for employees to receive emails and other work related data while at the park, the airport of just at home. Wireless technology no longer confines workers to the desk but allows a more free access to internet and other things provided by wireless technology. Wireless technology is lastly a great benefit to businesses as is it is far cheaper than the installation of fiber wires used in fixed connections.  
http://uk.computers.toshiba-europe.com/innovation/generic/0000003c1f
2. Describe the business benefits associated with VoIP
There are many benefits which form with the use of VoIP. A VoIP is a system which allows for calls to be transmitted via the internet. The use of VoIP increases the speed of business while also creating easier integration between company sectors which may be based in different areas or countries. The technology also increases restoration and response time. Also creating ease with exchange or data and information systems.

3. Compare LANs and WANs
Both LAN's and WAN's allow any authorised persons to receive  data. LAN or local area network is designed to connect a group of computers and is useful for sharing data and other digital resources. LANs also connect to other LAN systems, the internet and other area networks.

WANs or wide area network is a network which spans a large geographic area and often connect smaller networks and LANs.
4. Describe RFID and how it can be used to help make a supply chain more effective.
Radio frequency Identification (RFID) uses active or passive tags to store unique identifiers and relay information to electronic readers. These systems cut many cost by reducing costs of actions within a company.In turn RDFI's create a more efficient supply chain as, while they cut cost they also provide more current and accurate information in the supply chain. This information allows for the function of the supply chain to be improved and bettered so it is more accurate and  efficient, this in turn improves the workings of the business as a whole.
5. Identify the advantages and disadvantage of deploying mobile technology
There are many advantages and Disadvantages that mobile technology which impact on businesses daily.
The following table created by Grace Freckleton (20103992) and shows both advantages and disadvantages of mobile technology.

Databases and Data Warehouses

Chapter 6:

1. List, describe, and provide an example of each of the five characteristics of high quality information.
Accuracy: The Information that is held within the database must be correct for it to be useful and or high quality. For example if information is incorrectly spelt or wrongly recorded the standard of the database and its usefulness drops!
Consistency: Any summary information that has been formed from individual fields of the database must make sense and match up with those fields.
Completeness: to make sure that a database is of high quality all data must be imputed. For example if the data base is about students at a school and the information in there is age, gender, phone number, student identification and home address, each student must have each field entered must be complete for the database to be useful and high quality.
Uniqueness: there must only be one customer and there information must be unique to them, the customer must to reoccur with the same data as another.
Timeliness: Data should be up to date or be unchanging information, if addresses or phone numbers are not up to date then the database is unhelpful. (therefore the data needs to be 'timeless' and constantly updated)

2. Define the relationship between a database and a database management system.
A database is where organisational information is stored thought it is extremely useful it would not assist with anything if there was no Database management system (DBMS) this system, in relation to a database is what organises and manages the information that is stored within a database.

3. Describe the advantages an organisation can gain by using a database.

By using a database there are many advantages an organisation can have. There is an increased flexibility on how and what information can be viewed, databases can also handle quick changes and it therefore increases the mobility and ability of the organisation. Another advantage of using a database is that it increases scalability and performance of an organisation, when data is imputed into systems such used in the Australian bureau of Static’s they are easily able to adapt the information to suit a persons searching needs.

Databases also reduce information redundancy within organisations; this means that information is easily stored in multiple locations. By using databases the risk of information being altered in one location and not another is removed. The final two things, which are advantages to organisations that use databases, is that there is an increase in information integrity and information security. This means that information is more useful and has a higher quality and also that the information is safe and only open to particular people and areas, which are required to view it.

4. Define the fundamental concepts of the relational database model.

An entity is a person, place, thing, transaction or events which information about the particular thing is stored. Attributes; also known as fields or columns are properties of an entity. A primary key is a field of the database which uniquely identifies an entity within the table. For example under a entity for STUDENT the key would be a student ID number. Finally a foreign key in a relational database os a primary key in one table that is an attribute in another table and provides logical relationship between two table. 

