Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Pull reporting mode in which users actively visit a web portal and request reports whenever they need them
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question focuses on an important concept in management information systems and decision support systems, namely the difference between push and pull reporting modes. Modern organizations often deliver reports through web portals, dashboards, and intranet sites, and understanding who initiates the delivery of information is essential for proper system design. The scenario described mentions that the report is generated by a reporting system but is accessed by users through a user accessed web site, which points directly to a pull style of information delivery rather than an automatic push.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
In reporting terminology, push and pull modes describe who initiates the movement of information. In a push mode, the system proactively sends information to users, such as through scheduled email reports or alerts. In a pull mode, information is made available at a known location, often a web portal, and the user is responsible for requesting or retrieving it. The key idea here is that when users must log in to a web site or dashboard to see the report, they are pulling the information on demand. This fits the classic definition of a pull reporting mode in business intelligence and data warehousing literature.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note that the report is not described as being emailed or pushed automatically to the user.Step 2: Observe that the description highlights a user accessed web site where users go to obtain the report.Step 3: Recall that in a push mode, the system initiates delivery, while in a pull mode, the user initiates the request.Step 4: Map this scenario to the definition where users actively visit a portal to retrieve information.Step 5: Conclude that the correct classification is pull reporting mode, since the user must request the report.
Verification / Alternative check:
To verify the reasoning, imagine what would be different in a pure push environment. The system would send an email attachment, a notification, or a message to users without them needing to visit a separate portal. Because the question explicitly highlights a user accessed site and does not mention any automatic sending, it aligns with an on demand model. Standard textbooks on decision support systems describe this pattern as pull based access, confirming that the pull mode is the correct answer.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Push reporting mode is incorrect because that would require the system to automatically send the report to users, which is not stated in the scenario.
RFM analysis mode is unrelated because it is a customer segmentation technique based on recency frequency and monetary value, not a report delivery mechanism.
OLAP cube browsing mode describes a multidimensional interactive analysis method rather than a simple report delivery mode through a web site.
Batch reporting with manual distribution is different because it assumes printed or file based distribution rather than user initiated web access.
Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to assume that any web based access is automatically a push system just because technology is involved. Another pitfall is to confuse analytical tools such as OLAP with reporting delivery mechanisms. Learners sometimes mix up the idea of where a report is stored with who initiates access to the report. The best way to avoid confusion is to focus on initiation. If the system sends the information without a user action, it is push. If the user must log in or click to ask for the information, it is pull. Keeping this distinction in mind will help when designing reporting systems and answering similar multiple choice questions.
Final Answer:
The correct reporting mode in this scenario is pull reporting mode in which users actively visit a web portal and request reports whenever they need them.
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