Final answer:
The accurate statement about a global information system (GIS) is that it enables communication between a company's headquarters and its international subsidiaries. GIS is crucial for managing spatial data on a global scale to support decision-making across various sectors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that is true of a global information system (GIS) is that it facilitates communication between headquarters and subsidiaries in other countries. A GIS incorporates a variety of technologies that enable organizations to gather, store, process, and analyze large volumes of spatially-related information. This system does not limit its technologies to a single country and, quite the opposite, it is designed to leverage data from and communicate across various regions globally.
In the context of business, a GIS is essential in helping to integrate information across all levels of an organization, including communication between a company's headquarters and its international subsidiaries. GIS specialists create and analyze geographical information to support decision-making processes in both government and private sectors.
Furthermore, GIS tools have become critical in fields like urban planning, cartography, transportation, and environmental science. They enable the overlay and analysis of multiple spatial data layers, which can be instrumental in site selection for businesses, urban development planning, and analyzing environmental changes, among other applications. These systems do not promote complete autonomy of subsidiaries; rather, they facilitate integrated and informed decision-making on a global scale.