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UMUC European Division-Term 2/00-01

INSS 620 INFORMATION SYSTEMS POLICY

TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE

CLASS LOGISTICS

Class Times: 9:00 - 16:00 alternating A weekends

Lecturer: Valerie Mock, Ph.D.

e-mail: IN620de@hotmail.com, vemock@ed.umuc.edu

Office Hours: 1 hour before each class session and other times by appointment

Pre-requisite: Either INSS 540, INSS 540(r) or permission of the instructor; I would prefer that you have had INSS 530 or a degree in Business Administration if you do not have the pre-requisites.

Course Credit: 3 semester hours

TEXTBOOKS: 1) Strategic Management and Business Policy (7^th Edition), by Thomas Wheelan anad J. David Hunger, Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley, 1998 and 2) Corporate Information Systems Management (5^th Edition), by Lynda Applegate, F. Warren McFarlan, and James McKenney, New York: Richard D. Irwin, 1999. Recommended Reference: Strategic Planning for Information Systems (2^nd Edition), by John Ward and Pat Griffiths, New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.

CASES: There are several cases for which you will be responsible. These cases will be in either of the two primary texts.

HANDOUTS: Will be posted from time-to-time. You will be responsible for this material also.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course examines the issue of linking business performance with information systems technology. Alternative structures for matching the information systems organization with the overall organization are discussed and evaluated. Planning mechanisms and strategies are examined. Behavior and legal issues that relate to information systems management are addressed. Case studies are the primary pedagogical technique; they are used to expose students to information systems policy issues.

GRADING CRITERIA:

Group Project-Strategic Analysis/Suggested Implementation Plan for Existing Company	40 points
Case Analyses	10 points
Article Review	10 points
Midterm (including case analysis)	20 points
Final (including case analysis)	10 points
Class Participation (at least 4 web-based conferences that deal with class content plus in-class case questions/dialogue)	10 points
TOTAL	100 points

GRADING SCALE:

90-100 points = A

80- 89 points = B

70 -79 points = C

Below 70 points = FA

ASSIGNMENTS

Group Project: Each group will be expected to prepare and present a professional analysis of an organization, making sure to include at least 3/4 of the concepts presented in these texts and class discussion. This analysis will also involve a strategic shift and an implementation plan for that shift. The paper should range from 20-30 single-spaced pages. The group presentation should consist of PowerPoint slides with notes for an oral presentation that would last 20-30 minutes. Your group should also be expected to answer any questions posed by the other students. I will set up a Conference for each group project, once you have notified me of which corporation you will analyze. Each member of the group will have the opportunity to grade the other members on their level of participation/ effort on the project.

Case Analyses: For each case, you are expected to present the major points of the case, and make recommendations for improving the situation(s). You will be assigned to a case group by sending me a message indicating which case you want to do. I will then make case group assignments. The case group presentation should consist of PowerPoint slides with notes for an oral presentation that would last 15-20 minutes. Your group should also be expected to answer any questions posed by the other students. I will set up a Conference for each case. These case analyses should reflect the case process at the end of this document and class "discussions.". The general outline for case analysis follows the class schedule. You are expected to prepare one case for presentation and discussion in partnership with at least one other student in the class.

Article Review: Each student will be expected to review an article, either from a list or of their choosing. These articles must be about the size of a case. A lengthy Executive Summary of the article is to be posted to the Articles Conference. This will increase our understanding of the field and provide resources for future use on the comprehensive exams.

Midterm/Final: The midterm will consist of short answer essay questions, a comprehensive question, and a take home case. The essay questions will be based on the objectives for this course. The final will be comprehensive and consist of a take home comprehensive question and a case analysis.

Class Participation: Each student will be judged on the quality, not quantity, of participation in class discussions. I expect students to be interactive in the class and respond to at least 4 web-based Conferences pertaining to content and comment on the other "presentations" by their classmates.

COURSE POLICIES/EXPECTATIONS

The following policies apply to this class. These policies are generally reflected in the graduate catalog.

