DEFINE E-BUSINESS. Is the application of networks including the internet to exchange information and link business processes among organizations and/or individuals. These processes include the interaction between the back-office and the front-office processes. DESCRIBE HOW TECHNOLOGY HAS SUPPORTED AMAZON.COM’S GROWTH. Amazon.com has grown because it has used technology to enhance the company’s value chain and to satisfy customers’ needs. It had innovated technology that allows a customer to shop at one location for many different items without burdening the amazon.com with the inventory-carrying expenses of traditional retailers. It has also innovated the collection and analysis of customer purchase data. By offering a wide variety of books online and having the procurement and delivery system in place satisfy orders in a timely manner; it has been able to grow substantially. These provided amazon.com a competitive advantage in the online retailers’ marketplace. DESCRIBE THE ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MANUAL ACCOUNTING SYSTEM.
The following activities are associated with the manual accounting system. First is to journalize the business event in a book of original entry. The second activity is to post the business event from the journal to the subsidiary ledger. Third, is to post the total from the journal to the general ledger. Finally, is to summarize the business events by preparing a trial balance. DESCRIBE THE STAGES OF AN AUTOMATED ACCOUNTING PROCESS. The following activities are associated with the automated accounting system. Input stage that includes the capturing of data and converting the data to machine readable form. In the same manner the accounting transactions are recorded in a business event data store. Second is the update AR master data, which is equivalent to the post of business event data to the subsidiary ledger activity and to the processing/update stage. This process can be performed for each invoice as it is recorded on the sale event data store or periodically for a group of invoices. Lastly, is the preparation of the trial balance that is equivalent to the processing of output. To do so, this process retrieves general ledger master data from storage and prints the trial balance. REGARDING DATA STORES, COMPARE/CONTRAST BUSINESS EVENT DATA AND MASTER Business event data (transaction file) is a book of original entry used for recording business events. These business events comprise the activities of the organization. While master data are repositories of relatively permanent data maintained over an extended period of time. Master data contain data related to entities—persons and organizations, places and things. Master data include such data as AR master data, the customer master data, and the GL master data. Business event data are often used as a key source to update various master data. These master data updates incorporate new master data into existing master data by deleting, adding, and replacing master data and/or records. EXPLAIN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PERIODIC MODE AND BATCH PROCESSING. Batch processing is the aggregation of several events over some period of time with the subsequent processing of these data as a group by the information system while the periodic mode is the processing of business event in which a delay exists between the various data processing steps. The periodic mode is heavily dependent on the use of batch processing and the two terms are used interchangeably.

LIST AND DESCRIBE THE FOUR BASIC SUBPROCESSES COMPLETED IN PROCESSING BUSINESS EVENT DATA USING BATCH PROCESSING. The following are the four basic sub processes. First is the occurrence of business event wherein the information is recorded on a source document by the sales clerk. Second is to record business event data. At this point a batch of source document is transferred to a data entry operator who takes the information from the source document and enters the data in a computerized format. These are usually entered using an offline mode. Third is to update the master data wherein the sales event data store is brought to the computer to be processed and any calculations and summarizations completed. This information is used to update the master data. Finally is the generation of outputs. After all the calculations have been completed and the data updated the system periodically generate the applicable reports. EXPLAIN HOW THE USE OF OLTE CAN INCREASE EFFICIENCY WHEN USING BATCH PROCESSING.
The online transaction entry allows business event data to be entered directly into the information system at the time and place that the business event occurs. These systems merge the traditional sub processes of business event occurrences and record business event data into a single operation. At the point of business event, a computer input device or PC is used to enter the event data into the data entry system rather than onto a source document. The use of OLTE eliminates the need to have one person enter business event data on one source document and then have a second person perform the data entry to convert the business event data to a computer-ready form. In an OLTE, one perso performs both operations. EXPLAIN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OLRT AND IMMEDIATE MODE PROCESSING. Online real-time systems gather business event data at the time and place of occurrence, update the master data essentially instantaneously and provide the results arising from the business event within a very short amount of time—that is ,in real-time. The OLRT systems complete all stages of business event data processing in an immediate mode; that is there is little or no delay occurs between any two data processing steps as opposed to periodic mode. LIST AND DESCRIBE THE THREE BASIC SUBPROCESSES COMPLETED IN PROCESSING BUSINESS EVENT DATA USING OLRT PROCESSING. The three sub processes are: first, business event occurs and record business event data. At the time of business event, the related data are entered directly in to the system. Source documents are almost never used because they significantly slow the processes and remove some of the advantages of non-redundant data entry. Second is to update the master data wherein in each business event data that has been entered into the system is processed individually and any calculations and summarizations completed. This information is used to update the master data. Third, is to generate reports (support queries.) Applicable reports will be generated by the system on a periodic basis. EXPLAIN THE DIFERENCE BETWEEN WIDE AREA NETWORKS AND LOCAL AREA NETWORKS.
The enabling networks underlying client/server technologies are local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs.) The former are communication networks that link several different local user machines with printer, databases, and other shared networks while the latter are communication networks that link distributed users and local networks into an integrated communication networks. WHAT ARE THE FOUR METHODS OF CONDUCTING E-BUSINESS? The four methods of conducting e-business are: Electronic mail (E-mail), Electronic Document Management (EDM), Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), and Internet Commerce.

