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Getting maximum marks for Mobile Business

Written by: Jonathan Briggs

April 28, 2006 [4231 views]

Here are some notes to help you prepare yourself for the examination. I have also added some sample short answer questions (that are probably a bit harder than the real thing).

Read the questions carefully to understand exactly what is being asked
Answer the questions you are being asked
Look at the mark being awarded for the questions and write at least that number of different points
Answer using the information you have in your case study relating your answer to your specific clients
Watch for questions that ask for more than one thing for each part “List and explain”
Draw clear diagrams with clear labels and explanations
Answer all the questions dividing your time carefully
Remember that the first few marks for any question (or part) are much easier to achieve than the last few
Be able to discuss what is happening with mobiles and mobile applications within your chosen industry area
The are no negative marks in the multiple choice part of the paper
If you are unsure of the answer in a multiple choice test, strike out the answers you know to be wrong and guess between the remaining questions
There are no marks for the case study itself
Different students can get wildly different marks using the same case studies
Understand the terminology (in the mobile context) as well as the technology: location, personalisation, terminal, network, operator, presence, identity, business benefits
Think and write like a consultant

How to do poorly

Use someone else’s case study that you don’t really understand
Get all of the technologies confused
Answer only half of the questions
Ignore your “client” or “industry” when answering the short answer questions
Draw scrappy diagrams letting the examiners guess what boxes and lines mean
Write 3 sentences for a question worth 9 marks
Just because something is technically possible does not make it sensible – you could download the LOTR trilogy onto a suitably equipped mobile but it does not make financial sense
Assume that because something is new it will automatically be successful – watch out for “unique ways of…” being a selling point
Assume that the technology is what you are proposing. You are proposing a business solution that uses particular set of technologies
Write poorly making sure that your Knumber is ambiguous (or wrong)

Sample Short Answer Questions

Describe 3 current trends in mobile technology within your chosen industry area explaining why they are interesting (9 marks)
Describe the client you have chosen and briefly outline their current major information systems (12 marks)
Set out the main points of your proposal to your chosen client in the form of an action plan showing the steps your client needs to take to implement your idea (10 marks)
Discuss the costs and benefits of your proposals for your client and for their customers. (8 marks)
Will future developments in technology change how these customers will do business with your client in the longer term? Discuss the changes that you expect in the next 10 years and how this will affect these relationships. (10 marks)

Recent comments:

On April 29, 2006 at 9:56 AM, Jonathan wrote:

Does it matter if for my case study i use a really simple technology but it benefits the client immensely.

Jonathan replies: No that is fine - as long as it is mobile. SMS for example could be an effective technology. You can't of course just suggest giving staff mobiles and telling them to call/txt each other.

On May 5, 2006 at 12:02 PM, Yetunde wrote:

Hi jonathan,

Can you please clarify the diffrences between a service provider and a mobile network for our team, and if possible give examples of these two.

Jonathan replies: O2 and Orange operate and run mobile networks. Virgin does not. All three are mobile service providers.

On May 5, 2006 at 12:05 PM, Maroof wrote:

Hi Jonathan, will there be anymore lectures, or revision lectures you will be providing (optionally) ? Also any practise questions for the multiple choice part in particular? Thanks

Jonathan replies: I'm afraid we have finished. Good luck with the exams. The multiple choice parts are similar to the activities you have completed here and require an understanding of the technologies.

On May 6, 2006 at 9:34 PM, Mitul wrote:

'Describe the client you have chosen and briefly outline their current major information systems' (12 marks)

How can you discuss the client's 'current major information system' if they only have a simple website?

Jonathan replies: It is extremely unlikely that they only have a website. What about the systems within the organisation itself?

On May 7, 2006 at 11:42 AM, Tanvi Patel wrote:

Is the muitiple choice questions based on the lectures only or do we have to do wider reading for them?

Jonathan replies: They are based on the lectures, the activities and the research you have been doing.

On May 8, 2006 at 10:43 AM, adil muneer wrote:

hello jonathan briggs

what is the difference between mobile applications and mobile technologies?

please can you give some headings for the case study?

Jonathan replies: Mobile applications include games, location based services, m-commerce etc. They use mobile technologies including J2ME, positioning, server communication.

On May 11, 2006 at 2:52 PM, Shakeel wrote:

Can you create a case study without specifying a client? I mean if you're creating a new service idea altogether then why would you need to nominate a client? Isn't it sufficient to just say that there will be a new company that will offer these services by implementing the idea described?

Finally if you cant find any information on other companies providing a similar service is it safe to assume that no other company is offering these services? In that case how would you handle the questions that come up in the exam about competition companies providing similar services?

