Information Technology Management

Summer 1 - 2012

Instructor Name: Thomas Rienzo

Course Description:

BUS 6180 enables the student to understand the use of information technology as part of business strategy. Issues surrounding information technology such as information and communication systems and services, and enterprise-wide systems--traditional, networked, and virtual--in organizations will be explored. The growing convergence of technologies within sophisticated information networks will also be examined. Students should gain knowledge about strategic issues involving information technology management, as well as the development of specific computer skills.

Required Materials:

Textbook:

	Title:	Managing & Using Information Systems, A Strategic Approach  4th Edition
	Authors:	Pearlson, Keri E. and Saunders, Carol S.
	Publisher:	John Wiley & Sons, 2010
	ISBN:	0-470-34381-8

	Title:	The Innovator's Solution
	Authors:	Christensen, Clayton M. and Raynor, Michael E. .
	Publisher:	Harvard Business School Publishing , 2003
	ISBN:	1-57851-852-0
Note:	Please consider the following methods of obtaining books: Pearlson: eBook on Coursesmart Christensen: Local bookstore or eBook at Barnes and Nobel

Harvard Business Review Case (1) assigned during semester

Media storage device (flash drive, network drive space)

Recommended Materials:

The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman, 2006, Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, New York, ISBN: 0-374-29279-5

Blue Ocean Strategy by W.Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, 2005, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, ISBN: 1-59139-619-0

Innovation: The Five Disciplines for Creating What Customers Want by Curtis R. Carlson and William W. Wilmot, 2006, Crown Business, New York, ISBN: 0307336697

The Entrepreneurial Imperative by Carl J. Schrann, 2006, HarperCollins, New York, ISBN: 006-084163X

Course Objectives:

After completing this course students should be able to:

1. Recognize, analyze, and suggest various types of information-communication systems/services that are encountered in everyday life and in the business world.
2. Integrate business and IT strategies and services, and analyze their strategic impact on the business world.
3. Identify issues and implications of IT management.

See the BUS 6180 NABC graphic

Course Structure:

The purpose of this course is to prepare managers with adequate knowledge and skills in the area of information-communication systems/services. The students, therefore, will be actively involved in:

1. Class, Lectures, and Discussions: To gain a conceptual understanding of information-communication systems/services and related technologies.
2. Case Studies: To gain a theoretical knowledge and understanding of information-communication systems/services.
3. Experiential Learning with Business Software : To gain hands-on experience with information-communication systems and services needed to facilitate business processes.

Course Theme:

How managers use information technology to solve business challenges, support business processes, and facilitate organizational change.

Course Activities:

Collaboration Software - Individual (5 points)

Entry of headshots in Roster section of E-Learning

Topic Reports, Assessments, Presentations and Article Posting - Teams (100 points)

During the second class meeting you will be assigned to a team and receive a technology topic for research. The team will be responsible for a report covering that topic. Work collaboratively to produce your report. Click here for guidelines for topic reports.  Accountabilities include a written report, class presentation from the team based on NABC, and research article posting with class comments.  Comments required from everyone in the class except those on the posting team:

• Something well done in the presentation and what made it well done
• Something that needs improvement from the presentation, and a suggestion about how to improve it

Harvard Business Review ERP Case - Teams (70 points)

Case Report [80 points]

Each team will be assigned an ERP implementation case with responsibility for a report. Work collaboratively to produce your report.  Accountabilities include a written report and class presentation.  There will be only 3 reports, describing the three companies studied.  Every team should be prepared to present, but only 3 will be make an actual presentation.

Christensen "Good Enough" Framework Report - Individual (70 points)

Describe a technology system relevant to your professional life and apply chapters 5 and 6 of The Innovator's Solution to that system

Christensen "Organization" Framework Report - Individual (70 points)

Apply chapter 7 to a business project in your organization.

Business Intelligence (110 points)

Excel BI / Pivot Table exercise - 40 points

Excel BI / Data Mining Exercise - 30 points

Excel PowerPivot - 40 points

Quizzes (200 points)

Quiz questions for all text chapters and some of the Christensen book are due the day chapters are covered in the class.  They are due before class begins.  Please check the course schedule to be sure you are aware of due dates. 

ERP Simulation - Teams (100 points)

The ERP simulation includes data analysis, real time business decisions, financial reporting, and attention to detail.

