Question

A police department at a large metropolitan city implemented an information system that analyzes historical crime data, including date and locations as well as other external, environmental, and city-related data. The system then produces daily predictive reports of the major locations around the city that are likely to require additional police attention. The police department uses the reports to plan the officers' patrol routes, targeting the areas that the system predicted to have high likelihood of incidents.

Which type of computer-based information system provides a competitive advantage based on the described scenario?
a. A decision support system (DSS) that improves decision-making.
b. A transaction processing system (TPS) that promotes product differentiation.
c. A geographic information system (GIS) that helps increase market share.
d. A management information system (MIS) that enhances the customer experience

Answer 1

The system described for predicting crime hotspots in a metropolitan police department is a Geographic Information System (GIS), which is used to analyze and visualize spatial data to aid in resource allocation and strategy for public safety improvement.

Step-by-step explanation:

The information system described in the question is a Geographic Information System (GIS), which incorporates various types of data and uses spatial analysis to predict areas that are likely to have a high incidence of crime. This predictive functionality enables police departments to allocate their resources more effectively, improving public safety and potentially providing a competitive advantage.

A decision support system (DSS) is meant to assist with decision-making processes, often by analyzing business data, but it is not inherently geographic in nature like GIS. A transaction processing system (TPS) is designed to handle day-to-day transactions and would not be relevant to this predictive mapping task. Lastly, a management information system (MIS) typically summarizes and reports on the company's basic operations and is not used for predictive purposes in the same way as GIS.

GIS has evolved into a critical tool for urban planning, law enforcement, and a number of other applications that require spatial analysis. By combining traditional geographic data with other relevant data sets, GIS provides valuable insights that can be utilized to enhance operational efficiency and strategy.