INSS 620 INFORMATION SYSTEMS POLICY

 

Term 2 (2002) thru Term 3 (2003)

 

Distance Education (DE) Syllabus

 

Professor: Dr. Al Harris

 

E-mail:  aharris@faculty.ed.umuc.edu

 

Prerequisite: Either INSS 540, INSS 540(r) or permission of the instructor. I would prefer that you have INSS 530 and at least 12 hours in the graduate MIS program, or some graduate hours in the MIS program and an undergraduate degree in Information Systems if you do not have the prerequisites. This should not be an early class in the MIS degree.

 

Course Credit: 3 semester hours

 

TEXTBOOKS:

1)      Strategic Management and Business Policy (8th Edition), by Thomas L. Wheelan  and J. David Hunger, Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 2002 and

2)      Corporate Information Systems Management Text and Cases (5th Edition), by Lynda Applegate, F. Warren McFarlan, and James McKenney, New York: Richard D. Irwin, 1999

 

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

Handouts and Other Readings: Other readings may be assigned from time-to-time. You will be responsible for any reading assignments made.

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course examines the issue of linking business performance with information systems (IS) and information technology (IT). Of major concern is how IS/IT can impact strategy and competition. 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.

 

GRADING CRITERIA

Group Project-Strategic Analysis/Suggested    Implementation Plan for Existing an Company	50 points
Case Analyses (3 @ 30 points each)	90 points
Exams (2 @ 60 points each)	120 points
Conference Participation (Case & Group Presentations)	20 points
Conference Participation (in-class case questions/dialogue)       (8 Conferences @ 15 points per conference)	120 points
TOTAL	400 points

 

 

                                             

 

GRADING SCALE

                  

90% or higher of points available	= A
80-89% of points available	= B
70-79% of points available	= C
Below 70% of points available	= D

 

ASSIGNMENTS

Group Project: Each group will be expected to prepare and present a professional analysis of an organization, making sure to include at least three-fourths (3/4) of the concepts presented in the texts and class discussion. The paper should range from 20-25 double-spaced pages. The 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. Each member of the group may 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, using the terms and concepts presented in the class. You will be assigned to a case by the instructor. Several people may have the same case for discussion. The final case analysis should consist of a 4-6 page report. You will post your final case analysis to the conference and answer any questions posed by the instructor and other students. These case analyses should reflect the concepts of the class (SWOT, Porter’s 5 forces, Generic Strategies, etc.) and class "discussions." In your analysis, you should identify the basic issue of the case and tell why this case is important to the study of IS/IT and the class. You must post your case analysis to the conference by THURSDAY of the conference week to get full credit for participation points for the conference.

 

Article Reviews: Each student will be expected to review and contribute one article for each of the eight discussion conferences (Conferences # 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 11). These articles must contribute additional knowledge in support of the topics for the conference. A 1-2 page summary of the article is to be prepared, posted to the swill increase your understanding of the topic and provide resources to build your knowledge and understanding of the subject area. You must post your article summary to the conference by THURSDAY of the conference week to get full credit for participation points for the conference.

 

Exams: The exams will consist of some combination of short answer questions, a comprehensive question, and/or a take home case. All questions will be based on the discussions, readings and objectives for this course.

 

Class Participation: Each student will be judged on the timeliness and quality, not quantity, of participation in class discussions. I expect students to be interactive in the class. Timely posting of the article summary and discussion question response will be considered minimum and will generally get you a C (11.0 points out of 15.0) for the discussion grade for the Conference. Class participation points for discussion conferences will be assigned as follows (all times are the posting date as determined by WebTycho):

           

 

Article summary posted on or before THURSDAY	5.5 points
Article summary posted AFTER THURSDAY	4.0 points
Discussion question response posted on or before THURSDAY	5.5 points
Discussion question response posted AFTER THURSDAY	4.0 points
Participation in conference discussion (posting of questions,  responses, and other discussion contributions)	Up to 4.0 points

                      

      You may post your article summary and discussion question response early (before the conference begins). I will generally make conferences available 4-5 days before they start for early posting. To get the full amount available for participation in conference discussion (4.0 points), you should have at least 10 quality contributions to the conference in addition to your article summary and discussion question response.

      Class discussion grade for the case and group project conferences will be based on timely posting and your participation in the conference discussion.

 

 

Case response posted on or before THURSDAY	3.5 points
Case response posted AFTER THURSDAY	2.5 points
Participation in conference discussion (posting of questions, responses, and other discussion contributions)	Up to 1.5 points

 

 

COURSE POLICIES/EXPECTATIONS

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

 

PARTICIPATION POLICY: Regular participation is expected. You are expected to participate in every conference. If you miss participating in a conference, you cannot expect to receive al of the class participation points for the conference. If you get behind, please contact me 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. See the European Division Catalog for the UMUC policy on academic dishonesty and plagiarism.

 

ASSIGNMENT/TEST SCHEDULES: Students are expected to submit all assignments and complete all tests on the day they are due or sooner. If a student fails to complete any assignment or take an exam, the resulting grade will be a "0."

 

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

 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS: Students are expected to think, analyze, and apply the concepts to cases, projects, discussions, and exams. Graduate students are not in class to memorize, but to analyze and evaluate and come to their own conclusions regarding the materials and concepts.