5. Describe the benefits of a data-driven website.
There are multiple advantages that arise with the use of a data-driven website. The quick development of the website is one advantage, it allows the owner to make quick alterations and additions with a little to no training on editing a web page. The content management is simplified, it removes the need for a programer who would normal be needed to update information on the website and quickens the update of data onto a website. The speed of which a data-driven website allows for fasters expandability of the site, and its reliability and the amount of data it can hold increases its efficiency and stability. The use of this style website minimises the risk of human error, even the most advanced programers can make mistakes which allow for bugs and other issues which are time consuming and expensive to fix. Lastly a data-driven website creates more convenience and  self-sufficiency for website owners, creators and users.

6. Describe the roles and purposes of data warehouses and data marts in an organisation.

A data warehouse is a collection of information, gathered from many different databases to create a large collection of information and create a more detailed database. The main purpose of a data warehouse is that all information and data collected by one organisation can be collated in one depository and allow for the organisation to make business decisions and analysis's through the use of all information from one place rather than many. A data mart is a division of a data warehouse. These are focused on the needs of the organisation unit (e.g. finance pr production and operation) where as data warehouses hold all of an organisations data and information.

Enterprise Architectures

Chapter 5:
1.What is information architecture and what is information infrastructure and how do they differ and how do they relate to each other?


2. Describe how an organisation can implement a solid information architecture? 
There are three steps that should be taken when a business is creating a solid information architecture. 
Backup and recovery: businesses loose hundreds to thousands of dollars each year. This step aims at remiving the risk of such great loss by continual re-saving and backing up of each file and document which a company produce. and recovery refers to being able to re-boot a system that has failed, saving the files and removing the loss of important documentation.
Disaster recovery: this is a detailed process for recovering data from IT systems after catastrophic damage is done via a disaster. Things such as where the data is able to be recovered from off-site back-up stations and other steps that must be taken to make sure that a business is not in 'downtime' loosing money for long after a disaster. When considering disaster recovery many business also set up 'hot sites' which are designated places the employees can move to if the area in which they are working is damaged to continue the running of the company.
Information security: making sure that the data and information within the company is secure and only available to those who it is supposed to be available too. This means that there has to be a use of strong passwords and other deterrents for hackers who may be able to take others identity  or enter accounts if access is granted to particular files.
3. List and describe the five requirement characteristics of infrastructure architecture.
Flexibility:This means that the systems created within infrastructure architecture should suit all types of business challenges. As the company grows the system should already have the ability to handle new information and alterations of older data.
Scalability: Refers to how well a system can adapt to increased demands. If this was not a characteristic of infrastructure architecture then many companies may not think about the importance of this. It could cause a great slowing or programs, running out of disk space and other types of performance dilapidation. 
Reliability: Refers to the correct functioning of a system and making sure that the system is providing accurate information.
Availability: The accessibility of a system to the customers. Some companies create a 24/7 option for availability so as customers from around the world and business operation support. As technology grows so too does the expectation for there to be a constant availability over the internet, for example if a web page close at 9pm and the customer needs to contact them they are going to become dissatisfied by the cooperation and remove there use of the company.
Performance: how quickly a system performs a specific process or action. if web sites are not quick responsive this can cause a great negative impact to its use by customers. To get the best out of there systems businesses should implement capacity planning to understand what they are running is able to handle.
4. Describe the business value in deploying a service oriented architecture
An SOA (service oriented architecture) service allows simple business tasks to be completed. This service allows companies to be come more agile by aligning business needs and the IT options which are available to assist in these tasks. It also allows for the IT environment to effectively an efficiently respond to the requirements of a business driven environment.
5. What is an event?
they are programs that detect threats and opportunities for the company and inform the people best equipped to deal with them. An example of this is a credit card monitoring system which can alert the credi supervisor of transactions made on a card for $7000 when the card has a limit of $6000
6. What is a service?
these are more like software products that coding projects. Originally things like 'print' and 'save' were services that were provided but as technology has grown things like 'credit check', 'customer information' and 'process payments' are some types of more complex services available to the community. These services are created to provide options and simplicity when working and using particular items and products.
7. What emerging technologies can companies can use to increase performance and utilise their infrastructure more effectively? 

