Chapter 6 Managing the Information Technology Resource 1
Chapter 6
Planning-Related IT Processes
True-False Questions
1.
IT plans need to accommodate both the business and IT environments if IT is to be
effectively aligned with the business.
2.
The strategic level of IT planning is focused on the external environment and making
decisions about the allocation of resources for competitive advantage.
3.
The tactical level of IT planning is focused on the external environment and making
decisions about the allocation of resources for competitive advantage.
4.
The tactical level of IT planning is focused on the external environment to address short–to–
medium timeframe organizational responses to competitive threats.
5.
The operational level of IT planning is focused on day-to-day concerns of running the IT
infrastructure.
6.
The CIO should be the owner of the business strategic planning process.
7.
The senior IT managers should be the owners of the IT strategy planning process.
8.
An ERP system, such as J.D. Edwards or SAP, best exemplifies an application in the factory
category of the Application Portfolio Matrix.
9.
Amazon.com’s “one–click” technology best exemplifies an application in the support
category of the Application Portfolio Matrix.
2 Managing the Information Technology Resource
10.
New systems that have the potential to open or define new markets or radically transform
how the organization competes, but have not yet proven effective, best exemplifies an
application in the strategic category of the Application Portfolio Matrix.
11.
The ability for an application to deliver business benefits best describes the business impact
dimension of application prioritization.
12.
The degree of difficulty for an organization to implement an application best defines the
business impact dimension of application prioritization.
13.
According to the Application Prioritization Matrix, the most attractive applications are those
that have a high business impact and a low ease of execution.
14.
It is best to have multiple contingency plans rather than one single plan to address potential
disaster scenarios.
15.
Ownership and creation of a corporate recovery and management plan in many organizations
is the responsibility of the CEO, CFO, COO or other business executive.
Multiple Choice Questions
16.
Which of the following best describes the IT process in which the Application Portfolio
Matrix and the Application Prioritization Matrix would most likely be used?
a. System planning
b. Application planning
c. Data planning
d. Project planning
Chapter 6 Managing the Information Technology Resource 3
17.
Each of the following IT processes may be expanded to include emerging technologies
except:
a. system planning.
b. application planning.
c. data planning.
d. project planning.
18.
Each of the following is a category of the Application Portfolio Matrix except:
a. turnaround applications.
b. warehouse applications.
c. strategic applications.
d. support applications.
19.
Enterprise Resource Planning systems such as JD Edwards and SAP best describe which
category of the Application Portfolio Matrix?
a. Turnaround applications
b. Factory applications
c. Strategic applications
d. Support applications
20.
Applications that are high on business impact and high on ease of execution best describes
which category of the Application Prioritization Matrix?
a. Low-hanging fruit
b. Money pits
c. Must haves
d. Quick wins
21.
Which of the following best describes an IT process that determines what the data needs will
be for the applications that are proposed for implementation?
a. System planning
b. Network planning
c. Data planning
d. Project planning
4 Managing the Information Technology Resource
22.
A translation of the enterprise’s strategic goals and directions into a planned update of the
enterprise’s hardware, systems software, network, and related IT infrastructure facilities in
order to enable applications to meet strategic goals, best defines which of the following IT
processes?
a. System planning
b. Network planning
c. Data planning
d. Project planning
23.
Which of the following best describes an IT process that most likely results in an end product
that is an agreed-upon set of architectural principles and a course of action for the firm’s
telecommunications infrastructure and applications?
a. System planning
b. Network planning
c. Data planning
d. Project planning
24.
Each of the following is a major task that must be completed when beginning to plan for
recovery except:
a. consolidate the recovery requirements for all service agreements.
b. define the business and IT recovery- operating environment.
c. identify variances between operating environments and agreements
d. improve standards in development or maintenance of data.
25.
Which of the following best describes the best way to start the development of an overall
security plan?:
a. cCreate and staff a formal IT management position that is exclusively focused on
information security.
b. eExamine the costs of replacing systems and applications.
c. rReview those operational areas that have the greatest financial impact on the firm.
d. lLook at the alternative ways to keep the systems and applications going in the event of a
catastrophe.
Chapter 6 Managing the Information Technology Resource 5
26.
Each of the following is a top ten factor that could trigger unethical employee behavior
except:
a. genetic disposition.
b. little or no recognition of achievements.
c. efforts to balance work and family.
d. company politics.
27.
Which of the following best describes the government act that requires all publicly held
companies to keep accurate records and maintain internal control systems in order to
safeguard assets?:
a. Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999
b. 1977 Foreign Current Practices Act
c. Securities and Exchange Act of 1934
d. Telecommunications Act of 1996
28.
Which of the following best describes an IT process that uses a forecast load from new
projects or from the evolution of existing services which defines how resources will cover
the demand?:
a. mManagement systems planning and monitoring
b. cCapacity planning and management
c. pProject management
d. sSkills planning and management
29.
Which of the following best describes the Organizational IT Capacity Planning Process
Maturity level in which the firm characteristics are firefighting?:
a. lLevel 1
b. levelLevel 2
c. lLevel 3
d. lLevel 4
6 Managing the Information Technology Resource
30.
According to the Balancing IT Skills model, in developing an IT skills management plan
organizations need to achieve a balance between each of the following except:
a. leadership skills.
b. business knowledge.
c. technology skills.
d. planning skills.
Fill In the Blanks
of organizational resources and time as they relate to the accomplishment of specific business
and IT objectives.
Reference: p. 150
modified within a set period of time.
Reference: p. 154
The ability for an application to deliver business benefits best describes the business impact
Reference: p. 156
dimension of application prioritization.
Reference: p. 156
The service level planning process negotiates individual service level agreements using
service volume forecasts and service charge rates.
Reference: p. 160
systems planning processes, and translates all of these plans into manageable, clearly
defined, and well-documented projects.
Reference: p. 160
Chapter 6 Managing the Information Technology Resource 7
continuation of business operations in the event of failure or disaster.
Reference: p. 161
is the responsibility of the CEO, CFO, COO or other corporate executive.
39.
40.
The security planning process builds an overall plan to ensure that agreed-upon levels of
Ownership and creation of a corporate recovery and management plan in many organizations
Reference: p. 163
security for systems and services are met.
Reference: p. 165
41.
Recovery and management plans should be tested at least annually, with performance gaps
identified and actively managed for remediation.
Reference: p. 165
and compliance for systems, applications, and services will continue to be met.
Reference: p. 168
44.
The management systems planning process uses strategic guidance and an assessment of
organization is fulfilling its mission statement.
Reference: p. 169
45.
The vendor planning and management process mainly deals with the outsourcing of
existing management processes to define an improved set of IT management processes.
Reference: p. 174
services and other IT processes.
Reference: p. 174
38.
The recovery planning process works towards a way to ensure that there will be a
8 Managing the Information Technology Resource
Essay Questions
46.
List and briefly describe the two types of planning addressed at the strategic level of the
organization
Chapter 6 Managing the Information Technology Resource 9
47.
Describe how the Applications Portfolio Matrix model can be used in application planning to
develop an application portfolio.:
10 Managing the Information Technology Resource
48.
List and discuss the four major tasks that must be completed when beginning to plan for
disaster recovery.:
49.
List ten items that IT managers should consider as a guide to the basic types of information
required in a business continuity plan
50.
Discuss the requirements for a complete skills plan to define the manpower the enterprise
needs in order to compete.:
