, Laudon_Emis, Essentials of Management Information Systems, 15th edition
Instructor’s Manual
1
Chapter 1
Business Information Systems in Your Career
1-1 Identify the information technologies used to provide a solution to this problem. Was this
a successful solution? Why or why not?
Information technologies driving these changes include broadband high-speed Internet
connections, laptop computers, tablets, smartphones, email, messaging, and
videoconferencing tools. As companies shift their work from face-to-face to remote, video
conferencing is becoming the new normal for meetings. There are definite benefits to remote
work: lower overhead, more flexible schedules, reductions in employee commuting time and
attrition rates, and increases in productivity. (Many companies reported that productivity did
not suffer when employees worked at home during the pandemic.) According to Global
Workplace Analytics, a typical company saves about $11,000 per half-time telecommuter per
year. On the other hand, information technology couldn’t provide a solution for those
employees who lacked home Internet access or had jobs requiring on-site work, nor could it
prevent “Zoom fatigue” or compensate for face-to-face interactions.
1-2 Will working from home become the dominant way of working in the future? Why or
why not?
According to a recent MIT report, 34 percent of Americans who previously commuted to
work stated that they were working from home by the first week of April 2020 due to the
coronavirus outbreak. Prior to the pandemic, the number of people regularly working from
home remained in the single digits, with only about 4 percent of the US workforce working
from home at least half the time. However, the trend of working from home had been slowly
gaining momentum thanks to advances in information technology for remote work and
changes in corporate work culture. The coronavirus pandemic may mark a tipping point.
It is likely that many, but not all people who started working from home during the pandemic
will continue to do so thereafter. New health guidelines about distancing will require some
workplaces to expand to accommodate all their employees or to have a significant percentage
of employees work permanently from home. Many businesses that had employees working at
home have called them back to the office, or have adopted hybrid work schedules
Video Case: The New HQ Is in the Cloud: Salesforce President
, Laudon_Emis, Essentials of Management Information Systems, 15th edition
Instructor’s Manual
19
The Video Case is located by link in the eText. The PDF of the case with questions and answers
are located in the MyLab MIS (link in the IM introduction).
A great way to use this resource would be to assign as a material to review prior to a lecture
to then engage students with questions regarding the material as it comes up in the lecture.
A second use of this resource would be to view with the class at the end of class for
application and have groups of students present their answers to questions in class.
This could also be used for discussion in class, or online in discussion boards with the view
as the material to reflect on and the questions as prompts for student discussions.
Description
Discussion of strategic business objectives in section 1-1 provides an opportunity to examine the
Chapter 1 Video and Video Case. You might ask students what major business objectives
Salesforce and Slack promote for customers and how the acquisition of Slack helps Salesforce
pursue its own strategic business objectives. You might also ask students to give examples of
how tools like Salesforce and Slack are changing the way people work. The Video is in the
eText and the PDF with case details and questions is in the MyLab.
Dirt Bike Running Case: Understanding Information System Requirements
Introduction
There is an assignment accompanying each chapter of the text. To complete the assignment,
Students should review the corresponding text chapter and any information provided by students’
instructor related to the topic. Students can complete each project individually or in teams,
depending on instructor’s requirements. To develop solutions, students may need to do Web
research and to use spreadsheet, database, or Web browser software tools, and will need to use a
word processor to write up findings. Many projects recommend Students use electronic
presentation software, if possible, to summarize findings for management. Each assignment will
list the software tools that students will need to use, and the questions Students will need to
answer.
Software skills: Presentation software
Business skills: Management analysis and information system recommendations
Chapter Case
How do you know what information systems are really needed by a business and which are the
most important? How should a company’s structure or culture affect the building and use of
information systems?
Dirt Bikes’s management has asked you to prepare a management analysis of the company to
help it assess the firm’s current situation and future plans. Review Dirt Bikes’s company history,
organization chart, products and services, and sales and marketing in the Introduction to Dirt
Bikes. Then prepare a report that addresses these questions:
1. What are the company goals and culture?
Dirt Bikes appears to have a very democratic, employee-friendly culture, emphasizing
ongoing learning, quality, attention to detail, and employee contributions.
, Laudon_Emis, Essentials of Management Information Systems, 15th edition
Instructor’s Manual
20
2. What products and services does Dirt Bikes USA provide? How many types of products
and services are available to customers? How does Dirt Bikes sell its products?
Dirt Bikes specializes in off-road and motocross motorcycles that emphasize racing
performance, styling, and best quality parts sourced from all over the world. It is a small
company producing only 4 models. Dirt Bikes sells through a network of authorized dealers.
Its sales department is responsible for working with these distributors and finding ways to
promote Dirt Bikes.
3. How many employees are managers, production workers, or knowledge or information
workers? Are there levels of management?
The company is very small and not very hierarchical. Most of the employees are in
production. Many of its departments have less than 10 people. Production is probably the
only department that warrants more than 1 manager. One might expect to see separate
managers for Service, Shipping & Receiving, Parts, and Design and Engineering and perhaps
several additional managers for Manufacturing.
4. What kinds of information systems and technologies would be the most important for a
company such as Dirt Bikes?
One would expect to see information systems supporting manufacturing and production and
sales and marketing being the most important for this company. Such systems would help
the company monitor work on the assembly line, obtain parts from suppliers, monitor orders
from distributors, and provide parts and servicing information. A company website to
publicize the unique features of this brand and its connection to motorcycle racing events
would also be very valuable.
