Common subsystems across functional information systems: Which subsystem consistently appears in each functional information system within an organization?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: information processor subsystem

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Functional information systems (marketing, finance, HR, production) share architectural building blocks. Recognizing the subsystem common to all of them clarifies how data is captured, stored, processed, and presented regardless of the business domain.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Each functional system collects inputs, processes them, and produces outputs (reports, dashboards, transactions).
  • We need the subsystem that is universal across functions.
  • Some subsystems are function-specific (for example, environmental scanning is prominent in marketing).


Concept / Approach:
The information processor subsystem refers to the core capture-process-store-deliver pipeline that every functional system needs. Internal accounting is a finance-specific function; environmental intelligence is more typical in marketing/strategy; system analysis is a lifecycle activity, not a runtime subsystem present in every functional module.


Step-by-Step Solution:
List universal needs: input processing, data storage, output/reporting.Map to subsystem that performs these tasks: information processor.Eliminate function-specific or lifecycle-only subsystems.


Verification / Alternative check:
Textbook architectures show each functional system with a processing core plus domain-specific logic; the processing core is the common denominator.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • Internal accounting: Domain-specific to finance.
  • Environmental intelligence: Emphasized in marketing/strategy, not universal.
  • System analysis: Project/SDLC activity, not a standard operational subsystem.
  • None of the above: Incorrect because “information processor subsystem” is correct.


Common Pitfalls:
Confusing development activities (analysis) with operational subsystems; conflating function-specific analytics with universal processing.


Final Answer:
information processor subsystem

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