GRADUATE EDUCATION

Graduate learning is more of an individual/group responsibility. The textbook is a source.  The class notes are a source. Your outside readings (periodicals, magazines, reference materials, etc.) are a third source. Discussion days are a final source. Your job is to take all four sources and develop an understanding of information systems and technology and figure out how you can use the new knowledge in your job.

 

CASES FOR STUDY (Subject to possible change and substitution)

Case #1

   Carly Fiorna: The Reinvention of Hewlett-Packard (SM&BP – Case 15)

   Sun Microcomputers, Inc. (SM&BP – Case 11)

   Cisco Systems, Inc. (SM&BP – Case 10)

 

Case #2

   Apple Computer, Inc. (SM&BP – Case 14)

   WingspanBank.com (SM&BP – Case 13)

   MicroAge, Inc. (MIS)

 

Case #3

   Xerox (MIS)

   BAE Automated Systems (MIS)

   Hewlett-Packard Company in Vietnam (SM&BP – Case 6)

 

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Note 1: This syllabus is tentative and may change as circumstances dictate and the class develops.

Note 2: Students are expected to read the assignments. You are expected to participate in all scheduled discussions via Study Groups or Conferences.

 SM&BP = Strategic Management and Business Policy (8th Edition), by Thomas L. Wheelan and J. David Hunger

 MIS = Corporate Information Systems Management Text and Cases (5th Edition), by Lynda Applegate, F. Warren McFarlan, and James McKenney

 

 

 Class                 Date Range for                Topics/Activities                                      Reading

                           Conference                                                                                 Assignment

Conference 1 – Introduction to the Course	Nov 4 – Nov 10	Introductions of professor and students Introduction to course Discussion on what strategic management is and how it relates to IS/IT Basic Concepts of Strategic Management Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility IT Challenge Manageable Trends How to analyze a case	SMB Chapters 1 & 2   MIS Chapter 1 MIS Chapter 2 SMB  Chapter 14
Assignment #1	Nov 11	Assignment of Case #1 – Due Nov 25
Conference 2 - External & Internal Analysis	Nov 11 – Nov 17	Environmental Scanning and Industry Analysis Internal Scanning: Organizational Analysis	SMB Chapters 3 & 4
Conference 3 – Strategy Formulation	Nov 18 – Nov 24	Strategy Formulation	SMB Chapters 5, 6 & 7
Conference 4 – Case Discussion #1	Nov 25 – Dec 1	Discuss Case #1
Conference 5 – Strategy Implementation	Dec 2 – Dec 8	Strategy Implementation & Control	SMB Chapters 8, 9 & 10
Assignment #2	Dec 4	Assignment of Case #2 – Due Jan 17, 2003
Assignment #3	Dec 8	Assignment of Team Project – Due Feb 24
Conference 6 – IT’s Impact on Strategy	Dec 9 -Dec 15	Strategic Issues in Managing Technology and Innovation Effects of IT on Strategy and Competition Electronic Commerce: Trends & Opportunities	SMB Chapter 11   MIS Chapter 3 MIS Chapter 4
Mid-Term Exam	Dec 16 – Dec 20	Due Dec 20
Break	Dec 21 – Jan 17
Conference 7 – Case Discussion #2	Jan 17 – Jan 26	Discuss Case #2
Assignment #4	Jan 21	Assignment of Case #3 – Feb 10
Conference 8 – IT Infrastructure	Jan 27 – Feb 2	Information, Organization, and Control IT Architecture: Evolution and     Alternatives Organizing and Leading the IT Function Managing IT Outsourcing	MIS Chapter 5 MIS Chapter 6   MIS Chapter 7 MIS Chapter 8
Conference 9 – Managing the IT Organization	Feb 3 – Feb 9	IT Operations IT Management Process A Portfolio Approach to Information Technology Development	MIS Chapters 9 MIS Chapter 10 MIS Chapter 11
Conference 10 – Case Discussion #3	Feb 10 – Feb 16	Discuss Case #3
Conference 11 – Parting Thoughts	Feb 17 – Feb 23	Global Issues The IT Business	MIS Chapter 12 MIS Chapter 13
Conference 12 – Group Presentations	Feb 24 – Mar 2	Group Presentations
Final Exam	Mar 3 -  Mar 6	Due March 6

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

·        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 some examples of how companies may be affected, especially IS/IT.

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

·        Describe the concept of the value chain, including the various activities, and provide examples 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.

·        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 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 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 some of the problems with using an IS on an international scale.

·        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.

 

INSS 620 GROUP PROJECT OUTLINE

(For use in the 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)

                     Industrial (five forces)

                     Stakeholders

           Internal Analysis (usually dictates Strengths and Weaknesses)

                     Functional Areas

                     Leadership, Culture, Organizational Structure, Processes, Staff

                        Resources, Organizational Climate, Communications, etc.

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

  Clearly Define the Major Corporate Problem(s)/Opportunities

 Set the Future Course:

Develop a List of 3-5 Feasible Alternatives (For Group Project, at least one should be a strategic shift)

           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 an Implementation Plan for implementing the selected course of action

           Develop criteria for Controlling/Measuring Success (Meeting Objectives)