HOW CAN E-MAIL BE ADAPTED TO A MORE STRUCTURED FORM TO AID IN CAPTURING DATA?
As a means of getting around the unstructured nature of E-mail transmission, marketers provide an electronic order form that adds structure to the information content of the message. However, even the electronic order form entry of the data into the systems generally requires some keying by data entry personnel. EXPLAIN THE ADVANTAGES OF USING ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT RATHER THAN TRADITIONAL PAPER-BASED DUCOMENT SYSTEMS. The advantages are: Reduced cost handling and storing paper. An organization that uses EDM has no more large amount of paper produced and stored. Thus, they do not need to have more file cabinets and also can create savings on storage and handling costs. Improved staff productivity. Each staff in the organization will not consume more time scanning files on the cabinet/looking certain files in location. Whereas, through EDM, an office clerk will have to enter only some keywords to retrieve data/information. Superior customer service. Since retrieval of information is not time-consuming, customer can be served in just a short span of time. Enhanced management of operational workflow. Since file(s) retrieval is more organized and efficient, no delay on the business operations can be encountered. Faster processing. Information/data/files can be retrieved easily. EXPLAIN HOW ELECTRONIC DATA INTERCHANGE IS USED TO LINK TWO COMPANIES’ PROCESS TOGETHER.
With EDI an originating applications prepares an electronic business document, such as a purchase order (PO). At the destination organization, an application processes the business data. Then an application’s electronic business document must be translated to the structured EDI format that will be recognized by the receiving computer. A Value- Added Network (VAN) Service is connecting between the two trading parties via communication networks that routes EDI message to VAN “mailbox.” A VAN service acts a the EDI “post office” that an organization can connect to the VAN when it wants, leave its outgoing messages, and, at the same time, pick up incoming messages from its “mailbox.” WHAT IS THE MAIN ADVANTAGE OF USING EDI TO CAPTURE AND PROCESS BUSINESS EVENTS? The main advantage of using the EDI is the significant reduction in need for interaction between purchasers and salespeople coupled with the standard implementation of OLTE. EXPLAIN HOW VALUE-ADDED NETWORKS (VANs) ARE USED TO SIMPLIFY ELECTRONIC DATA INTERCHANGE BETWEEN TWO OR MORE COMPANIES.
Rather than connecting to each trading partners, an organization can connect to a value-added network. A VAN service acts the EDI “post office” that an organization can connect to the VAN when it wants, leave its outgoing messages, and, at the same time, pick up incoming messages from its “mailbox.” A VAN generally operates as a hub linking many business partners together. DEFINE WEB SERVICES. Web service is a software application the t supports direct interactions with software objects over an intranet or internet.

DESCRIBE SERVICE-ORIENTED ARCHITECTURE (SOA). Service-oriented architectures refer to well-defined, independent functions that can be distributed over a network via Web Services. The SOA applications are essentially plug- and-play components that are available over the internet. To be plug-and-play, they must be for a well-defined process, as well as self-contained and independent of other processes. HOW DOES INTERNET COMMERCE SIMPLIFY THE WORLD OF E-BUSINESS?
With the aid of internet commerce it allows the initiation and consummation of business events. The goods or services that are contracted for through the internet are immediately forwarded back to the consumer via the internet as well. It radically simplifies e-business by allowing the organization that is receiving and processing business event data to project templates formats across the internet to business partners for easy data entry and data transmission. WHAT ROLE DOES NETWORK PROVIDERS PLAY IN THE INTERNET COMMERCE ENVIRONMENT? Network providers are companies that provide a link to the internet by making their directly connected network available for access by fee-paying customers. They bring a host of other benefits along with internet access. Moreover, for organizations to participate in internet commerce both parties to the business event must have the capability to communicate. EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF INTERNET ASSURANCE SERVICES.WHAT TYPES OF ASSURANCE ARE PROVIDED? Internet Assurance is a service provided for a fee to vendors to provide limited assurance to users of the vendor’s web site that the site is in fact reliable, and event data security is reasonable. It addresses the concern on Internet Security. Further, among the services provided are privacy on personal information, credit card misuse and identity theft, security, availability, processing integrity, online privacy, and confidentiality. DESCRIBE THE WEBTRUST.
CPA Webtrust is designed to provide comfort and assurance that a Web site is reasonably safe for users participating in B2C Internet Commerce. Upon receiving an unqualified opinion from an accounting practitioner, a seal is placed on the client’s Web page. A user of the Web page can click on the seal site to receive notification of the rights for the symbol to be displayed on the given Web page. If a user selects the link provided with the seal, he/she can view the practitioners actual report on the client’s Web page. The Webtrust seal provides assurance that a CA or CPA has evaluated the business practices and controls of the given client to determine whether its Web page is in accordance with Webtrust criteria. After a site receives Webtrust certification, the practitioner should review the site periodically to assure that adequate standards have remained in place and the site remains reasonably secure. DESCRIBE THE USES OF INTERNET OTHER THEN COMPLETING SALES, WHICH HELP IMPROVE THE SUCCESS OF BUSINESS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. The two other uses of internet are auction market and market exchanges. The former provide an internet base for companies to place products up for bid or for buyers to put proposed purchases up for bid while the latter brings together a variety of suppliers in a given industry with one or more buyers in the same industry to provide internet commerce through organized markets. The internet is not only a place for completing sales but also an environment for improving customer support. It may also be an arena for providing ongoing customer support. Internet also allows an organization to advertize their goods and services.