Get premium membership and access revision papers, questions with answers as well as video lessons.

Got a question or eager to learn? Discover limitless learning on WhatsApp now - Start Now!

Data Resource Management Question Paper

Data Resource Management

Course:Bachelor Of Commerce

Institution: Strathmore University question papers

Exam Year:2011

STRATHMORE UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT AND COMMERCE
Bachelor of Commerce
END OF SEMESTER EXAMINATION
BCS 4204 – DATA RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
DATE: 21st March 2011 TIME: 2 Hours
INSTRUCTIONS
Answer Question 1 and any other two questions.

QUESTION 1
a) In your own words, explain Business Intelligence. (2 marks)
b) Data is a company asset, to be managed as any other asset. Justify this statement.
(4 marks)
c) The table shown below lists dentist/patient appointment data. A patient is given an
appointment at a specific date with a dentist.
StaffNo DentistName PatientNo PatientName Appointment
S1011 Tony Mathioya P100 Gillian Nyambeki 12 Aug 2010
S1011 Tony Mathioya P105 Tabitha Wanjiku 13 Aug 2010
S1024 Helen Otieno P108 Ian Wairua 12 Sept 2010
S1024 Helen Otieno P108 Ian Wairua 14 Sept 2010
S1032 Matthew Suka P105 Tabitha Wanjiku 14 Oct 2010
S1032 Matthew Suka P110 John Keter 15 ct
2010
i) Draw an Entity Relationship Diagram showing the relationship between the entities
inferred from the table. (4 marks)
The table above is susceptible to update anomalies. Provide:
ii) Two examples of insertion anomalies (2 marks)
iii) Two examples of deletion anomalies (2 marks)
iv) One example of a modification anomaly. (1 mark)
v) Normalize the table to the First Normal Form, and identify the primary key for each table,
and the foreign key wherever appropriate. 5 marks)
(TOTAL 20 MARKS)

QUESTION 2
a) Use examples to illustrate two differences between operational and decision support data
(4 marks)
b) A new mall, Tusky’s Mall, just had its grand opening one year ago. This new mall is
attracting a lot of customers and stores. Tusky’s Mall, which is part of a series of malls
owned by a parent company, now needs a database to keep track of the management of the
mall in terms of keeping track of all its stores as well as the owners and workers of the
stores. The following are the initial user specifications about the mall:
• We need to record information about the mall and each store in the mall. We will need
to record the mall’s number, mall's name and address. A mall, at any point in time, must
contain one or more stores.
• For each store, we will record the following information: store number (which will be
unique), the name of the store, the location of the store (room number), departments, the
owner of the store, and manager of the store. Each store may have more than one
department, and each department is managed by a manager. Each store will have only
one store manager. Each store is owned by only one owner. Each store is located in one
and only one mall.
• A store manager can manage only one store. We have to record information on the store
manager: the name, ID number, which store he or she is working for, and their salary.
• We have to record information about the store owner, such as name, ID number, PIN
number, address, and office phone number. A store owner has to own at least one store,
and may own more than one store.
i) Given the description above, draw an entity relationship diagram to capture the entities and
their relationships. (8 marks)
ii) Map the above entity relationship model into a relational model. Draw relational tables to
each entity, incorporating the attributes provided in the description. Identify the candidate
keys, primary keys and foreign keys where appropriate. (8 marks)
(TOTAL 20 MARKS)

QUESTION 3
a) Discuss three problems arising from the traditional file-based data management systems. For
each problem, highlight how data integrity could be compromised. Use an example to
illustrate your answer. (6 marks)
b) The initial operation of a newly implemented database management system can be a
difficult task. This typically requires a conversion process from the use of a present system
to the operation of a new or improved DBMS. Explain the four major forms of system
conversion. (4 marks)
c) Distinguish between the external, conceptual and internal schema. (6 marks)
d) What are the four main areas that managers should consider when setting up a security
policy? (4 marks)
(TOTAL 20 MARKS)

QUESTION 4
a) Explain any three threats to data security. (3 marks)
b) Identify which hardware or software can be used to mitigate each threat highlighted
above. (3 marks)
c) Hewlett-Packard has identified three action steps that an organization can take to move
toward a successful data governance function and toward managing its data as a
corporate asset. Discuss these steps. (6 marks)
d) What does it mean to say that a database displays both entity integrity and referential
integrity? (4 marks)
e) Interpret the Entity Relationship Diagram below, and write the business rules that
describe the operations of this organization. Include a description of the relationships
between the entities. (4 marks)
(TOTAL 20 MARKS)
REGION STORE
is location for
JOB is assigned to EMPLOYEE
employs

QUESTION 5
a) Data mining describes a new breed of specialized decision support tools that automate
data analysis. Discuss the different phases in the data mining process. (8 marks)
b) What is data redundancy, and which characteristics of the file system can lead to it?
(4 marks)
c) Discuss any two issues that managers have to consider when selecting a database
management system (DBMS). (4 marks)
d) An organisation should fulfil several prerequisites in order to have secure data. Explain
any two of these prerequisites for good data security. (4 marks)
(TOTAL 20 MARKS)

Data Resource Management Question Paper

More Question Papers

Popular Exams