Chapter 10

Vignette

Problems with Suppliers

1.) How can an organization ensure that all members of its supply chain will behave ethically?

Ans:

An organization should investigate and observe all the members of its supply chain to always ensure that their members were doing right and behave according to ethics.

2.) What responsibility does an organization have ensure that its suppliers and business partners behave ethically?

Ans:

It is their responsibility to secure always the doing of their suppliers and business partners and investigate also as what I mentioned above. If they were really behaving ethically in manner.

Case study

3.) Manufacturers compete on Green computing

1.) How have green computing efforts lowered the total cost of computer ownership?

Ans:

An environmentally friendly computer will help preserve the environment—and save you money. Here's what you need to know.

By Jasmin Malik Chua PCs and information-technology equipment consume $8 billion in annual electricity costs each year in the United States. The price is even greater when you factor in carbon emissions caused by this power use, which contribute to global warming. With such high economic and environmental costs, energy efficiency has become unavoidably vital. In other words, it's time to take your PC green.If you've been thinking about buying a PC that's less harmful to the environment, you're not alone. A recent survey found that more than half of PC buyers in nine countries were willing to spend more for green machines. The survey also found that consumers believe that tech manufacturers should be held more accountable for the impact of their products on the environment, a fact that PC makers are slowly accepting. The perfect green computer does not exist yet—and may not for some time. But if you're shopping for a new PC and want to lessen its impact on the environment, there are ways to create a greener computing experience.

http://computershopper.com/feature/how-to-buy-a-green-pc

2.) Which approach can yield greater benefits-building greener computers or implementing programs that change user’s behaviors so that they operate their computers in a more responsible manner? Explain your response.

Ans:

For me both of their approach can yield a greater benefits- building greener computers because in Dell it had a set of goal for itself of becoming the greenest tech. company in Earth by strong recycling program. While the Apple company claims to have the progress of removing toxic materials from all computers, which is bad in our health. While the HP initiative campaign, urges PC users around the world to shut down their computers at the end of the day to save energy.

3.) Do research at the EPEAT web site and determine which computer manufacturer currently has the best green computing ratings.
Ans: 

Strategic Oxygen and Cohn & Wolf have released a study that ranks which companies IT buyers view as the greenest. Over 3,500 CIOs, CXO, IT Managers and other decision makers from 11 countries were surveyed about 26 different brands to find out what businesses think about green IT products and marketing. Turns out, a company that is frequently discussed on Tree Hugger made the top of the list as the most eco-friendly computer manufacturer. And The Winner Is...

 Dell is the number one green technology brand, recognized for its extensive recycling program, the top ranked attribute sought by IT buyers. HP, IBM and Microsoft were noted for their energy efficient products and use of sustainable materials, while Apple held its position in the top five for designing products that are perceived to have a green look and feel. That isn't too surprising to us, considering how serious Dell is about recycling, and it also isn't surprising about Apple, which works hard to market its new line of Macs as the greenest notebooks ever.

http:terhugger

Chapter 9

Vignette

Twitter Emerges as News Source for Iran Protesters

1.) Many people question the value of Twitter’s goal of helping people stay connected in real time. Do the events in Iran Illustrate the potential value to society of social networking tools such as Twitter? Are there other ways that twitter and other social networks could be used by people and organizations to add real value?

Ans:

No, the events in Iran didn’t illustrate the potential value to society of social networking tools such as twitter. Because it results an online traffic overload.

Yes, there were other ways that twitter and other social networks could be used by people and organizations to add the real value of it just like for example making friends to those people you’ve known and make chatting.

2.) How trustworthy is the information one gleans from social networks such as twitter?

Ans:

It could be just 40%, The moment one person reveals certain information in just one click it would spread worldwide. So you can’t just trust social networks about revealing some information about you or it may be to others.

 

Case Study

3.) Social Networking Disaster for Domino’s

1.) Some observers believe that if an organization does not respond to an attack on its brand within the first 24 hours, then the damage has been done-lack of management response is judged as an admission guilt. Others feel that some time is required to gather facts and figure out what happened before responding. With the advantage of 20/20 hindsight, how might Domino’s have reacted more effectively?

Ans:

Domino’s should take action right after they have known and see those video. So it would not take so much time to fix, and couldn’t create much bigger damage.

2.) Do you find it unusual Domino’s response was primarily through the online media rather that the unusual printed press releases? Does this seem an effective and appropriate way to respond under these circumstances? Why or why not? Does Domino’s use of the online media set a precedent for others to follow in the future?

Ans:

For me it was just okay if their response was primarily through the online media. Because technology this time is much more advantage right now than the printed press releases. For most people now a days engaging in technology so people might see their response. And as long as they explained everything in clear situations.

3.) Identify three lessons than the other companies could learn from Domino’s experience.

Ans:

The lessons that a company can get this were:

The company should secure their employees every time if their employee was doing their job exactly and not doing in other works that was not involve to the company.

A company should choose well the applicant they would hire.

And if it was a restaurant they should have a proper etiquette and secure cleanliness.

Chapter 8

Vignette

Western Cape Striving To Eliminate The Digital Divide

1.) How important is access to ICT in children’s education?

