INSS 530 INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN ORGANIZATIONS 
COURSE OUTLINE

Class Times: 9am-4 pm 25-26/08, 15-16, 29-30/09, 13-14/10 Class Location: Sigonella, Sicily

Lecturer: Joyce M. Rowe, Ph.D.                                  Office Hours:  1/2 hr. before/after class;

Phone: TBA                                                                                     by appointment
e-mail: jrowe@faculty.ed.umuc.edu                              Course Credit: 3 semester hours

Pre-requisite: All pre-requisite classes as listed in catalog or permission of the lecturer

TEXTBOOK: The Portable MBA 3rd edition by Robert Bruner et al, John Wiley, 1998 
                    Management Information Systems: Managing Information in the Internetworked Enterprise by James O’Brien:Irwin McGraw-Hill, 1999
 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

General concepts of Management Information Systems are introduced with various functional areas of organizations and their uses of information technology. The scale of information systems ranges from hand-held and individual desktops to work groups, enterprise systems and global networks.  The types of information systems discussed will include financial and operational systems, decision support systems, and strategic planning models.  Other topics will include costing, justification and configuration of an organization's IS, and ways that networks are changing traditional channels of commerce. Supplemental readings will provide a more complete picture of the business practices and  managerial concerns which IS work to support.

GRADING CRITERIA

GRADING SCALE

ASSIGNMENTS

Class Assignments/Participation--Students will be divided into small teams and will analyze typical business problems. Some cases will be discussed in class; others will require written analysis and will be submitted. 

Individual Company Case -- Each student will select a company that has succeeded or failed due to technology and present what happened and why.  These are short presentations of current facts (10 - 15 min.).  Please have company selection approved before beginning work.  Several suggestions Cemex, Ryder, etc.  A short paper (approx. 2 pages) should be submitted on the company along with an evaluation of "What went wrong" or "What went right."

BPR System Design -- Special attention is given to appropriate strategic planning and changing with the times in order to survive in the fast-paced world of today. As a team think of some business process that "needs" to be redesigned with today's technology.  Deveop this design and accompany it with the appropriate hardware and software requirements.  This assignment will be done in class.  

Web-Based Business--In this course students establish an intranet for a business.  Students group in teams of 3 to 4.  The final project will include a business plan; a Request for Proposal for computers; a network topology for communications equipment; a database design and perhaps an accompanying table in Access; web pages for the business; a 5-year strategic plan; and other documentation. Special emphasis will be placed on the global aspect of a business.  Each week teams will have a short management meeting.  Each Thursday the Project Leader will be responsible for e-mailing me a status report of the team's accomplishments and plans and assignments for the next week.  At the end of the class, teams make presentations of the business, its intranet pages, and the accompanying business components. Additionally, this Business Plan and accompanying documentation will be submitted for a grade.

Exam --An exam will consist of essay questions related to the goals listed at the beginning of each chapter and the outside readings. This test will take one entire class period (3 hours). This test (worth 100 points) will be graded exactly like the comprehensives: that is: 75% for content, 25% for English and organization.  Extra points will be given for references made to researchers, authors, businessmen, economists, etc., where appropriate.
 

COURSE POLICIES/EXPECTATIONS

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

 * ATTENDANCE: Regular class attendance is expected, both mornings and afternoons of weekend classes. If you should miss a meeting, it is your responsibility to obtain information concerning the material covered and upcoming assignments from other students. Please note that those students receiving tuition assistance from the Federal Government must not miss three consecutive class meetings without prior approval, or the education Services Officer (ESO) must be notified by the instructor.

*  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/cases 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."  Major tests to be missed must be taken before the date the test is to be given in class. On the date of case or project presentations, each person must be in attendance for the first presentation to the last presentation Otherwise, the presentation will be deemed late and a 10% reduction made for all presentations missed. 

*  CLASS PREPARATION: Students are expected to come to class prepared. This means reading materials assigned for that session and preparing any pertinent assignments. Quizzes may be given.

 COURSE OBJECTIVES

Questions on the midterm and final will be directly related to readings and discussion materials.  Students completing class should:
 

Identify and understand the roles that information play in organizations. 
 

Recognize the basic concepts that are the foundation for subsequent MIS courses, including user requirements, information flows and the nature of information systems.
 

Demonstrate knowledge of the basic techniques and fundamental skills needed to describe and specify the structures and applications of information systems. 

Analyze different organizational situations where information technology is involved, and make recommendations for improvements in operations and in management information. 

