Essay
1. What are the advantages of prototypes?
· They provide a method for investigating an environment in which the problem is poorly defined and information is difficult to gather.
· They reduce the need for training information system users because the users are involved in developing the system.
· They reduce cost because building a model is less expensive than building the complete system. If the users decide the system shouldn’t be developed, the organization hasn’t lost all the money that would have been spent on building a complete system.
· They increase the chance of the system’s success by encouraging users’ involvement.
· They improve documentation because users and designers can walk through several versions of the system.
· They improve communication among users, top management, and information systems personnel because seeing a concrete model often prompts potential system to ask questions, express opinions, point out shortcomings and strengths, and so forth.
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2. What is a RFP?
Request for proposal (RFP) is a written document with detailed specifications used to request bids for equipment, supplies, or services from vendors. It’s prepared during the implementation phase and contains detailed information about functional, technical, and business requirements of the proposed information system.
3. How do e-marketplaces help business to maintain a competitive edge?
E-marketplaces help businesses maintain a competitive edge in the following ways:
· Providing opportunities for sellers and buyers to establish new trading partnerships.
· Providing a single platform for prices, availability, and stock levels that’s accessible to all participants.
· Solving time-constraint problems for international trade, and making it possible to conduct business around the clock.
· Making it easy to compare prices and products from a single source instead of spending time contacting each seller.
· Reducing marketing costs