Ans:

It is really important to access to ICT in children’s education, because it helps a children to learn more and gain knowledge in that easily. For children may excite to learn if they have that technology on their education.

2.) What are the barriers that stand in the way of universal access to ICT for everyone who wants it?

Ans:

The most common barriers are being a poor individuals or your country. In that way most schools cannot afford to provide a computer technology to all schoolchildren and educators.

Case Study

3.) Technological Advances Create Digital Divide in Health Care

1.) Can you provide examples that either refute or confirm the idea that a gap exist between the kinds of healthcare services available to the wealthy and the poor in the United States?

Ans:

I can say that there were really gaps that exist between the kinds of healthcare services available to the wealthy and the poor in the United States.

Just like for example, in hospital the room of a wealthy one is private because they can afford it. While the poor one you should be very kind to share to another people in a single room. And the food of the wealthy one is just different to the poor. The wealthy can demand the hospitals whatever kind of food they want while the poor can’t. And in terms of services a wealthy one can have their medical services in their house.

2.) Should healthcare organizations make major investments in telemedicine to provide improved services that only the wealthy can afford?

Ans:

No, it is really a big no for that, what about those poor people? It was so unfair for them. The healthcare organizations should make major investments in telemedicine to provide improved services to those poor people and not the wealthy one. That’s the real point there. So poor people can have a chance to survive whatever illness they suffered. Because poor people are also human and they deserve to be treated well, as well as the wealthy one.

3.) What are the drawbacks of telemedicine? What situations might not lend themselves to telemedicine solutions?

Ans:
  On balance the benefits of telemedicine are substantial, assuming that more research will reduce or  eliminate the obvious drawbacks. The main drawbacks of telemedicine that can be envisaged are :

a      a ) A breakdown in the relationship between health professional and patient 

        b) A breakdown in the relationship between health professionals

  c)Quality of information issues

 Second Opinion Telemedicine Solutions, Inc. is a full-service, solution oriented company, offering a wide variety of products and services for the Telemedicine, TeleHealth, Home Monitoring and all other evidence based markets. Our product offering starts with our pioneering Second Opinion™ Store & Forward / Collaboration line of software applications - Second Opinion™ Professional & WebAccess, Interactive Videoconferencing Mobile Medical Carts – seeMore & IRIS, and medical peripherals which include HD and non-HD medical video scopes. Along with our comprehensive line of digital video and still cameras we also carry a variety of vital sign monitors and electronic stethoscopes.
With over 2,000 nation-wide sites using our software, we are proud to say that our Store & Forward collaboration software is now the “standard” for many Telemedicine networks. Special projects and custom solutions is our specialty.

 http://www.sotelemed.com/

Chapter 7

Vignette

Boeing Dreamliner Faces A Few Bumps in the Road

1.) Is this example of software problems holding up the introduction of a major new product and impacting a firm’s customers and suppliers unusual, or is it a common occurrence?

Ans:

Yes, it is not a common occurrence but it is all because of the latest software problems.

2.) What can organizations do to reduce the negative consequences of software development problems in the production of their products and the operation of their business processes and facilities?

Ans:

Organizations should secure always the capability and strength of their products to avoid problems in the production of their products and the peration of their business processes and facilities.

Case Study

3.) Patriot Missile Failure

1.) With the benefit of hindsight, what steps could have been taken during development of the Patriot software to avoid the problems that led to the loss of life? Do you think these steps would have improved the Patriot’s effectiveness enough to make it obvious that the missile was a strong deterrent against the scud? Why or why not?

Ans:

The Patriot system has a 7.4 foot long missile powered by a single stage solid propellant rocket motor that runs at mach 3 speeds.The missile itself weighs 2200 pounds and its range is 43 miles. The Patriot is armed with a 200 pound high-explosive warhead detonated by a proximity fuse that causes shrapnell to destroy the intended target. Each Patriot missile system has eight m-901 storage/transportation containers that serve as launchers, and every launcher contains four missiles. The launchers are hooked to an m-860 trailer. The system possesses an MSQ-104 engagement control station, which is mounted on an M-818 tractor. The Track Via Missile guidance system is the basis of the overall system.

The system is built around radar and fast computers.The missile is launched and guided to the target through three phases. First, the missiles guidance system turns the Patriot toward the incoming missile as that missile flies into the Patriot's radar beam. Then the Patriot's computer guides the missile toward the incoming Scud missile. Finally, the Patriot Missile's internal radar receiver guides it toward the interception of the incoming missile. (Boyne, Walter Colonel U.S.A.F. (Ret) Gulf War-A comprehensive guide to people, places and weapons Signet 1991) 

 http://www.cdi.org/issues/bmd/patriot.html

2.) What ethical decisions do you think the U.S. military made in choosing to deploy the Patriot missile in Israel and Saudi Arabia and in reporting the effectiveness of the Patriot system?

