IT 304 FINAL QUESTIONS & VERIFIED ANSWERS
What are the main features of a corporate code of ethics? - Answers - A corporate code
of ethics highlights an organization's key ethical issues and identifies the overarching
values and principles important to the organization and its decision making. This code
should focus on employees in roles that are susceptible to ethical risk. It should also
provide mechanisms for reporting unethical conduct, and foster a culture of honesty and
accountability
List some of the overarching ethical guidelines for IT professionals. - Answers - Enable
the cross-border delivery of service. Promote and protect the global free flow of
information. Promote the open, distributed, and interconnected nature of the Internet.
Promote investment and competition in high speed networks.
Explain the concept of intellectual property (IP) and why it has become increasingly
important in recent times? - Answers - There are two types of IP - industrial property
and copyright. Industrial property includes patents for inventions, trademarks, industrial
designs, etc. Copyright protection covers creations by artists, authors, designers,
photographers and the like to exercise ownership and control over their work. This
allows them to control distribution and collect royalties from use of their work. IP has
become important recently because there is a plethora of new software and other
intangible creations being developed. IP laws protect these creations so that future
resources may continue to be devoted to new research and innovation. It is because of
this that humanity prospers.
What are the main functions of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)? -
Answers - The WIPO is the global forum for IP policy, information, and cooperation.
They assist governments, businesses, and society to realize the importance of IP. They
provide services to protect IP across borders and resolve disputes. They provide
technical infrastructure to connect IP systems and share knowledge. The WIPO also
serves a global resource for IP information.
Explain the main functions of copyright protection legislation. - Answers - Copyrights
protect original and expressive works. They give owners exclusive rights to display and
reproduce their work, as well as create derivative works. Copyright laws also allow
owners the right to benefit financially from their work, and prohibits others from
benefiting without the express permission of the owners.
Explain the main functions of patent law as currently interpreted in the USA. - Answers -
The purpose of a patent is to protect an invention from being sold, made, or used by
others for a certain period of time. Inventors must apply for a patent with Patent and
Trademark Office. They cannot assume that an invention is patented automatically.
There are three kinds of patents: utility, design, and plant. Utility patents for something
that serves a specific function. A design patent protects the way a manufactured
, product appears, and plant patents protect plant varieties that are asexually reproduced.
Patents provide incentives to creative individuals and inventors, and offer potential
rewards for their products.
Briefly describe the DMCA and its objective. - Answers - The Digital Millennium
Copyright Act obligates online service providers to enforce copyright laws by terminating
services for repeat offenders, and by removing any material that infringes a copyright.
Providers must also not benefit from infringements, and cannot sell or develop
technology that would circumvent encryption and watermarks that are used to protect
copyrighted work.
Explain the importance of "big data accumulation" in the contemporary economy. What
is driving "big data?" - Answers - Data-driven innovation is the key driver of 21st century
growth. Massive data sets have become a critical centerpiece of the economy, thanks to
the sharp decline in costs to store, process, and collect large volumes of data. Rapid
accumulation of data could accelerate research and development of new products and
markets. Global and social issues like food, energy, water, and security all stand to
benefit from big data.
In what way is "big data" similar to physical infrastructure? - Answers - Big data is an
infrastructural resource. It is intangible and cannot simply be deleted. Physical
infrastructure like roads and bridges enables benefits to 'spill over', by fostering trade
and social exchanges. Greater access to big data can also provide these benefits.
Using and re-using data can open up growth opportunities, and can generate benefits in
ways that were not seen before.
How have contemporary advances in ICT changed the way education is carried out? -
Answers - ICT has provided universal access to education, and has enabled the
delivery of quality learning and teaching. We have moved away from the traditional
model of education, with 12 years of pre-college education and 4 or more years of
college education, followed by a career. We now have continuous learning of new skills
and knowledge. Teachers themselves have become "permanent students", and much of
the learning responsibility falls to students.
What are some of the positive and negative features of education in knowledge-based
societies? - Answers - IT has vastly improved people's access to stored knowledge. It is
very easy to become educated today. But because of this easy access, many problems
have cropped up. There is so much information available that the quality of information
has degraded. Much of the information available to us is false. Plagiarism has also
become a major issues due to cut and paste facilities. Many students are also not
developing necessary skills.
