Exam A  ECO361N–Spring 05

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Page 1; Each question is worth 2.5 points

1. What is the relationship between a diode and binary numbers.

 

 

 

 

2.  What is the difference between phone and CD grade digitization?

 

 

 

 

 

3. Name and very briefly discuss another technology based on IC technology miniaturization

 

 

 

 

4.  What is a client-server computer network?

 

 

 

 

 

5. What are two differences between computer (packet or asymmetric) and voice (continuous or symmetric) communication?

 

 

 

 

 

6.  What is compression and how is compression related to ShannonŐs law.

 

 

 

 

 

7. Briefly discuss: An FMS is a fully automated factory.

 

 

 

 

 

8. Why did information technology initially increase the use of paper.

 

 

 

 

 

9 What is CAD and CAE and give an example showing how they improve efficiency?

 

 

 

 

 

10 What is a computer bus and how is it evolving over time?

 

 

 

 

 

Page 2 [Stress the economics pages 2 and 3] {Each question is worth 6.25 points}

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11. Discuss: Discovery leads to invention leads to innovation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12. Discuss international competition in ICs since 1980 and its consequences.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13. What is the economics of backwards compatible? Give as example

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14. Can a computer think and is thinking necessary for applications?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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15. Discuss the shift of communication from regulated monopoly to competition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16 Briefly discuss with an example: The best way to improve manufacturing competitiveness is to advance automation as fast as possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17. How  did firms improve the efficiency of ordering parts and inventory since 1980?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18.  Give an example of quasi intelligent software and discuss its economics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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19.  In the 90s productivity soared. SAP and other firms integrated business processes over the entire firm. How was this done and to what extent are business processes currently integrated? Give and example and discuss the implication cost. How did integration of business processes throughout the firm improve productivity? Was this necessary to implement improvements based on the Internet?