ATTENDANCE POLICY: Regular participation is expected. If I don’t hear from you each week, without prior notification, I will deduct points from your Conversations grade. Two weeks after a conversation is begun, I will close the opportunity to participate in that conversation. If there is a quiz or other assignment due during a specific week and you need to miss it, previous arrangements should be made with the instructor whenever possible. Please note that if you get behind, please contact me before withdrawing from the class, so we can see what we can work out.

ACADEMIC HONESTY: Students are expected to do their own work. Cheating on tests, plagiarism on written assignments, or any other form of academic dishonesty will result in a "0" for the assignment. Note that a D or an F usually results in at least 60 or 50 points, where violation of academic honesty results in none. See the European Division Catalog for the UMUC policy on academic dishonesty and plagiarism.

ASSIGNMENT/TEST SCHEDULES: Students are expected to hand in all assignments and complete all tests on the days they are due. If a student fails to complete any assignment or test, the resulting grade will be a "0," rather than an "F." Any other assignments will be marked down half a letter grade for each week the assignment is late. Quizzes cannot be made-up unless the student had an excused absence. Major tests can be made up only if prior arrangements are made with the instructor.

CLASS PREPARATION: Students are expected to do the work on a regular basis and read the materials before asking questions or doing the assignments.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

At the end of the class the students should be able to:

Relate how information needs of various organizational functions are integrated with information systems through the information systems' master development plan.

Be able to apply administration procedures and policy to specific areas of information systems management.

Describe the purpose of a mission statement and its internal and external uses and tell how the mission statement impacts IS/IT in an organization.

Describe a strategic management process (at least 5 phases) making sure to describe the tasks involved in each phase and tell how IS/IT is involved in the process.

Discuss the role of managerial values, ethics, and power in the formulation and implementation of strategy, especially as related to IS/IT.

Describe the role of stakeholders in the development of a mission statement and/or strategic statements, and give examples of several different types of stakeholders, especially for IS/IT.

Describe Porter's model for analyzing an industry making sure to define each element. Provide at least 5 short examples of how companies may be affected, especially IS/IT.

Describe some of the various elements in the environment beyond Porter's model that may affect an industry (macro-environment). Provide at least 5 short examples of how companies may be affected, especially IS/IT.

Describe the concept of the value chain, including the various activities, and provide an example of its use in the IS/IT part of the business.

Describe one "tool" or concept (such as life-cycle) that is used in strategic analysis and tell why you like this tool compared with others. Tell how it is specifically suited to the IS/IT part of the organization.

Describe the four basic generic corporate-level strategies and give examples for each, including the subcategories for two of the major categories. Tell how these strategies impact the IS/IT part of the organization.

Describe the generic business-level competitive strategies and provide examples of organizations using each of the various types. Be able to provide an IS/IT example also.

Describe some of the questions one needs to ask in each of the major functional areas when implementing strategy and derive similar questions for the IS/IT part of the organization.

Describe the importance of matching a corporation's strategy with CEO style and experience and the IS/IT strategy with the manager/executive of that function.

Describe where conflict might occur within an organization and how to minimize its effect, especially as it relates to IS/IT operations.

Describe the role of control in an organization, the various types of control, and what controls should be used in what situations. Elaborate on those to be used in the IS/IT organization.

Describe the reasons and ways corporations can select for going international and describe some of the important variables a corporation should choose when making such a decision.

Describe the importance of strategic alliances and provide two examples of where they have worked well and two examples of where they have worked poorly.

Describe the selection and development of Information Systems personnel and how IS/IT impacts the human resources function in an organization.

In addition, students are expected to improve their skills in the following areas:

Critical Thinking: Students should improve their ability to analyze computer user situations through: 1) the major project that involves analyzing a company/organization, 2) group case assignments, and 3) assigned practical problems from the text. The midterm and final also have in-depth case analyses that encourage students to think critically about real-world situations.

Writing Skills: Students should improve their writing skills through formal reporting on various assignment problems, and the major project, and on the mid-term and final.

