44045-Conlon

M&IS 44045-001

INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT

FALL 2015

TR 11:00 am - 12:15 pm

Room 106 BSA

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Information technology has changed how all organizations operate and succeed in today’s global economy. Organizations can use IT to transform themselves, improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their operations, and achieve competitive advantage.

This course will examine the issues around effective use of information systems. It will show how information systems have become critical for all organizations and take an in depth look at IT best practices. The course will have a real world orientation and focus on the role of IT in finding practical solutions to business problems. It will provide a comprehensive overview of IT applications, current trends, and cutting edge technologies, as well as timely and insightful perspectives.

Course highlights include innovative ways enterprises are using IT in their operations and the effect IT has on these enterprises, their users, customers, society, and the environment. CIOs, CTOs, directors, and other key professionals from the IT community throughout Northeast Ohio will bring course concepts to life by providing real world examples of how information systems are employed in support of their organizations’ missions and to achieve competitive advantage.  Students will be able to meet and network with IT leaders and benefit from their vast experience.

Topics include: 

·         IT infrastructure

·         Business process reengineering and change management

·         Enterprise and global systems

·         IT in small to medium size enterprises

·         Legal, ethical, and environmental issues surrounding information systems

·         IT auditing and risk management

·         Software and hardware acquisition strategies

·         Cloud computing

·         Business intelligence and big data

·         IT security

·         Disaster recovery and business continuity planning

·         IS hiring

·         Healthcare IT

·         Team dynamics

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of this course students should:

·         Understand how organizations of all types can leverage IS to improve business process design and how critical it is for IT to be aligned with the organization’s mission

·         Understand IS concepts, technology, and terminology, as well as the role of information systems in enabling firms to enhance their efficiency and effectiveness, manage organizational knowledge, and gain competitive advantage

·         Have the knowledge to participate in, and contribute to, discussions about IS with co-workers, consultants, and vendors

·         Have the ability to participate effectively in conceiving, planning, building, implementing, maintaining, managing, and modifying IS in organizations

·         Have the skills needed to analyze business requirements, evaluate existing and emerging technologies, assess future trends in IT, and make recommendations to senior management regarding the most appropriate roles for IT to play in support of current and future business needs

·         Be aware of compliance issues and the implications of various regulations and standards

·         Be able to write clearly and give effective presentations

·         Have the ability to work effectively in project teams in all roles

·         Have developed their networking skills and built professional relationships that will strengthen their employment prospects

GRADING POLICY

On their respective due dates, course assignments requiring hard copy submission are to be turned in during class and those requiring electronic submission are to be submitted before 11:59 pm. You will receive a zero for a missed or late assignment.

If you have questions concerning a grade you receive on any course assignment, it is your responsibility to inform me within 1 week of the graded assignment being returned. Grades will not be discussed after that time.

The final course letter grade will be assigned according to the following breakdown of total points earned (+ and - will also be assigned).

925 or higher     A                      800 to 824         B-                     675 to 699         D+

900 to 924         A-                     775 to 799         C+                    625 to 674         D

875 to 899         B+                    725 to 774         C                      600 to 624         D-

825 to 874         B                      700 to 724         C-                     Below 600         F

COURSE WEB SITE

Access to the course website is through Blackboard.  If you don’t know what this is, please see me and tell me what planet you are from.  (Just kidding, everyone should be familiar with Blackboard and if you aren’t, I will help you get up to speed). 

IMPORTANT DATES

⁺ During finals week we are scheduled to meet on Monday 12/14 from 12:45 to 3 pm

ATTENDANCE AND CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR

In this course we are extremely privileged to have guest speakers of exceptional caliber.  The guest lectures will be the most important element of the course, and the value to be gained from exposure to the speakers is immense. To do well in the course you should pay close attention to the speakers, take good notes, and ask questions.

Attendance and participation are very important. Failure to do so would be highly embarrassing to me, yourself, the College, and the University. Sign in sheets will be used to track attendance. They will be available at the front of the room before each class begins, and you are on your honor to sign in truthfully.

For each class you attend, you can earn 10 points, 5 points for showing up and 5 points for a good question or comment.  As a famous philosopher once said “80% of life is showing up”.   Of course, you will learn a lot too.  Miss a class, miss a lot!