How difficult is it to simply get a pass grade for this module?

Jonathan replies: No. You must have a target client. You have been asked to offer something to a client - this is what you should do.

If you cannot find a competing service, you need to ask yourself why. It's ok not to find one but that should perhaps ring warning bells.

This module should be exactly the same as the others in terms of difficulty.

On May 11, 2006 at 3:02 PM, Shakeel wrote:

An example of a question is "Describe the client you have chosen and briefly outline their current major information systems (12 marks)".

If your service is a new one, and you have no specified a actual company, how would you anwser that question.

Jonathan replies: You still need to offer it to someone. This might be a network operator or a company that develops mobile apps. You are not going to be able to do it all on your own.

On May 11, 2006 at 4:58 PM, Lewis Djima wrote:

If my proposed technology is involves using RFID & SMS what would be the most appropriate name for this mobile application

Jonathan replies: I am not sure what you mean by a "name" as I don't know what the application does. Simply linking two technologies does not create an application. The application does something for a client or their customers.

On May 12, 2006 at 5:09 PM, eva wrote:

In regards to the case study, is a charity acceptable as the client? this area has been debated and i want to know what you think?

Jonathan replies: A charity is fine!

On May 12, 2006 at 5:14 PM, Pat wrote:

Please clarify the venue of the Mobile business exam date and time, i would be very grateful. i am hearing mixed info.

Jonathan replies: Chessington on Wednesday - but it is not run by me but by the University and you must check with them the exact details in case they change things.

On May 13, 2006 at 11:46 AM, DINLER wrote:

Jonathon,

Can you email me the past exam paper please?

Thanks

Isa

Jonathan replies: Last year's paper would not be useful as it had a different structure.

On May 14, 2006 at 12:29 PM, Ben wrote:

We have chosen a business that can improve in various ways for our case study, which involves introducing SMS, RFID and a Mobile Friendly Intranet site for 3G, WAP enabled mobiles. Is it ok to use all these technologies for our case study?

Jonathan replies: Yes, but I would focus on some main ones.

On May 14, 2006 at 10:05 PM, OP wrote:

Describe the client you have chosen and briefly outline their current major information systems (12 marks)

Mine is a bluetooth hotspot but it doesnt actually link to the clients current information system. Do we write about their current information systems even though it is separate from what is being proposed?

Jonathan replies: Yes - there is probably a reason to think about how they should be linked in future. The key is to answer the question you are asked adapting your thinking to the questions.

On May 15, 2006 at 1:58 PM, zee wrote:

Hi Jonathan,

Just need to clarify few things, orange and O2 are the only UK GSM mobile networks and GPRS and UMTS are constructed upon GSM infrastructure. Vodafone is just the service provider?

Thanks zee

Jonathan replies: No! Vodafone and T-Mobile both run GSM networks too. GPRS runs on top of GSM. UMTS is a separate network.

On May 15, 2006 at 5:56 PM, eva wrote:

what type of diagrams can i put in my case study? overall architectural diagrams? can i put a prototype of how the user interface of the mobile application will appear for the clients?
furthermore,the case study - does it have to be written professionally for the client or just 'notes', or bullet points?

Jonathan replies: Any diagrams you like. Architecture and systems diagrams would both make sense. The case study should be readible by me but can be in note form.

On May 15, 2006 at 7:41 PM, Waheed wrote:

Can u email me this years exam paper plz Jon, its ok i wont tell anyone else...

Jonathan replies: Thanks very much for the large check. I hope that you don't mind if it clears before I send you the exam paper. You should expect to have it by the end of the week. J.

On May 15, 2006 at 10:34 PM, Kiriharan wrote:

I have been working in a group of four and i see that you have stated on the module guide that you have to work in a group of 3 or less and in the Case Study Preparation page you have said that you can work in a group of 4 or less. which one is correct?

Jonathan replies: 4 or fewer is fine.

On May 16, 2006 at 3:11 AM, K0227075 wrote:

With our case studies do we need to have it hole punched to attach it to the answer paper? Or is stapled fine?

Jonathan replies: Please staple AND LABEL with you name and Knumber. I will be at the exam and will ask you to give them in separately.

On May 16, 2006 at 7:03 PM, OP wrote:

Theres 20 multiple choice questions, how many short answer questions are there?

Jonathan replies: 5 if I remember correctly

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This site is an educational resource, a research project and a publication channel written by Jonathan Briggs, Professor of eCommerce at Kingston University.
As well as being Professor at Kingston, Jonathan...

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