Analyze the impact of advances in information technology on organizations. 

Demonstrate familiarity with the literature in information systems. 

The activities and assignments for this course are designed to help the student understand the importance of understanding the basic concepts of information systems and their importance in today's business world.  In addition to the academic objectives, students are expected to improve their skills in the following areas: 

Critical Thinking: Students should improve their ability to analyze computer user situations and make appropriate suggestions for resolving business problems through computer systems.  Cases and Projects encourage students to think critically about real-world situations. 

Writing Skills: Students should improve writing skills through development of the Business Plan and Cases. 

Oral Presentation Skills: Students should improve presentation skills through case discussions and business presentations. 

Computer Skills: Students should improve computer skills by using word processing, database, web programming and project management software.  The use of  Internet and e-mail are also encouraged
 

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE 

Topics Discussed

Assignments

Class 1
Aug. 25 900 - 1200

Introductions; Discuss syllabus; Discuss Business Plans; Discuss OB Chap. 1 Intro. to IS in Bus. 

BEFORE class begins: Read OB Chapters 1-5, App. A, and MBA Chap. 1-3, 13-14;  Look up a business plan; i.e. www.sba.org

Class 2
Aug. 25 1300 - 1600

MBA Chap. 13 Strategy: Defining and Developing Competitive Advantage;14; Discuss leadership; gender bias; Theory X, Y, Z; OB Chap. 2 Fundamentals of IS

Discuss Cases in OB 1-2; Video on Leaders; Assignment: Sign on to UMUC library site and search MdUSA; look for business plans; assignment for "notables"

Class 3 
Aug.26 900-1200

OB Chap.3 Solving Business Problems;  4 Managerial Overview: Computer Hardware; 5 Computer Software 

Select teams; Management meeting for teams; Company assignments; Discuss Business Plans; Notables

Class 4
Aug. 26 1300-1600

MBA Chap 1 What is Business About; 2 The Future; 3 Managing People

Discuss cases; Video; Assignment: OB 6-9; MBA 5, 9, 11-12; Company case -- prepare presentation and paper 

Class 5 
Sept. 15

900-1200

OB Chap. 8 Internet and Electronic Commerce;  9 Intranets, Extranets and Enterprise Collaboration

Discuss OB 8 and 9; intranets within a company and building web pages  in-class modeling exercises; Discuss "famous people"

Class 6 
Sept. 15 1300-1600

OB Chap. 6 Managerial Overview: Telecommunications;  Discuss BPR and its successes and failures

Discuss OB 6 and 7; Cases; Discuss RFPs, establishing a financial; hiring; BPR; in-class time for brainstorming

Class 7

Sept. 16
900-1200

OB Chap.7 Managerial Overview: Database;12 HRM; MBA Chap.5 Making Decisions Rigorously 

Management meeting for redesigning a system; presentation of system; video

Class 8
Sept 16 1300-1600

MBA Chap. 9 Innovation and Technology Management 

Discuss OB 9;  In-class Cases discussed; Assignment: : OB 10-13; MBA 7-11, 13;  study 

Class 9

Sept 29
900-1200

EXAM

Class 10
Sept 29
1300-1600

MBA Chap.7 Marketing Mgmt.; OB Chap.10 IS for Business Operations;

Discuss MBA 7; OB 10;  In-class Case

Class 11 
Sept. 30 900-1200

OB Chap.11 IS for Managerial Support; 12 IS for Strategic Advantage 

Management Meeting; Discuss OB 1 and 12; in-class management meeting 

Class 12
Sept. 30 1300-1600

OB 13 Managing IT: Enterprise and Global Management

Presentation of BPR Design; discuss OB13; In-class cases; Assignment: OB Chapters 14-15; Complete BPR Design and paper 

Class 13 
Oct 13

900-1200

Presentation of BPR designs; OB Chap. 14 Managing IT: Planning and Implementing Change 

Discuss OB 14 and MBA 15; In-class Case; Management meeting, if time allows

Class 14
Oct 13 

1300-1600

OB Chap.15 Managing IT: Security and Ethical Challenges and MBA Chap. 4 Business Ethics 

Discuss OB15 and MBA 4; In-class Case; Management meeting, if time allows 

Class 15
Oct 14 

900-1200

Presentation of Business Projects

Presentation of Projects; Business Plans due; Discussion 

Class 16
Oct. 14
1300-1600

Presentation of Business Projects

Presentations and discussions