Section A

MetroWater is a public utility managing a city's water grid. It operates as an 'open system'.

Which of the following is a definitive characteristic of an open system in the context of MetroWater's management information system?

It operates entirely independently of external environmental factors.

It interacts with and responds to its external environment, such as changing weather patterns and regulatory shifts.

It restricts data access strictly to internal management personnel.

It relies solely on historical internal financial data for decision-making.