I expect you to arrive on time (with time to sign in), and not leave early.  Penalties (4 points) apply if you arrive late.  If you must leave early, let me know in advance so I can explain it to the guest speaker.  Also, if you cannot attend, please let me know in advance (email preferred), you will get some credit for this, too.

Use of cell phones is not permitted during class. They must be put on mute or turned off before class begins and stored somewhere they are not in view.

Improper classroom behavior will not be tolerated and is grounds for dismissal from the course, resulting in a grade of F.

GUEST LECTURE PARTICIPATION

You are strongly encouraged to participate in class by asking questions about the content of that day’s lecture, your project, or any other appropriate topic. When you wish to ask a question, raise your hand and, if someone else is speaking, wait until they have finished.  If you talk to a speaker after class, you may wish to shake hands and offer him/her your business card.

GUEST LECTURE FORMS

Select any 8 guest lectures (GLs) and complete a GL form for each one. Download the form from Blackboard, follow all the instructions, and submit a hard copy at the start of class on the first Tuesday after that lecture. If you submit more than 8 forms, the first 8 will count towards your grade. You are not permitted to submit a GL form for a day you missed.

GUEST LECTURE SURVEYS

There will be 2 guest lecture surveys during the semester. Each survey will be available on Blackboard and is due as indicated on the schedule.  Each survey will cover about 12 guest lectures.

QUIZZES

Your understanding of course concepts will be tested through 6 open notes quizzes. Each quiz will be available on Blackboard and is due as indicated on the schedule. 

You are responsible for all material presented in class and there is no special consideration if you miss material due to being absent.  (Just like real life!)

TEAM PROJECT

Each team is to complete a project (and present it in class) that examines the ways in which information technologies have impacted a pair of organizations from the same business sector, industry, or service area. I will assign you to a team, and then the team will have the option of selecting 2 organizations to study or having me assign them for you. If you choose the organizations, you must obtain my approval by the project topic due date. You may do this by e-mail. If you do not obtain my approval by the due date, I will make an assignment for you.

For ideas on the pair of organizations you might wish to study, I suggest that you think about these industries and pick something fun for your team; something you are interested in: 

·         Banking

·         Construction

·         Ecommerce/Retail

·         Education

·         Entertainment  

·         Government  

·         Healthcare  

·         Hospitality  

·         Insurance  

·         Libraries

·         Manufacturing  

·         Military  

·         Non-profit  

·         Publishing

·         Social networks

·         Transportation/Logistics  

·         Travel  

·         Utilities

Each team (including every member) is to present their project in class at the end of the semester. The presentation should be clear, complete, and concise, provide an insightful analysis of the use of IT by the selected organizations, and have a section for each of the following:

(1)   Introduction

(2)   Overview and history of 1^st Organization

(3)   Examples of where 1^st Organization has used IT effectively and areas that could be improved

(4)   Overview and history of 2^nd Organization

(5)   Examples of where 2^nd Organization has used IT effectively and areas that could be improved

(6)   Lessons that each organization could learn from the other

(7)   Conclusion

Use PowerPoint to develop your presentation and submit the final version of your PPT file (i.e., you will not be permitted to make changes to the file after submitting it) using either e-mail.  Name the file “44045 Team X Topic” where “X” is your team number and “Topic” is the title of your project, e.g., “44045 Team 3 Allstate and Progressive Insurance.”

When giving your presentation, you are strongly encouraged to (1) not read the information you present, (2) begin the presentation by introducing your team, naming the organizations you studied, and providing an outline of the topics to be addressed, (3) include illustrative figures and tables, (4) conclude with a summary of the key findings and recommendations, and (5) rehearse your presentation to ensure that it fits the allotted time (this will be based on the class size and announced in class approx. 2 weeks before the presentations begin). You may assume that a computer and projector will be provided, although I strongly recommend having a backup plan in case of equipment failures.

PROJECT PRESENTATION FORMS

You are required to attend all the project presentations and to submit a form (available on Blackboard) for every presentation except your own.  Print each form (and staple the pages if there is more than one), bring it to class on the appropriate day, complete it during class (make sure to write legibly and to follow all the instructions provided), and submit it before you leave.