Briefly describe how the Internet of Things (IoT) extends the nature and functions of the
present Internet in monitoring and controlling man-made devices. - Answers - The
internet is currently used to find information. With the IoT, the internet becomes a way to
connect and interact with many of the devices we use on a daily basis that aren't
What are the main features of a corporate code of ethics? - Answers - A corporate code
of ethics highlights an organization's key ethical issues and identifies the overarching
values and principles important to the organization and its decision making. This code
should focus on employees in roles that are susceptible to ethical risk. It should also
provide mechanisms for reporting unethical conduct, and foster a culture of honesty and
accountability
List some of the overarching ethical guidelines for IT professionals. - Answers - Enable
the cross-border delivery of service. Promote and protect the global free flow of
information. Promote the open, distributed, and interconnected nature of the Internet.
Promote investment and competition in high speed networks.
Explain the concept of intellectual property (IP) and why it has become increasingly
important in recent times? - Answers - There are two types of IP - industrial property
and copyright. Industrial property includes patents for inventions, trademarks, industrial
designs, etc. Copyright protection covers creations by artists, authors, designers,
photographers and the like to exercise ownership and control over their work. This
allows them to control distribution and collect royalties from use of their work. IP has
become important recently because there is a plethora of new software and other
intangible creations being developed. IP laws protect these creations so that future
resources may continue to be devoted to new research and innovation. It is because of
this that humanity prospers.
What are the main functions of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)? -
Answers - The WIPO is the global forum for IP policy, information, and cooperation.
They assist governments, businesses, and society to realize the importance of IP. They
provide services to protect IP across borders and resolve disputes. They provide
technical infrastructure to connect IP systems and share knowledge. The WIPO also
serves a global resource for IP information.
Explain the main functions of copyright protection legislation. - Answers - Copyrights
protect original and expressive works. They give owners exclusive rights to display and
reproduce their work, as well as create derivative works. Copyright laws also allow
owners the right to benefit financially from their work, and prohibits others from
benefiting without the express permission of the owners.
Explain the main functions of patent law as currently interpreted in the USA. - Answers -
The purpose of a patent is to protect an invention from being sold, made, or used by
others for a certain period of time. Inventors must apply for a patent with Patent and
Trademark Office. They cannot assume that an invention is patented automatically.
There are three kinds of patents: utility, design, and plant. Utility patents for something
that serves a specific function. A design patent protects the way a manufactured
, product appears, and plant patents protect plant varieties that are asexually reproduced.
Patents provide incentives to creative individuals and inventors, and offer potential
rewards for their products.
Briefly describe the DMCA and its objective. - Answers - The Digital Millennium
Copyright Act obligates online service providers to enforce copyright laws by terminating
services for repeat offenders, and by removing any material that infringes a copyright.
Providers must also not benefit from infringements, and cannot sell or develop
technology that would circumvent encryption and watermarks that are used to protect
copyrighted work.
Explain the importance of "big data accumulation" in the contemporary economy. What
is driving "big data?" - Answers - Data-driven innovation is the key driver of 21st century
growth. Massive data sets have become a critical centerpiece of the economy, thanks to
the sharp decline in costs to store, process, and collect large volumes of data. Rapid
accumulation of data could accelerate research and development of new products and
markets. Global and social issues like food, energy, water, and security all stand to
benefit from big data.
In what way is "big data" similar to physical infrastructure? - Answers - Big data is an
infrastructural resource. It is intangible and cannot simply be deleted. Physical
infrastructure like roads and bridges enables benefits to 'spill over', by fostering trade
and social exchanges. Greater access to big data can also provide these benefits.
Using and re-using data can open up growth opportunities, and can generate benefits in
ways that were not seen before.
How have contemporary advances in ICT changed the way education is carried out? -
Answers - ICT has provided universal access to education, and has enabled the
delivery of quality learning and teaching. We have moved away from the traditional
model of education, with 12 years of pre-college education and 4 or more years of
college education, followed by a career. We now have continuous learning of new skills
and knowledge. Teachers themselves have become "permanent students", and much of
the learning responsibility falls to students.
What are some of the positive and negative features of education in knowledge-based
societies? - Answers - IT has vastly improved people's access to stored knowledge. It is
very easy to become educated today. But because of this easy access, many problems
have cropped up. There is so much information available that the quality of information
has degraded. Much of the information available to us is false. Plagiarism has also
become a major issues due to cut and paste facilities. Many students are also not
developing necessary skills.
Briefly describe how the Internet of Things (IoT) extends the nature and functions of the
present Internet in monitoring and controlling man-made devices. - Answers - The
internet is currently used to find information. With the IoT, the internet becomes a way to
connect and interact with many of the devices we use on a daily basis that aren't