Ans:

 During the Gulf War, the Patriot was assigned to shoot down incoming Iraqi Scud or Al-Hussein Missiles launched at Israel and Saudi Arabia. The U.S. Army which was in charge of the Patriots claimed an initial success rate of 80% in Saudi Arabia and 50% in Israel. Those claims were scaled back to 70 and 40 percent. (See Frontline, WGBH Educational Foundation: "The Gulf War" and "Gulf War-A comprehensive guide to people, places and weapons" by Boyne, Walter Colonel U.S.A.F. (Ret), Signet 1991) (Part of the reason the success rate was 30% higher in Saudi Arabia than is Israel is that in Saudi Arabia the Patriots merely had to push the incoming Scud missiles away from military targets in the desert or disable the Scud's warhead in order to avoid casualties, while in Israel the Scuds were aimed directly at cities and civilian populations.The Saudi Government also censored any reporting of Scud damage by the Saudi press. The Israeli Government did not institute the same type of censorship. Furthermore, the Patriot's success rate in Israel was examined by the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) who did not have a political reason to play up the Patriots success rate and even had reasons to downplay the Patriot's success rate. The IDF counted any Scud that exploded on the ground (regardless of whether or not it was diverted) as a failure for the Patriot. Meanwhile the U.S. Army who had many reasons to support a high success rate for the Patriots, examined the performance of the Patriots in Saudi Arabia.)

The Patriot missile has been hailed by some military advocates as the great defender of American troops (in Saudi Arabia) and Israeli civilians during the Gulf War. Furthermore the Patriot's Gulf War performance has been pointed to as a reason to pursue national missile defense as well as theater missile defense. Others claim that the Patriot was ineffective in stopping Iraqi Scuds (particularly in Israel) and is a perfect example of why BMD (Ballistic Missile Defense ) or "Star wars" as its detractors refer to it will not work. Five years after the Gulf War, the debate still continues.

http://www.cdi.org/issues/bmd/patriot.html

3.) What key lessons from this example of safety-critical software development could be applied to the development of business information system software?

Ans:
 

The system is built around radar and fast computers. The missile is launched and guided to the target through three phases. First, the missiles guidance system turns the Patriot toward the incoming missile as that missile flies into the Patriot's radar beam. Then the Patriot's computer guides the missile toward the incoming Scud missile. Finally, the Patriot Missile's internal radar receiver guides it toward the interception of the incoming missile. (Boyne, Walter Colonel U.S.A.F. (Ret) Gulf War-A comprehensive guide to people, places and weapons Signet 1991)

http://www.cdi.org/issues/bmd/patriot.html

Chapter 6

Vignette

RIAA Music Piracy Fights

1.) Is the RIAA’s strong stand on copyright infringement helping or hurting the music recording industry?

Ans:

RIAA’s about strong stand of the copyright infringement, of course helping much the recording industry. It is because RIAA justifies its strong antipiracy efforts as mean of protecting the ability of the recording industry to invest in new artist and new music, and giving legitimate online music sharing services a chance to be successful.

2.) Could an ISP’s implementation and enforcement of the RIAA’s multitier strategy have a negative impact on the ISP?

Ans:

Yes, because the ISP according to the RIAA can take a series of escalating sanctions against repeat offenders, ranging from slowing down the subscriber’s network speed to terminating offenders.

Case Study

3.) Lotus v. Borland

1.) Go to your school’s computer lab or PC software store and experiment with current versions of any two of the Quattro, Excel, or Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet programs. Write a brief paragraph summarizing the similarities and differences in the “look and feel” of these two programs.

Ans:
 

One is a spreadsheet program made by Lotus the other is a spreadsheet program made by Microsoft.

The main difference is the way in which formulas are entered - in Excel they are preceded by the = symbol and in 1-2-3 they are preceded by the + symbol.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_of_Microsoft_Excel_from_lotus_123#ixzz1v2XbGol3

2.) The courts took several years to reverse their initial decision and rule in favor of Borland. What impact did this delay have on the software industry? How might things have been different if Borland had receive an initial favorable ruling?

Ans:

Borland appealed the decision of the district court. It argued that the menu hierarchy is a "method of operation," which is not copyrightable according to 17 U.S.C. § 102(b).The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit reversed the district court's decision, agreeing with Borland's legal theory that considered the menu hierarchy a "method of operation." The court agreed with the district court that an alternative menu hierarchy could be devised, but argued that despite this, the menu hierarchy is an uncopyrightable "method of operation." The court made an analogy between the menu hierarchy and the arrangement of buttons on a VCR. The buttons are used to control the playback of a video tape, just as the menu commands are used to control the operations of Lotus 1-2-3. Since the buttons are essential to operating the VCR, their layout cannot be copyrighted. Likewise, the menu commands, including the textual labels and the hierarchical layout, are essential to operating Lotus 1-2-3.. The court also considered the impact of their decision on users of software. If menu hierarchies were copyrightable, users would be required to learn how to perform the same operation in a different way for every program, which the court finds "absurd." Additionally, all macros would have to be re-written for each different program, which places an undue burden on users.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Dev._Corp._v._Borland_Int%27l,_Inc.

3.) Assume that you are the manager of Borland’s software development. With the benefit of hindsight, What different decisions would you have made about?

Ans:

If I am the manager of Borland's software development. I wouldn't do a copyright infringement to any product of others own. To avoid illegal works.