PROFESSIONAL ISSUES IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS PRACTICE

Section A

Answer Section A questions in Answer Book A

A1. a) Briefly explain what is meant by the term professionalism in the context of the computing industry.

b) The Royal Charter of the BCS states that one of its objectives is to advance knowledge of computing. Give FOUR examples, with brief explanations, of how the BCS achieves this objective.

A2. a) Explain the meaning of the terms sole trader and partnership, and describe the significant features of these two ways of conducting a commercial operation.

b) The UK recognises two types of limited company, the public limited company and the private limited company.

What is the essential difference between a public limited company and a private limited company?

c) Explain the meaning of the term management buyout.

A3. a) Job evaluation schemes can be either analytic or non-analytic. Through the use of examples, explain both types of scheme.

b) Distinguish between direct and indirect discrimination.

c) Describe THREE practices that an employer can apply to support effective compliance with anti-discrimination legislation.

Section B

Answer Section B questions in Answer Book B

B4. a) Explain what is meant by the terms fixed asset, current asset and current liability, illustrating each with an EXAMPLE from the IT industry.

b) In the context of a proposal to develop a new piece of software for sale, explain the concepts of net present value and opportunity cost.

B5. a) A student at the Upshire College of Education has hacked into the College’s student record system and has altered records relating to examination marks.

Discuss how the provisions of the UK Computer Misuse Act 1990 relate to this scenario.

b) Explain what is meant by the term copyright in the context of software.

If you discover someone has made a copy of software that you have written and is using it for his or her own purposes, what action can you take?

How does the situation change if the person who copied the software is selling copies to other people?

B6. a) Give FOUR examples of information that must be provided before goods are sold on the internet.

Explain why it is necessary to display terms and conditions of purchases on an e-business website.

b) One of the sections of the BCS Code of Conduct is entitled The Public Interest.

Summarise the content of this section of the code.

Discuss the obligations that this might impose on a BCS member who is working on a new medical records system for a hospital.