Required reading
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	Textbook	Laudon & Laudon 1995 Ch. 8
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Overview

Again you have the whole of one chapter to do. This chapter is very important. The use of networks is increasing very rapidly. A recent survey in Computerworld showed that communications is the technical area which is of most concern to information systems managers. Setting up networks for communications and distributed processing is a very complex operation and specialist technical staff are essential. Again though, a basic knowledge of the technology is very important for all persons involved.

We encourage you to use electronic mail and to access the Internet while studying this unit if it is at all possible. You should experience for yourself how useful electronic mail is for quick, convenient communication, and how much information is available on the Internet. I have been using electronic mail and bulletin boards for assignment work with students in a unit similar to this one since 1990 and it has been very successful. Even in 1990 we had 82% of the off-campus students completing an optional electronic mail assignment.

Review questions

REVIEW QUESTION 5-1	Textbook	Laudon & Laudon 1995 pp. 299-301, Questions 1-3.
REVIEW QUESTION 5-2	Textbook	Laudon & Laudon 1995 pp. 302-308, Internet case study, Questions 1-3.

Quiz

Mark the correct answer.

QUESTION 1

A device that converts signals from digital to analog or from analog to digital is called a:
(a) concentrator
(b) controller
(c) multiplexer
(d) modem
(e) compiler.

QUESTION 1

Which of the following devices merges several communication signals into a single line?
(a) port
(b) modem
(c) multiplexer
(d) acoustic coupler
(e) front-end processor.

QUESTION 3

Electronic mail (E-mail) is especially effective for:
(a) improving input
(b) improving output
(c) transmitting graphic images
(d) transmitting data
(e) eliminating telephone tag.

QUESTION 4

Store-and-forward is used in:
(a) facsimile
(b) teleconferencing
(c) mail merge
(d) voice mail
(e) video conferencing.

QUESTION 5

An effective method of reducing business travel is:
(a) client/server computing
(b) teleconferencing
(c) mail merge
(d) an electronic thesaurus
(e) a front-end processor.

Put a tick in the appropriate box.	True	False
QUESTION 6
Blocks of data are transmitted framed by flags when using asynchronous transmission.
QUESTION 7
The links by which data and voice are transmitted are called channels.
QUESTION 8
High-frequency radio signals are used by microwave systems.
QUESTION 9
A primary advantage of teleconferencing is that data input is substantially reduced.
QUESTION 10
Electronic generation of purchase orders and invoices is done by electronic mail.
Write the most appropriate word on the line.
QUESTION 11
The equipment often used to connect computers within an office is called a ___________________.
QUESTION 12
The computer that manages the storage of shared data files in a LAN is a ___________________.
QUESTION 13
Exchange of information between networks uses ___________________.
QUESTION 14
A leased or purchased line is called a ___________________ channel.
QUESTION 15
Safeguarding information systems and networks from disruption and penetration by outsiders is called ___________________.

Answers to quiz

Question 1.	(d)
Question 2.	(c)
Question 3.	(e)
Question 4.	(d)
Question 5.	(b)
Question 6.	F
Question 7.	T
Question 8.	T
Question 9.	F
Question 10.	F
Question 11.	private branch exchange
Question 12.	file server
Question 13.	a gateway
Question 14.	dedicated
Question 15.	security

Answer pointers to Review questions

Taken from Simmons (1995).

REVIEW QUESTION 5-1

1. Some good reasons for monitoring could be the objective awarding of bonuses, quality control. Cons include invasion of privacy, use of quantified measures to judge service (i.e. if an airline's ticket agent are rewarded by how many tickets they write, they may be impatient with customers who can't make up their minds), employee stress, errors having high impact. It may also lead to higher absenteeism if employees can't take care of simple, personal matters at work.

2. Either side is defensible

   Pro: legislation may strengthen E-mail privacy

   Cons:
   

   • legislation may provide fodder for more frivolous litigation
   • it is difficult to effectively legislate ethical behavior
     
   • who would police it?

3. The policies of Federal Express, Nordstrom, Kodak and the Bank of Boston can be used as an example for the E-mail policy, or a less Draconian policy could be developed as follows:

   Employees should use E-mail primarily for company business. Occasional private use is permitted. In any case where there is the suspicion of excessive private use, the company reserves the right to intercept and read E-mail messages and/or to suspend private use entirely.

   Workplace monitoring-one approach could be voluntary. Employees could opt to be monitored-with monitoring used as a "carrot" rather than as a "stick"-i.e. workplace monitoring will be done on a volunteer basis to allow bonuses to be awarded for exceptional productivity.

REVIEW QUESTION 5-2

1. A good answer will have focused on the sales function and the international nature of the corporation. For example, by suggesting that the sales force on several continents should communicate routinely with headquarters, perhaps by using laptops equipped with modems linked to the Internet and suggesting ways to use the "net" to communicate with customers or to research issues related to a customer need.

   You should at least raise problems discussed in the case, such as security concerns (perhaps wanting to keep sales negotiations with a particular company highly confidential). You may also raise other concerns, like sales staff fearing that with such a close connection with management, they will be too closely monitored ("big brother"). A firm seriously interested in using the Internet for sales staff should consider using an Internet service that provides a user-friendly interface to the network or developing one internally for the company's employees.

2. Your response must handle the growing clash described in the case. For example, to satisfy the traditional users, guidelines would have to restrict advertising that could flood the network and make it impossible for people to handle their own mail because of unwanted "junk" mail. If the Internet ever developed any central administration, perhaps usage fees could be levied on Internet users seeking to use the network for profit. You might look to build bridges with both sides by their guidelines, for example by indicating that junk mail overload would affect commercial as well as non-commercial users.

3. Solutions are limited only by your imagination. The purpose of this question is to get you to wrestle with this very difficult question that is critical to the future of us all. The development of a large, permanent underclass could dramatically change our society and our values. Did you consider why someone would choose to use the Internet in the first place because making a computer node available to someone does not motivate them to use it if they see no value.