Team-Building Skills: Students should improve their group work skills through group resolution of mini-cases and group development of a response to a major case.

Computer Skills: Students are expected to improve their computer skills by using word processing, spreadsheets, data bases, and the Internet for the completion of the assignments in this class. The use of e-mail is also encouraged. Since this course is on-line, it is expected that students will also experience the global classroom and use the Internet for information pertaining to their case and group project.

LECTURER INFORMATION

Teaching Philosophy

I believe students learn best when learning is fun and applied to real- world situations and when students are involved in the process. Therefore, students are expected to participate in discussions, work in groups to resolve in- class exercises, assist their fellow students when possible (without doing their work for them), and to ask questions when there is confusion. I believe that every student starts out with an A in the class and through his/her behavior illustrates to me that they are unworthy of an A. As an instructor, it is my job to facilitate the learning process, but I can't do so unless I have feedback as to what may be impeding that process.

Biography

After obtaining a BA from the University of Chicago in Anthropology, Dr. Mock worked for IBM for 15 years, primarily in the technical writing field as writer, editor, manager, and second-line manager. Her highest position was as the division's publications coordinator in the Systems Architecture Department reporting to the General Systems Division Vice President of Manufacturing. She has worked with the IBM 1800MPX System, the 360 and 370 Systems, the System/34, /36, and /38, among others. For several years she was a member of application development teams working in the manufacturing, health, education, and banking industries. After leaving IBM, she worked as an consultant to them, the American Red Cross, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Zygonic Technologies. In 1981 she received her MBA from Emory University and completed her Ph.D. at Georgia State University in Management in 1992. Since then she has been teaching business courses at Piedmont College and at Fort Valley State University in Georgia. She has been a member of UMUC faculty for three years and is currently the Academic Director of Graduate Programs.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

*Please note: students are expected to read the assignments prior to class week.* At a minimum, if you cannot find the time to read all of the assignment, scan the chapter and read the chapter summaries. Lecture(s)/discussion means look at the Course Content material and participate in any scheduled or unscheduled discussions via Study Groups or Conferences.
MBA = Strategic Management Book, MIS = Corporate Information Systems Management Book
Class	Topics:	Activities:
Class 1a June 2 am (morning)	Introduction to course, lecturer, & class members; Basic Concepts of Strategic Management; Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility	Presentation of Students; Discussion on what strategic management is and how it relates to IS/IT; Assignment: Read Chapters 1 and 2 (MBA--just scan pages 25-39)
Class 1b June 2 pm	Environmental Scanning and Industry Analysis; Internal Scanning: Organizational Analysis; Role of Groups in Strategic Planning	Lecture(s)/discussion; Exercises on External Environment and Five Forces Model; Formation of Groups and preliminary selection of group project company; Assignment: Read Chapters 3 and 4 (MBA)
Class 2a June 3 am	Strategy Formulation: Situation Analysis and Business Strategy; Strategy Formulation: Corporate Strategy; How to analyze a case	Lecture(s)/discussion; Begin Working in Groups on Case Analysis; Assignment: Read Chapters 5, 6, and 14 and the Microsoft Case (MBA)
Class 2b June 3 pm	Strategy Formulation: Functional Strategy and Strategic Choice	Finish Microsoft Case Analysis and Present to Class; Lecture(s)/discussions; Case Group meetings; Assignment: Read Chapter 7 (MBA); due: Selection of three cases in priority sequence for presentation to class
Class 3a June 16 am	McKinsey's 7S's; Strategy Implementation: Organizing for Action; Strategy Implementation: Staffing and Directing	Presentation of Mission Statements and Objectives by Groups; Lecture(s)/discussions; Assignment: Read Chapters 8 and 9 (MBA)
Class 3b June 16 pm	Evaluation and Control; Strategic Issues in Managing Technology and Innovation	Lecture(s)/discussions; Group exercise on establishing controls; Assignment: Read Chapters 10 and 11(MBA)
Class 4a June 17 am	Summary of Strategic Management and Business Policy	Midterm--midterm case (H. E. Butt) due
Class 4b June 17 pm	The Challenge of Information Systems Technology; The IT Business	Lecture(s)/discussions; Assignment: Read Chapters 1 and 13 (MIS); Presentation of Apple and Dell Computer cases
Class 5a July 7 am	Manageable Trends (IT); Effects of IT on Strategy and Competition	Lecture(s)/discussions; Group Presentation of Corporation up through SWOT Analysis; Presentation of VeriFone case; Assignment: Read Chapters 2 and 3 (MIS)
Class 5b July 7 pm	Electronic Commerce: Trends and Opportunities; Information, Organization, and Control	Lecture(s)/discussions; Presentation of Canadian Airlines, Internet Securities, Inc. cases; Group Meetings; Assignment: Read Chapters 4 and 5 (MIS)
Class 6a July 8 am	IT Architecture: Evolution and Alternatives; Organizing and Leading the Information Technology Function	Lecture(s)/discussions; Presentation of Taco-Bell, Inc., Frito-Lay, Inc., and Micro-Age, Inc. cases; Assignment: Read Chapters 6 and 7 (MIS)
Class 6b July 8 pm	Managing IT Outsourcing and IT Operations	Lecture(s)/discussions; Group meetings; Assignment: Read Chapters 8 and 9 (MIS)
Class 7a July 21 am	IT Management Processes; A Portfolio Approach to Information Technology Development	Lecture(s)/discussions; Presentation of Xerox, General Dynamics and Computer Sciences Corporation, Singapore Unlimited, and BAE Automated Systems; Assignment: Read Chapter 10 and 11 (MIS)
Class 7b July 21 pm	Global Issues	Lecture(s)/discussions; Presentation of Colliers International Property Consultants, Inc., www. springs.com, and Providian Trust cases; Group Meetings; Assignment: Read Chapter 12 (MIS)
Class 8a July 22 am	Application and Summary of class concepts	Group presentations of Business that was analyzed (20-30 minutes each);
Class 8b July 22 pm	Summary of Strategic Management and Business Policy and Information Systems	Finals due (Southwire case)

