The objective is to build an understanding of the value and uses of information systems for business operations, management decision making, and strategic advantage. Topics include basic systems concepts and major roles of information systems; computer, telecommunications, and database management concepts; and management issues in the implementation of information systems, including international, security, and ethical considerations.
Discussion and engagement are paramount as the breadth and complexity of IT in a business environment can only barely be summarized in twelve weeks, so prepare for a fast pace.
The most important takeaway: understand and internalize the interconnectivity of not only the various technological issues but also how the decisions made in the context of information systems impact a company's performance and bottom-line as a whole.
Upon completing this course, students should be able to:
INTR 201 and at least junior standing
Please refer to the box for policies that apply to this course.
Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm, 14th Edition (2016) Kenneth C. Laudon & Jane P. Laudon ISBN-13: 978-0-13-389816-3 ISBN-10: 0-13-398816-4
The Adventures of an IT Leader (2016) Robert D. Austin; Richard L. Nolan; Shannon O'Donnell Available through Harvard Coursepack (choose either PDF or print)
Harvard Business Publishing Coursepack Cases Link in your e-mail and in Sakai
Hands-on technology assignments will evaluate your mastery of some of the common information systems tools in use throughout business. You will have some time during class meetings to allow you to work on the assignments while I am immediately available.
Scratch is a visual programming environment used by all ages to learn the basic concepts of programming. We will use Scratch to create a virtual tour of a building, part of campus, or somewhere in Lexington in the spirit of what you might find in a tourism marketing campaign. A sample project will be provided as a building block.
You will design, implement, and write queries for a database using Microsoft Access based on a set of data and a scenario I provide.
Using Tableau, you will create a data dashboard that communicates to an executive key information to support a business decision. I will provide a scenario and the data.
Almost every week of the term will involve a brief quiz on the topics we have discussed and read about.
The quizzes will be open book/note; however,
The quizzes will be taken outside of class time, and they will be available through the Sakai course.
With a partner (or two only in the event of an odd number of students), you will choose a piece of software from my provided list and argue to the IT governance committee (AKA your classmates) of why your company (Two Generals, LLC) should adopt it. The assignment value is broken down as follows:
On the Friday prior to your presentation, you will submit a one-page executive summary of the software to the rest of the class and me. This will allow us to formulate questions going into your demonstration. You will then use presentation software (PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides, slides.com, etc.) to support your arguments to the committee. When possible, you should also demonstrate the software. The presentation should last between 10 and 15 minutes followed by between 5 and 10 minutes for questions and answers. I expect you to wear at least business casual attire while presenting.
Executive Summary (writing quality, depth of coverage, sufficient length) See the Writing Style section in the Course Policies box | 30 pts |
Presentation (preparedness) | 30 pts |
Presentation (slide design and quality of included information) | 20 pts |
Presentation (personal poise and style) | 10 pts |
Q&A (preparedness) | 10 pts |
By the Monday night before class, each student will submit to me at least 3 questions for each presentation (other than your own) based on the provided executive summaries. Although you have significant flexibility in formulating your questions, to receive credit, they must be more thoughtful/complex than simple yes/no/maybe questions and must be on-topic. You will receive up to 5 points for each set of questions submitted.
Each class session will be a mix of lecture, discussion, and activities. It is paramount that you engage with all material through questions, reactions, and input. Your class participation grade will be based on the following scale:
A | Engaged participant | Contributes in a significant way to classroom discussions, regularly making key points and helping to move the discussion ahead. Relevant and insightful questions fit into this category. |
B | Regular participant | Makes comments that points out important facts or restates pertinent facts. At least somewhat analytical points regularly offered. |
C | Infrequent participant | Responds correctly to questions asked by the professor. Makes comments that are at least tangentially relevant to the discussion without being particularly analytical. |
D | Rare participant | Rarely makes comments and/or cannot correctly respond to questions when asked. |
F | Non-participant | No classroom discussion |
You will respond to questions based on provided case studies in two brief papers of approximately 750 to 1,000 words. Your responses should be well researched with supporting evidence from both professional and academic literature. Charts, graphs, and other visuals may be included to help support your arguments.
To help you understand what literature is available and to provide guidance in your research, you are required to meet at least once during the term with John Tombarge, who is the liaison to all business-related academic fields. I will ask that Professor Tombarge e-mail me to confirm that you have met with him. Failure to do so will result in one of your two case study responses receiving a zero.
The final paper will be due during the week after classes end in leiu of a final exam. This paper will be similar in nature to the mini case studies, but will involve a deeper level of research and analysis. The final paper should be between 1,500 and 2,000 words, and it should include visuals supportive of your points.
(nb. Dates of activities and due dates for assignments are always subject to shifting. Refer to Sakai for the most accurate information.)