Instructor’s Manual
1
Chapter 1
Business Information Systems in Your Career
1-1 Identify the information technologies used to provide a solution to this problem. Was this
a successful solution? Why or why not?
Information technologies driving these changes include broadband high-speed Internet
connections, laptop computers, tablets, smartphones, email, messaging, and
videoconferencing tools. As companies shift their work from face-to-face to remote, video
conferencing is becoming the new normal for meetings. There are definite benefits to remote
work: lower overhead, more flexible schedules, reductions in employee commuting time and
attrition rates, and increases in productivity. (Many companies reported that productivity did
not suffer when employees worked at home during the pandemic.) According to Global
Workplace Analytics, a typical company saves about $11,000 per half-time telecommuter per
year. On the other hand, information technology couldn’t provide a solution for those
employees who lacked home Internet access or had jobs requiring on-site work, nor could it
prevent “Zoom fatigue” or compensate for face-to-face interactions.
1-2 Will working from home become the dominant way of working in the future? Why or
why not?
According to a recent MIT report, 34 percent of Americans who previously commuted to
work stated that they were working from home by the first week of April 2020 due to the
coronavirus outbreak. Prior to the pandemic, the number of people regularly working from
home remained in the single digits, with only about 4 percent of the US workforce working
from home at least half the time. However, the trend of working from home had been slowly
gaining momentum thanks to advances in information technology for remote work and
changes in corporate work culture. The coronavirus pandemic may mark a tipping point.
It is likely that many, but not all people who started working from home during the pandemic
will continue to do so thereafter. New health guidelines about distancing will require some
workplaces to expand to accommodate all their employees or to have a significant percentage
of employees work permanently from home. Many businesses that had employees working at
home have called them back to the office, or have adopted hybrid work schedules
Video Case: The New HQ Is in the Cloud: Salesforce President
, Laudon_Emis, Essentials of Management Information Systems, 15th edition
Instructor’s Manual
19
The Video Case is located by link in the eText. The PDF of the case with questions and answers
are located in the MyLab MIS (link in the IM introduction).
A great way to use this resource would be to assign as a material to review prior to a lecture
to then engage students with questions regarding the material as it comes up in the lecture.
A second use of this resource would be to view with the class at the end of class for
application and have groups of students present their answers to questions in class.
This could also be used for discussion in class, or online in discussion boards with the view
as the material to reflect on and the questions as prompts for student discussions.
Description
Discussion of strategic business objectives in section 1-1 provides an opportunity to examine the
Chapter 1 Video and Video Case. You might ask students what major business objectives
Salesforce and Slack promote for customers and how the acquisition of Slack helps Salesforce
pursue its own strategic business objectives. You might also ask students to give examples of
how tools like Salesforce and Slack are changing the way people work. The Video is in the
eText and the PDF with case details and questions is in the MyLab.
Dirt Bike Running Case: Understanding Information System Requirements
Introduction
There is an assignment accompanying each chapter of the text. To complete the assignment,
Students should review the corresponding text chapter and any information provided by students’
instructor related to the topic. Students can complete each project individually or in teams,
depending on instructor’s requirements. To develop solutions, students may need to do Web
research and to use spreadsheet, database, or Web browser software tools, and will need to use a
word processor to write up findings. Many projects recommend Students use electronic
presentation software, if possible, to summarize findings for management. Each assignment will
list the software tools that students will need to use, and the questions Students will need to
answer.
Software skills: Presentation software
Business skills: Management analysis and information system recommendations
Chapter Case
How do you know what information systems are really needed by a business and which are the
most important? How should a company’s structure or culture affect the building and use of
information systems?
Dirt Bikes’s management has asked you to prepare a management analysis of the company to
help it assess the firm’s current situation and future plans. Review Dirt Bikes’s company history,
organization chart, products and services, and sales and marketing in the Introduction to Dirt
Bikes. Then prepare a report that addresses these questions:
1. What are the company goals and culture?
Dirt Bikes appears to have a very democratic, employee-friendly culture, emphasizing
ongoing learning, quality, attention to detail, and employee contributions.
, Laudon_Emis, Essentials of Management Information Systems, 15th edition
Instructor’s Manual
20
2. What products and services does Dirt Bikes USA provide? How many types of products
and services are available to customers? How does Dirt Bikes sell its products?
Dirt Bikes specializes in off-road and motocross motorcycles that emphasize racing
performance, styling, and best quality parts sourced from all over the world. It is a small
company producing only 4 models. Dirt Bikes sells through a network of authorized dealers.
Its sales department is responsible for working with these distributors and finding ways to
promote Dirt Bikes.
3. How many employees are managers, production workers, or knowledge or information
workers? Are there levels of management?
The company is very small and not very hierarchical. Most of the employees are in
production. Many of its departments have less than 10 people. Production is probably the
only department that warrants more than 1 manager. One might expect to see separate
managers for Service, Shipping & Receiving, Parts, and Design and Engineering and perhaps
several additional managers for Manufacturing.
4. What kinds of information systems and technologies would be the most important for a
company such as Dirt Bikes?
One would expect to see information systems supporting manufacturing and production and
sales and marketing being the most important for this company. Such systems would help
the company monitor work on the assembly line, obtain parts from suppliers, monitor orders
from distributors, and provide parts and servicing information. A company website to
publicize the unique features of this brand and its connection to motorcycle racing events
would also be very valuable.