CASES TO BE SELECTED FOR STUDY

Microsoft Corporation (Sample Case)	Apple Computer, Inc.
H.E. Butt Grocery (Midterm case)	VeriFone
Dell Computer Corporation	Xerox
Canadian Airlines	Internet Securities, Inc.
Taco-Bell, Inc.	Frito-Lay, Inc.
Micro-Age, Inc.	Providian Trust
General Dynamics and Computer Sciences, Inc.	Southwire
Singapore Unlimited	BAE Automated Systems
Colliers International Property Consultants, Inc.	www. springs.com

INSS 620 CASE ANALYSIS OUTLINE

(for use for Cases and Major Group Project)

Background:

Company Name

Key Players and Key Events

Products/Services

Analyze Current Status:

Mission Statement

Past and Present Strategies (and Objectives)

Past and Present Performance

Examine Prospects for the Future:

Environmental Analysis (usually dictates Opportunities and Threats)

Macro (circle chart)

Industrial (five forces)

Stakeholders

Internal Analysis (usually dictates Strengths and Weaknesses)

Functional Areas

Leadership, Culture, Organizational Structure, Processes, Staff Resources, Organizational Climate, Communications, etc. (7Ss + C)

Develop SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Analysis

Clearly Define the Major Corporate Problem(s)/Opportunities

Set the Future Course:

Develop a List of 10 Feasible Alternatives (For Group Project, These Should Be Strategic Shifts)

Compare Alternatives Against Corporate Objectives

Select One Alternative (Or Combinations of Alternatives) and a Contingency (For Group Project this is your strategic shift)

Put the Strategy to Work:

Develop Implementation Plans for Each Functional Area Affected

Develop Implementation Plans for Other Organizational Attributes (7's + C)

Evaluate and Control:

Develop a Plan for Controlling/Measuring Success (Meeting Objectives)

For Cases: Tell why this case is important to the study of IS/IT