Ethics and Information Security

Chapter 4

1. Explain the ethical issues surrounding information technology.
Ethics is defined as 'the principles and standards that guide our behavior to other people'. Due to the fast growing technology in society many issues have arisen surrounding copyright infringements and issues of intellectual property rights, things such as image, music and movie copying and downloading is a major area which has increasing become an issue with the rising and advancing or technology. These actions which are illegal are also now seen as unethical due to the fact that these actions are classified as stealing from a party whom has not consented to the use of there products in this way.

      Figure 5: Cartoon comic of unethical decisions in a work place.  

2. Describe a situation involving technology that is ethical but illegal.
An example where technology is used in a way that is said to be illegal but is actually ethical would be when purchasing a computer program and creating a copy to back up in case of loss of the original copy. Though it says that copies of the program should not be made and that it is an offense to do so, the backing up of a program for your own use is not undercutting the producers of customers. This situation may be easily altered by changing one or more of the factors. For example if the copy is being made multiple times to sell over the internet or at a market then the issue becomes both unethical an illegal.

3. Describe and explain one of the computer use policies that a company might employ.
Many companies employ a blocking of particular sites on there work network. Programs like Facebook are often seen as both distracting and also lead to risk 
of cyber-bullying and inappropriate relations between colleagues. Blocking these programs allows for the company to remove issues that may risk how the company runs and cause a lack of ethical treatment to employees. Another way that a company may minimize the risk of such issues from appearing within there staff is to employee monitoring processes on there screens and email programs. For example many companies will not allow for particular emails to pass through to the recipient as they are not seen fit for within the workplace.

4. What are the 5 main technology security risks?
-Human error
-Natural disaster (Floods, earthquakes)
-Technical failures (software bugs)
-Deliberate acts (sabotage, white collar crime)
-Management failure

5. Outline one way to reduce each risk.
Human error: often this can be due to untrained employees who have not been properly informed on the programs that are being used. One way of reducing the risk of information that is being imputed by employees is to train them within there job and also with how the programs work. If this is done correctly the risk of pivotal information being unsaved or disclosed to the wrong people will be greatly reduced.

Natural Disaster: These can cause great effect on the security and information which is held within a business. To remove the risk of loosing all data and information in the event of a natural disaster businesses generally have an off-site data holding facilities which have all data and information backed up!

Technical failure: the most important thing with technology is to create backed up data in many different external areas other that within the company network. This is so that if a program is effected by a bug of some sort the safety of the data is not lost.
Deliberate acts: This refers to things such as password hacking and even risk of online back-robbery. The main deterrent of these things is to create passwords which are going to be uncommon or difficult to guess. It is often suggested to have capital letters in the middle of the password and numbers also. The other way these risks can be reduced it through a continual change of passwords and making sure that things such as online banking and emails are logged off when the computer is not being watched.

Figure 6: Statistics of online crime from 2007-2008

Management failure: this again needs to be backed up with programs which could be of vital importance and are at risk of being lost and also has too do with whether the management staff are properly trained to keep company files safely stored and covered.

6. What is a disaster recovery plan, what strategies might a firm employee?
The main things that companies should have planned in case of a disaster such as bomb threats, chemical spills, fire, flood, network failure or terrorism (just some examples) is to have somewhere away from the main company base which holds all date systems and files that the company has. The company should also have ways to communicate to these plants and be able to quickly move the people needed to the places to that there is minimal "downtime" where the company is at risk of loosing millions of dollars in income. This also means that key people must know where and how to find the backed up date and obtain it to remove as much cost to the business as possible.