Each team will be responsible for forecasting, pricing, marketing, and data analysis through SAP ERP. Preliminary and final analysis required with written and presentation report.  Pivot tables will be required in the analysis.

Macros (35 points)

Programming with Excel

Final Exam - Individual (120 points)

Discussions and Class Participation (120 points)

Ten graded discussion questions will be required.  Check the course schedule.  Participate in class discussions.

Note About Final Exam

Final exam can be taken within 5 days of the last class. Any resources can be used except real-time consulting.  There will not be enough time to look through the material during the final. In order to do well, you will have to prepare by organizing content and creating your own method of strong search techniques. Not all answers will require document search. Some will be discernable just by being familiar with the material. A review topic table will be provided.

Note About Team Work and Team Projects

There are team proejcts covering ERP implementations, ERP simulations, and technical topic reports.  Team activity covers 270 out of 1000 points, or 27 percent of the course grade.  Up to 100 points of that total may be affected by team evaluations done for each team assignment.  We will be using team software from http://www.catme.org.  Team reports will request authors contributing to parts of the team reports.

All graded parts of the course will require a considerable amount of your time outside of class. Make use of the technology tools available to you in the course.

Grading:

Item	Points
Headshot Assignment	5
Topics	100
HBR ERP Case	70
Christensen Frameworks	140
ERP Simulation	100
Business Intelligence	110
Macros	35
Quizzes	200
Discussions	100
Class Participation	20
Final Exam	120
Total	1000

Letter	Points	Letter	Points
A	920+	C	700 - 759
BA	870 - 919	DC	650 -699
B	810 - 869	D	600 -649
CB	760 - 809	E	Below 600

Check assignments for grading rubrics

Course Schedule

Course schedule is in a Google spreadsheet available from E-Learning.

Academic Honesty:

You are responsible for making yourself aware of and understanding the policies and procedures in the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs that pertain to Academic Honesty. These policies include cheating, fabrication, falsification and forgery, multiple submission, plagiarism, complicity and computer misuse. [The policies can be found at http://catalog.wmich.edu under Academic Policies, Student Rights and Responsibilities.] If there is reason to believe you have been involved in academic dishonesty, you will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct. You will be given the opportunity to review the charge(s). If you believe you are not responsible, you will have the opportunity for a hearing. You should consult with your instructor if you are uncertain about an issue of academic honesty prior to the submission of an assignment or test

Look over http://osc.wmich.edu and www.wmich.edu/registrar for code of honor and general academic policies on such issues as diversity, religious observance, student disabilities, etc.

Attendance Policy:

Given the nature of this course and the value added by attending the class, attendance is mandatory. Students are expected to contribute in the class and have the responsibility, not only for their own learning, but also to contribute to the learning of their fellow students. You cannot participate in class discussions if you are not in class. If you do miss class you are still responsible for all material covered and all assignments.

Communication:

Check the WMU E-Learning system daily

Late Assignments and Exams:

Late assignments will be docked 20% of the maximum grade obtainable for that assignment if late up to one week, 33% if over one week late. Assignments more than 2 weeks late will receive no credit. All assignments must be turned in before final exams.

Cell Phones and Pagers:

Cell phones and pagers must be on "vibrate" or off during class meeting times

Computer Lab Etiquette:

At the start of a new semester, it’s always a good idea to have a brief talk about computer lab etiquette. Below are a few rules that we’re all expected to follow.

Consuming Food and Beverages
Do not bring food or beverages into the computer labs.
Using Laptops
Laptops are more than welcome in the lab. Feel free to remain connected to the Internet with your wireless card. Don’t remove an Ethernet connection from an existing lab computer to connect your laptop.
Using Systems
During lectures and class work, refrain from checking e-mail, surfing the Web (unless it’s part of a class exercise), chatting, etc. Not only do you distract yourself but also others. If you make any of the above activities a habit, you’ll be asked to not sit at a system during specific class sessions.
Using Mobile Phones and Communication Devices
If you must have your mobile phone or communication device on, place it on vibrate. Don’t talk on a mobile phone during class time. If at all possible, simply turn off your mobile phone or communication device and
place it on automatic voice mail pickup.
Respecting the Workspace
We all share this workspace. Please respect that this is a working environment and not your own personal area.