INSS737 - Management of Information Systems

University of Baltimore
Merrick School of Business

INSS737 - Management of Information Systems - Fall 2000

Thursdays 5:30 - 8:00 PM - BC 225

Professor Al Bento

office	BC 473	v-mail	837-5272
e-mail	abento@ubmail.ubalt.edu	URL	http://home.ubalt.edu/abento

Office hours: Thursdays 2:00 - 5:00 PM and Fridays 2:00 - 5:00 PM
[case analyses][project][final exam][outline][Forum]

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Over the past 20 years, information technology (computers, telecommunications and office automation) and the management of information technology have changed dramatically. In many industries, obtaining competitive advantages became directly related to the deployment of information technology to design, create and provide the main products or services. Often information technology became an integral part of the product or service.

The role of managing information systems changed from (passive) support to the overall operations of the organizations, to (active) contribution to the overall organizational strategy. In this course we take the business view of managing Information Systems, that is, how each manager can use information technology to support organizational strategy and obtain competitive advantages. This a heavily case-oriented course (over twenty Harvard-style cases will be discussed). You should have a solid understanding of Information Systems and Technology (IST), as provided by INSS610 or INSS640, before you start this course. Each class meeting will be divided in three parts:

In class discussion of readings (textbook) and lecture notes. In-depth study of management of information systems and technologies: IST and competitive ability; electronic commerce; information, control and organization; strategic alliances; IST management processes; IST and global issues.

Forum case discussions, prior to the face-to-face meeting. Some cases will only be discussed on the Web, while others will be discussed both on the Web and in the face-to-face meeting.

In class, face-to-face, business case discussions.

THE ROLE OF THE INTERNET IN THIS COURSE

To assure fast and timely communications between me and you, and you and other group members, E-Mail will be used extensively in this course. A Forum will also be used for two purposes: (a) discuss cases prior to coming to class, and (b) post information and questions and answers about issues related to the course. I will post last minute notices, assignments, etc, in the Web Board. I will not distribute copies of assignments in class, they will be posted on the syllabus or on the Forum. Your assignments are to be turned-in by e-mail or posted in the Assignments area of the Forum, including the mid-term exam. Therefore be sure that you have access to e-mail and the Web.

CLASS MATERIALS

(on the World Wide Web)

Class handouts will be available on the Web at the following address of the course syllabus:

http://home.ubalt.edu/abento/737

The course syllabus will be linked to the class materials. You can see and print the class materials at the Lab and from your office or home (an Internet provider costs between $10-30 per month), using a modern Web browser.

ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING

Case analyses (13)	40%
Project	30%
Final exam	30%

Case analyses

The case analyses are to be done in groups of 2-3 students. You are supposed to analyze twenty cases (see outline). All cases are included in the textbook. A report (up to 5 pages) is due in the following week in the Assignments area of the Forum.

Your reports should have three sections, clearly identified with a header, answering the following questions: (a) what is the problem, (b) what are the alternatives and (c) what is your recommendation to solve the problem. Your ability to discuss the case solution in class and/or on the Forum will be worth 34% of the grade (individual). The other 66% will come from your ability to apply the conceptual materials of the reading assignments to solve the case, as documented on the written report (in group). Therefore, members of the same group can have different grades in a given case.

Project

Students (two to three) will work in groups to do a follow up study of one of the cases discussed in class. The students will obtain information on the present business and information systems conditions, including threats and opportunities, new challenges, etc. The students will use information provided by the organization Web site, library information retrieval, and e-mail, phone calls, etc, to the companies to write the follow up study.

Final Exam

The final exam will consist of a case analysis done individually in-class, December 15, 2000.

TEXTBOOK

Applegate, L.M., McFarlan, F. W., and McKenney, J.L. Corporate Information Systems Management: Text and Cases, 5^th. Edition, Irwin McGraw-Hill, 1999.

NOTE: other reading materials will be assigned during the semester and posted on the Forum.

