Page 62 - Using MIS

30 Chapter 1 The Importance of MIS

a meaningful context,” is that it is too subjective. Considering all of these points, answer the follow-
Whose context? What makes a context meaningful? ing questions:
The third definition, “data processed by summing, a. What is information made of?
ordering, averaging, etc.,” is too mechanical. It tells b. If you have more information, do you weigh more?
us what to do, but it doesn’t tell us what information Why or why not?
is. The fourth definition, “a difference that makes a c. When you give a copy of your transcript to a prospec-
difference,” is vague and unhelpful. tive employer, how is information produced? What
Also, none of these definitions helps us to quantify part of that information production process do you
the amount of information we receive. What is the in- control? What, if anything, can you do to improve the
formation content of the statement that every human quality of information that the employer conceives?
being has a navel? Zero—you already know that. In d. Give your own best definition of information.
contrast, the statement that someone has just depos- e. Explain how you think it is possible that we have
ited $50,000 into your checking account is chock-full an industry called the information technology in-
of information. So, good information has an element dustry, but we have great difficulty defining the
of surprise. word information.

Collabora tIon exerCISe 1

Collaborate with a group of fellow students to answer the fol- 1-6. Collaboration.
lowing questions. For this exercise, do not meet face to face. a. Define collaboration, and explain why it is an im-
Coordinate all of your work using email and email attachments, portant skill for business professionals.
only. Your answers should reflect the thinking of the entire b. Explain how you are using collaboration to answer
group, not just one or two individuals. these questions. Describe what is working with
regard to your group’s process and what is not
1-4. Abstract reasoning.
a. Define abstract reasoning, and explain why it is an working.
important skill for business professionals. c. Is the work product of your team better than any
b. Explain how a list of items in inventory and their one of you could have done separately? If not, your
quantity on hand is an abstraction of a physical collaboration is ineffective. If that is the case, ex-
inventory. plain why.
c. Give three other examples of abstractions com- d. Does the fact that you cannot meet face to face
monly used in business. hamper your ability to collaborate? If so, how?
d. Explain how Jennifer failed to demonstrate effec- e. Explain how Jennifer failed to demonstrate effec-
tive abstract-reasoning skills. tive collaboration skills.
e. Can people increase their abstract-reasoning f. Can people increase their collaboration skills? If
skills? If so, how? If not, why not? so, how? If not, why not?
1-7. Experimentation.
1-5. Systems thinking. a. Define experimentation, and explain why it is an
a. Define systems thinking, and explain why it is an important skill for business professionals.
important skill for business professionals. b. Explain several creative ways you could use ex-
b. Explain how you would use systems thinking to perimentation to answer this question.
explain why Moore’s Law caused a farmer to dig c. How does the fear of failure influence your willing-
up a field of pulpwood trees. Name each of the ness to engage in any of the ideas you identified in
elements in the system, and explain their rela- part b?
tionships to each other. d. Explain how Jennifer failed to demonstrate effec-
c. Give three other examples of the use of system think- tive experimentation skills.
ing with regard to consequences of Moore’s Law. e. Can people increase their willingness to take risks?
d. Explain how Jennifer failed to demonstrate effec- If so, how? If not, why not?
tive systems thinking skills.
e. Can people improve their system thinking skills? If 1-8. Job security.
so, how? If not, why not? a. State the text’s definition of job security.