IMST Information Systems & Technology 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of information system is primarily designed to support structured, repetitive transactions at the operational level of an organization?
- Decision Support System
- Transaction Processing System (Correct answer)
- Executive Information System
- Expert System
Correct answer: Transaction Processing System
Transaction Processing Systems (TPS) handle the day-to-day routine transactions that keep a business running, such as payroll, order entry, and inventory updates.
Question 2: In information systems, what does the term 'data warehouse' primarily refer to?
- A physical server room for data storage
- A subject-oriented, integrated repository designed for reporting and analysis (Correct answer)
- A real-time transactional database
- A backup system for disaster recovery
Correct answer: A subject-oriented, integrated repository designed for reporting and analysis
A data warehouse is a subject-oriented, integrated, time-variant, and non-volatile collection of data designed to support management decision-making.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system?
- To manage customer relationships only
- To integrate core business processes across departments into a single unified system (Correct answer)
- To provide internet connectivity across the enterprise
- To replace all legacy databases with a new schema
Correct answer: To integrate core business processes across departments into a single unified system
ERP systems integrate business functions such as finance, HR, supply chain, and manufacturing into one unified platform to streamline operations.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes a Management Information System (MIS)?
- A system that processes raw transactions in real time
- A system that provides managers with structured reports to support routine decision-making (Correct answer)
- A system used exclusively by executives for strategic planning
- A network monitoring and security tool
Correct answer: A system that provides managers with structured reports to support routine decision-making
MIS generates structured, periodic reports from TPS data to help middle managers monitor performance and make routine operational decisions.
Question 5: What does 'system integration' mean in the context of information management?
- Installing new hardware in a data center
- Connecting disparate systems so they can share data and function cohesively (Correct answer)
- Migrating all data to a cloud provider
- Decommissioning outdated legacy applications
Correct answer: Connecting disparate systems so they can share data and function cohesively
System integration is the process of linking different IT systems, services, and software to work as a coordinated, unified infrastructure.
Question 6: Which technology layer in an information system is responsible for storing and retrieving structured data?
- Presentation layer
- Application layer
- Data layer (Correct answer)
- Network layer
Correct answer: Data layer
The data layer (also called the data tier or persistence layer) manages database storage, retrieval, and management of structured organizational data.
Which type of information system is primarily designed to support structured, repetitive transactions at the operational level of an organization?