Instructor Resource
Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Sample Answers to Discussion Questions
Chapter 3: Systems Considerations in the Design of an
HRIS: Planning for Implementations
1. Identify the various types of users or customers of an HRIS.
Individuals who will be using the HRIS can be split into two general groups:
employees and nonemployees. The employee category includes the following:
• Managers who rely on the HRIS and the data analyzed by the
analyst/power user to make decisions
2. What are the three broad categories of data that an HRIS manages?
Specific data from the HRIS database fit into three categories:
Instructor Resource
Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
3. Data that are created as a result of the interaction of the first two
3. How does network bandwidth affect a two-tier (client–server) architecture?
In a two-tier client–server architecture, a large amount of information
4. How does an N-tier architecture simplify the IT department’s task of
maintaining client software?
N-tier architecture simplifies the IT department’s task of maintaining
software for the following reasons:
• It is expandable to multiple Web servers and application servers to
5. Discuss row-level security. How does this work? Why may this be more
valuable to an HRIS than a manufacturing software solution?
With row-level security within a particular page or screen, a specific
Instructor Resource
Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
6. Research various middleware products from IBM, BEA, or Oracle, and
discuss how these products can be leveraged in an HRIS.
This may be a good question to assign to a group of students. Each
7. Research hr-xml.org. How many transactions or interfaces does the standard
support? How many software vendors are involved with the organization?
8. Take a specific industry, say the K–12 education industry. How might
HireRight’s integration with Oracle’s PeopleSoft assist the process of hiring
employees such as bus drivers, janitors, or campus security?
9. When might BOB not be “best”?
BOB solutions introduce additional complexity into the software
10. The systems development process has been discussed by many. Name five
discussion topics that need to be completed during the planning process.
Instructor Resource
Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
The topics that need to be discussed during the various steps of the planning
process include but are not limited to the following:
11. Discuss the different project manager options, and explain the pros and cons
of each.
There are three options for choosing a project manager.
• The first choice is to hire a consultant to be the project manager.
This is the most expensive option and provides the best project
Instructor Resource
Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
This person should bring excellent knowledge of the organization’s
12. What is a project charter? Why is it important?
A project charter is an all-encompassing planning document that defines the
scope of and provides a basic “rulebook” to facilitate completion of a software
13. Why is it absolutely critical to have the scope of the project identified?
Project scope is defined as those portions of the information system that
14. Why is project creep not a good thing?
Project creep occurs when decisions are made to implement additional
Instructor Resource
Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
15. Complete a flowchart of the process you follow to enroll in classes and pay
your tuition. Then, apply the process template in the section titled “Planning for
System Implementation.”
This may be a good question to assign to a group of students. Each
16. Why do employees fear change? Give some examples as to how you might
eliminate the fear of change.
Employees may fear change for several reasons, including general
concern with new procedures and plans, fear of job security, and concern