The set of activities through which a product or service is created and delivered to customers; these processes are the source of instructions for computer programs.
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
Capital
The monetary investment required to start or sustain a business; high capital intensity acts as a significant barrier to entry for new competitors.
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
Curse of Knowledge
The phenomenon where knowing something makes it hard to imagine not knowing it, often leading experts to be poor communicators with novices.
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
Data
The central component of the 5-part Information System model that acts as the "bridge" between the computer side and the human side.
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
Disruptive Technology
Innovation that significantly alters the way consumers, industries, or businesses operate, often emerging while the market is focused on current high-end needs.
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
Hype Cycle
A graphical representation of the maturity and adoption of technologies; it warns managers that market speculation (hype) often outpaces actual demand.
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
Inherent Processes
The specific, pre-designed procedures built into software (like Excel) that reflect the mental models of the people who created them.
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
Mental Models
The internal sets of rules and ways of thinking learned from background and education that influence how people design and use information systems.
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
Metrics
Quantifiable, objective measures used to track, monitor, and assess the success, efficiency, and performance of various business processes
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
Moore's Law
The principle that chip performance (number of transistors) doubles roughly every two years for the same cost, driving constant technological advancement.
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
Software
The instruction component of an information system that controls the hardware; it belongs to the "Computer Side" of the 5-part model.
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
Practice Quiz
1. A veteran McCombs professor finds it difficult to explain the basic logic of an Excel VLOOKUP to a freshman student because the professor can no longer remember what it was like to not understand the concept. Which MIS concept is the professor experiencing?
Mental Models
Curse of Knowledge
Inherent Processes
Self-Directed Learning
Answer: b) Curse of Knowledge. The scenario explicitly describes the difficulty of imagining a lack of knowledge, which is the definition of this concept.
2. "Longhorn Laptops" moves its inventory tracking from a handwritten notebook to a digital spreadsheet. According to the 5-part Information System model, which component is primarily responsible for "bridging" the physical hardware/software and the human employees?
Hardware
Procedures
Data
Automation
Answer: c) Data. In the 5-part model, Data is the central "bridge" that connects the Computer Side to the Human Side.
3. A startup in West Campus tries to launch a new social app to rival Instagram. Even though their app has better features, no students will switch because all their friends and photos are already on Instagram. Which barrier to entry is the startup primarily facing?
Capital Intensity
Network Effects
Regulation
Moore's Law
Answer: b) Network Effects. The scenario describes the value of the service being tied to the number of other users (friends), which is a classic network effect.
4. A manager sees a massive amount of social media "hype" for a new AI tool. However, they decide not to invest after seeing that actual corporate adoption rates are flattening at 14%. Which tool or concept did the manager use to avoid the "bubble"?
Examining Metrics (the numbers)
Moore's Law
Vertical Integration
Value Chain Analysis
Answer: a) Examining Metrics (the numbers). The manager looked at actual "adoption rates" versus "speculation," which is the recommended way to see through the Hype Cycle.
5. A software engineer at Apple designs a new app based on how they *think* a student would use it, but students find the app confusing because their way of thinking is different. This conflict is caused by a difference in what?
Hardware
Mental Models
Capital Intensity
Disruptive Technology
Answer: b) Mental Models. The scenario describes a conflict between different internal "sets of rules" or "ways of thinking" between the designer and the user.