OUTLINE

Day Topics (5:30-6:30) Web discussion
(prior to class) In-class discussion (6:45-8:00)

09/01 Introduction and using the Forum Reply to my posting

09/08 Challenge of IST [1] Verifone [1-1] Verifone [1-1]

09/15 Manageable trends [2] A Tale of Two Airlines (1-2) A Tale of Two Airlines (1-2)

09/22 Information Technology and Competition [3] Canadian Airlines (2-1) Canadian Airlines (2-1)

09/29 Electronic Commerce [4] H.E. Butt Grocery Co. (2-2) H.E. Butt Grocery Co. (2-2)

10/06 Electronic Commerce Strategies and References Internet Securities, Inc. (2-3) Internet Securities, Inc. (2-3)

10/13 Information Technology Architecture [6] Frito-Lay 1980-1986 (3-2) Frito-Lay 1987-1992 (3-3)

10/20 Organizing and Leading the IT function [5,7] Taco Bell (3-1) Taco Bell (3-1)

10/27 IT Outsourcing [8] Xerox: Outsourcing Global IT Resources (4-1) General Dynamics and Computer Sciences Co. (4-2)

11/03 IT Operations [9] BAE Automated Systems: DIA (4-4) BAE Automated Systems: DIA (4-4)

11/10 No face-to-face meeting www.springs.com (5-2) No face-to-face meeting

11/17 IT Management Processes [10] and IT Project Management [11] Providian Trust (5-3) www.springs.com (5-2) and Providian Trust (5-3)

11/24 UB closed, no classes Thanksgiving

12/01 The IT Business [13] Singapore Unlimited (4-3) Singapore Unlimited (4-3)

12/08 Project presentations Project presentations
12/15 in-class final exam in-class final exam

OUTLINE
Day	Topics (5:30-6:30)	Web discussion (prior to class)	In-class discussion (6:45-8:00)
09/01	Introduction and using the Forum	Reply to my posting
09/08	Challenge of IST [1]	Verifone [1-1]	Verifone [1-1]
09/15	Manageable trends [2]	A Tale of Two Airlines (1-2)	A Tale of Two Airlines (1-2)
09/22	Information Technology and Competition [3]	Canadian Airlines (2-1)	Canadian Airlines (2-1)
09/29	Electronic Commerce [4]	H.E. Butt Grocery Co. (2-2)	H.E. Butt Grocery Co. (2-2)
10/06	Electronic Commerce Strategies and References	Internet Securities, Inc. (2-3)	Internet Securities, Inc. (2-3)
10/13	Information Technology Architecture [6]	Frito-Lay 1980-1986 (3-2)	Frito-Lay 1987-1992 (3-3)
10/20	Organizing and Leading the IT function [5,7]	Taco Bell (3-1)	Taco Bell (3-1)
10/27	IT Outsourcing [8]	Xerox: Outsourcing Global IT Resources (4-1)	General Dynamics and Computer Sciences Co. (4-2)
11/03	IT Operations [9]	BAE Automated Systems: DIA (4-4)	BAE Automated Systems: DIA (4-4)
11/10	No face-to-face meeting	www.springs.com (5-2)	No face-to-face meeting
11/17	IT Management Processes [10] and IT Project Management [11]	Providian Trust (5-3)	www.springs.com (5-2) and Providian Trust (5-3)
11/24	UB closed, no classes		Thanksgiving
12/01	The IT Business [13]	Singapore Unlimited (4-3)	Singapore Unlimited (4-3)
12/08	Project presentations		Project presentations
12/15	in-class final exam		in-class final exam

Note:

the numbers in brackets represent chapters, the numbers in the parenthesis are case numbers, both in the textbook.
This page is maintained by Al Bento who can be reached at abento@ubmail.ubalt.edu This page was last updated on August 31, 2000. Although we will attempt to keep this information accurate, we can not guarantee the accuracy of the information provided.