• Understand management information needs; the concept of relevance and methods of interpretation.
   
• Understand that information has many characteristics and can be classified in many ways. Examples include:
  • Source - internal, external, primary, secondary
  • Nature - quantitative, qualitative, formal, informal
  • Level - strategic, tactical, operational
  • Time - historical, current, future.
  • Frequency - real-time, hourly, daily, monthly.
  • Use - planning, control, decision
  • Form - written, visual, aural, sensory
  • Type - detailed, aggregated, sampled
     
• Discuss the value of information in aiding the decision making process.
   
• Understand the difference between internal and external information requirements.
   
• Describe the characteristics of good information and delivery; relevant, accurate, complete, user confidence, to right person, at right time, in right detail, via correct channel of communication, understandable.
   
• Describe the advantages and characteristics of good information within an applications context. 

Type

Size

Type

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Type

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(a). Describe two differences between the information needed by sales personnel in their day-to-day work, and by shareholders reading the annual report. (4)

(b). Describe, with the aid of an example, one characteristic of good quality information that might be produced by this system. (3)
(7 marks)

(b). Describe, with an example of each, the role of an information system in decision making for the following levels of supermarket management:

1. tactical;
2. strategic. (4 )

(c). Give an example of how a data processing operation in a supermarket might provide data for a company-wide information system. (2)
(10 marks)

(a) State six factors which influence the flow of information and data within an organisation.  (6)

(b) With the aid of examples, describe three techniques which could be used to review the current information flows.  (6)
(12 marks)

(a) Describe two possible uses these organisations could make of the data they purchase.  (4)

(b) Some customers may object to data held on them by one organisation being sold to another organisation.  Describe some of the arguments which either of these retail organisations may use to justify this practice.  (4)
(8 marks)

A college collects data from incoming students which includes the students' subjects and grades at GCSE level.  These grades are used to predict an expected grade at A level.  It is found that some of the grades given by students are less than accurate.  Describe methods of data capture and entry which would minimise this problem. 
(6 marks)