ACG4401 EXAM 2 QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
What is the purpose of the accounting and enterprise systems? - Answers - To tell the
economic story of the enterprise, who, what, where, when, why, and how with respect to
it's activities. With enough detail to facilitate decision making and other information
needs.
3 common types of information system integration attempts? - Answers - Manual
transfer, printing a rekeying or downloading and uploading. Automated transfer from
one system to the other via the use of program code. Single source ERP system that is
more fully integrated than best of breed.
Impediments an enterprise may encounter in trying to integrate their systems? -
Answers - Resistance to change, because some people are going to have to learn
something new. Differences in operating systems, difficult to merge. Lack of technical
knowledge needed to build sufficient bridges between systems. Cost.
What does it mean to have silo operations? - Answers - Each functional area is
relatively isolated from the other areas, and decisions can be made without realization
of how it may affect other operations. Not necessarily a physical impediment.
What does it mean to have silo systems? - Answers - Data and processed within each
system or software application are relatively isolated from each other and data is
typically stored separately in each. Changes made in one system needs to be manually
changed in the other systems as well, leads to redundancy and poor decision support.
What is the need for eliminating silos in operations and in systems? - Answers - When
decision making is made in one functional area, it's based on a narrow perspective. If
the systems aren't integrated to make the best decisions you have to acquire
information from multiple systems. Integrated information has huge advantages in
decision making.
What does the phrase paving the cowpaths mean with respect to reengineering? -
Answers - The process of embedding outdated processes in silicon and software.
Enterprises simply use technology to seed up existing processes without the
consideration if the processes need to be changed.
Who invented the REA ontology and for what purpose? - Answers - Bill McCarthy, to
define constructs common to all enterprises and to demonstrate how those constructs
may be represented in integrated enterprise information systems.
, Why doesn't REA include debits and credits? - Answers - Since they are artificial
constructs that represent one view of data. REA uses foundation building blocks that
represent real phenomena rather than artificial constructs.
WOTF statements about ERP systems is true? - Answers - Some ERP software
packages are themselves combinations of separate applications for manufacturing,
materials resource planning, general ledger, HR, procurement, and order entry.
WOTF is used to solve the problem of silo departments? - Answers - Encouragement of
interdepartmental interactions, and reengineering of traditional departments and focus
on workflow processes.
WOTF often result from reengineering? - Answers - Streamlined workflow, reduced
head count, and consolidation of disparate information systems to eliminate duplication
of efforts in various activities.
Geerts and McCarthy's proposed expansion of the REA accounting model presumes
that base objects in an enterprise information system should: - Answers - Reflect the
underlying activities in which an enterprise engages.
Most failed ERP software implementations have been blames on: - Answers - People
issues.
What is a model and why do we create models of systems? - Answers - A pattern or
scaled object that represents some existing object. Modeling a system before building
allows you to better understand the phenomenon you are trying to support with an
information system.
What is a business process? - Answers - The activities associated with providing goods
and services to customers. Acquisition, conversion, and delivering of goods.
Is it better to make one model of an entire enterprise, or several smaller models of
individual processes? - Answers - Initially trying to develop one model would prove very
difficult. Less burdensome if you split it into manageable chunks but take care to
incorporate an understanding of how the chunks relate, then merge the pieces together
later.
What is the difference between token and type level representation? - Answers - Token
is an individual instance of something, includes a separate representation for each
individual instance. Type is a category of instances that have something in common
with each other, includes one representation for a group of instances.
Difference between object pattern and a script pattern? - Answers - Object patterns
focus on objects and the relationships between them, scripts pattern are sequences of
events that typically occur in combination with each other.
ANSWERS
What is the purpose of the accounting and enterprise systems? - Answers - To tell the
economic story of the enterprise, who, what, where, when, why, and how with respect to
it's activities. With enough detail to facilitate decision making and other information
needs.
3 common types of information system integration attempts? - Answers - Manual
transfer, printing a rekeying or downloading and uploading. Automated transfer from
one system to the other via the use of program code. Single source ERP system that is
more fully integrated than best of breed.
Impediments an enterprise may encounter in trying to integrate their systems? -
Answers - Resistance to change, because some people are going to have to learn
something new. Differences in operating systems, difficult to merge. Lack of technical
knowledge needed to build sufficient bridges between systems. Cost.
What does it mean to have silo operations? - Answers - Each functional area is
relatively isolated from the other areas, and decisions can be made without realization
of how it may affect other operations. Not necessarily a physical impediment.
What does it mean to have silo systems? - Answers - Data and processed within each
system or software application are relatively isolated from each other and data is
typically stored separately in each. Changes made in one system needs to be manually
changed in the other systems as well, leads to redundancy and poor decision support.
What is the need for eliminating silos in operations and in systems? - Answers - When
decision making is made in one functional area, it's based on a narrow perspective. If
the systems aren't integrated to make the best decisions you have to acquire
information from multiple systems. Integrated information has huge advantages in
decision making.
What does the phrase paving the cowpaths mean with respect to reengineering? -
Answers - The process of embedding outdated processes in silicon and software.
Enterprises simply use technology to seed up existing processes without the
consideration if the processes need to be changed.
Who invented the REA ontology and for what purpose? - Answers - Bill McCarthy, to
define constructs common to all enterprises and to demonstrate how those constructs
may be represented in integrated enterprise information systems.
, Why doesn't REA include debits and credits? - Answers - Since they are artificial
constructs that represent one view of data. REA uses foundation building blocks that
represent real phenomena rather than artificial constructs.
WOTF statements about ERP systems is true? - Answers - Some ERP software
packages are themselves combinations of separate applications for manufacturing,
materials resource planning, general ledger, HR, procurement, and order entry.
WOTF is used to solve the problem of silo departments? - Answers - Encouragement of
interdepartmental interactions, and reengineering of traditional departments and focus
on workflow processes.
WOTF often result from reengineering? - Answers - Streamlined workflow, reduced
head count, and consolidation of disparate information systems to eliminate duplication
of efforts in various activities.
Geerts and McCarthy's proposed expansion of the REA accounting model presumes
that base objects in an enterprise information system should: - Answers - Reflect the
underlying activities in which an enterprise engages.
Most failed ERP software implementations have been blames on: - Answers - People
issues.
What is a model and why do we create models of systems? - Answers - A pattern or
scaled object that represents some existing object. Modeling a system before building
allows you to better understand the phenomenon you are trying to support with an
information system.
What is a business process? - Answers - The activities associated with providing goods
and services to customers. Acquisition, conversion, and delivering of goods.
Is it better to make one model of an entire enterprise, or several smaller models of
individual processes? - Answers - Initially trying to develop one model would prove very
difficult. Less burdensome if you split it into manageable chunks but take care to
incorporate an understanding of how the chunks relate, then merge the pieces together
later.
What is the difference between token and type level representation? - Answers - Token
is an individual instance of something, includes a separate representation for each
individual instance. Type is a category of instances that have something in common
with each other, includes one representation for a group of instances.
Difference between object pattern and a script pattern? - Answers - Object patterns
focus on objects and the relationships between them, scripts pattern are sequences of
events that typically occur in combination with each other.