PEER EVALUATION FORM

All team members are expected to contribute equally to completing a high-quality, integrated, professional project. Each team will be self-managed and responsible for determining the roles played by its members, and the nature of the contributions may differ across team members. It is up to the team to make these decisions appropriately, and all team members should ensure that their contributions are on track and sufficient. 

Project grades will be assigned initially based on how well you satisfy the requirements outlined above.   However, I reserve the right to make adjustments to individual grades based on information you are to provide on a peer evaluation form. You are to use this form (available on Blackboard) to award points that indicate the value of the contributions of each member of your team (including yourself) and to provide written comments justifying the points you award. Carefully follow all the instructions provided on the form and submit a hard copy.  Failure to complete and submit a peer evaluation form is likely to result in a negative adjustment to your own project grade.

MISA

The Management Information Systems Association (MISA) is the student organization for CIS majors or any other students interested in the role of information systems in today's business environment.  Representatives from area businesses, recent IT retirees, and local technology "experts" give presentations at MISA meetings.  MISA also hosts networking socials with experienced professionals as well as tours of local corporate data centers.  MISA members enjoy preferred scholarships, certification exam reimbursements, networking opportunities, guidance in CIS classes, and a great way to land an internship or job.  To learn more visit http://misa.bsa.kent.edu.

COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY POLICIES

Prerequisites: Students attending the course who do not have the proper prerequisite risk being deregistered from the class.

Academic Honesty:  Cheating means to misrepresent the source, nature, or other conditions of your academic work (e.g., tests, papers, projects, assignments) so as to get undeserved credit.   In addition, it is considered to be cheating when one cooperates with someone else in any such misrepresentation.  The use of the intellectual property of others without giving them appropriate credit is a serious academic offense.  It is the University's policy that cheating or plagiarism result in receiving a failing grade for the work or course.  Repeat offenses result in dismissal from the University.

Course Withdrawal: For Fall 2014, the course withdrawal deadline is Sunday, November 8, 2015.

Students with Disabilities:  University policy 3342-3-01.3 requires that students with disabilities be provided reasonable accommodations to ensure their equal access to course content. If you have a documented disability and require accommodations, please contact the instructor at the beginning of the semester to make arrangements for necessary classroom adjustments. Please note, you must first verify your eligibility for these accommodations through Student Accessibility Services (contact 330-672-3391 or visit http://www.kent.edu/sas/index.cfm for more information on registration procedures).

Course Registration: Students have responsibility to ensure they are properly enrolled in classes.  You are advised to review your official class schedule (using Student Tools on FlashLine) during the first two weeks of the semester to ensure you are properly enrolled in this class and section.  Should you find an error in your class schedule, you have until Sunday, September 3, 2015 to correct the error.  If registration errors are not corrected by this date and you continue to attend and participate in classes for which you are not officially enrolled, you are advised now that you will not receive a grade at the conclusion of the semester for any class in which you are not properly registered.

Graduation Information: If you are eligible to graduate, it is your responsibility to apply for graduation before the set deadline (May Graduation: Apply before September 15^th August Graduation: Apply before December 15^th December Graduation: Apply before March 15^th). If you apply after the deadline you will be assessed a $200 late fee. Please see your academic advisor as soon as possible if you are uncertain as to your progress toward graduation.  To apply for graduation, log onto your Flashline account and complete the following steps:

1.     Click on the Student Tools tab

2.     Look in the Graduation Planning Tool Box

3.     Click on Application for Graduation

If an error message appears, you must contact your advisor.

TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE

NOTE:  A tentative class schedule will be posted on Blackboard.  Due to the busy schedules of the guest speakers, please do not be surprised when changes are necessary. 

Rules for the class

1.     Class starts promptly at 11:00 AM, don’t be late.

2.     Class ends at 12:15 PM, some days we may end early.

3.     If you can’t attend for any reason, you must tell me in advance (email is best option).  Not attending will hurt the class participation portion of your grade.

4.     College years are for learning as much as you can.  If your view is “do the bare minimum and get the degree” then I don’t want you in this class.  I expect enthusiastic students who will learn as much from each other as from me.  Having fun and making this class a memorable experience is an important goal.