MBAA 609: Management Information Systems, Spring 2006
(Tues, 7:15 – 10:00 pm)
Instructor: Robbie T. Nakatsu
Office: Hilton 221
E-mail: rnakatsu@lmu.edu or robbienaka@yahoo.com
Phone: (310) 338-3746
Office Hours: To be announced
Web Site: myweb.lmu.edu/rnakatsu/mbaa609
Description
For any organization to be successfully managed, it is necessary to provide management with
valid information about the organization’s products and services, its resources, and its
environment. Most organizations now recognize that information technology is one of their most
valuable resources and that computers and telecommunications technology are among their most
powerful tools to assist in managing this information. Today, information technology (IT) is the
backbone of commerce, linking a company to its remote supply chains, and tying businesses to
the customers they serve. Indeed, spending on IT accounts for nearly 60 percent of all business
equipment investment in companies today.
This course is designed to introduce you to key IT concepts and to enhance your understanding
of the issues that business executives face when developing and managing information systems.
By completing the course, you will be better equipped to make IT-related decisions, to
participate in IT projects, and to knowledgeably communicate with IT experts.
We will examine the fundamental principles associated with IT development and management,
and the increasing impact of information technology in business organizations. The field is in a
state of flux, so we will also examine emerging technologies and IT trends. The course will
employ lectures, readings, class discussions, software demonstrations, and computer assignments
to address the following objectives:
Objectives
1. To understand the core technologies (e.g., databases, the Internet) that affect the
operation and management of business.
2. To introduce you to how information systems are developed and managed in business
organizations.
3. To prepare you to become better problem-solvers and critical users of information
technology.
4. To keep you abreast of some of the emerging trends in the field.
5. To understand how organizations use IT to become more competitive in the marketplace.
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Contents
The course will provide an introduction to the following topics:
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Organizational uses of information technology
Databases
The Internet and Electronic Business
Strategic and competitive uses of IT
Decision Support Systems
Supporting organizational decision-making with IT
Managing security threats
Emerging technologies and IT Trends
Course Materials
There is no required textbook for this course. You are, however, required to purchase a package
of reading materials from the LMU bookstore. The package includes selected chapters from
books, Harvard Business Review articles and cases, and other materials.
You are also strongly encouraged to purchase a USB flash drive for classroom use and
submission of assignments. The PCs in the classroom do not contain a 3 ½” floppy drive, so
you must either save classroom work on a USB flash drive, or email the file to yourself.
In addition to the reading materials, I will provide lecture notes, usually in the form of
powerpoint slides. These slides will be made available on the web. Please check the course web
site regularly to obtain these materials. You are responsible for obtaining lecture handouts on
your own, if you wish to have a hardcopy to take notes on during class. Alternatively, you can
download a copy of the powerpoint file and type your notes directly in the file.
Occasionally, I may also put articles and other supplementary material on the course web site. I
will let you know about these as the need arises.
You are also strongly encouraged to seek out additional sources of information to keep abreast of
current trends in information technology. The news media (e.g., the Wall Street Journal, the
New York Times, the LA Times, PC Magazine, Business Week) and the Web (e.g., cnet.com,
zdnet.com) are excellent sources for the most current and up-to-date information.
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Course Requirements
1. Computer Assignments
You will be required to complete three computer assignments on your own:
1. RF Walrus Case (Database Application)
2. Datius Case (Decision Support System)
3. Maxi’s Grocery Mart (Sensitivity Analysis and Macros)
The three assignments are to be submitted individually—you are allowed to collaborate with
your classmates, but you may not copy another classmates’ assignment. I will be conducting
hands-on tutorials in class that will help you to complete the assignment. In addition, I will
provide class handouts to accompany the tutorials.
You will be using Microsoft Office software to complete the assignments. Any version later
than and including Office 2000 should work fine for purposes of the assignments. If you are
having problems with your version of the software, please see me as soon as possible.
Please begin the computer assignments as soon as possible to allow for possible problems that
may arise. The assignments are non-trivial and you may need extra time to work out any
technical glitches and problems that arise. Late submissions are strongly discouraged, and you
will be marked one letter grade lower for each late day, if you submit after the due date. Please
note that all assignments are due at the beginning of the class. If you arrive late for class on the
date the assignment is due, you will be penalized one late day.
2. Group Project
Students will be required to organize themselves into groups of about four. Each project team
will be expected to analyze either 1) an emerging technology or technology trend or 2) a
controversial IT “hot” topic. I am particularly interested in a topical issue that has generated
controversy and heated discussion. You will be required to present the arguments (both pros and
cons) and your final recommendation to companies. I will provide more details in a separate
handout later on in the semester.
Suggestions for topics include the following IT trends / controversies:
1. Offshore outsourcing of IT services.
2. Ethical issues associated with RFID (radio frequency ID tags) and other monitoring systems.
3. Does IT matter? (see article Nicholas G. Carr, “IT Doesn’t Matter,” Harvard Business
Review, May 2003, 41-29.)
4. Downloading music/video files on the Internet, and copyright infringement issues.
Alternatively, you may analyze a new and emerging technology such as:
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Voice over IP
New and Emerging Wireless Technologies (e.g., WiMax and 3G)
Nanotechnology
Web 2.0 (the second-generation Web)
New software development techniques and technologies (e.g., AJAX)
You may come up with you own topic, subject to my approval.
Project Status Report
A single-spaced, one-page project status report will be due, at the beginning of class on April 4
(subject to change). In this report, you will be required to have a plan for completing the group
project. In particular, you are to provide a list of references you plan to investigate further
(Internet web sites, magazine articles, books, etc.) as well as how you intend to divide the work
among the group members. You may want to include dates and milestones so that your group is
kept on track.
Project Oral Presentation
Each project team will be required to present the results of its investigation to the rest of the class
during weeks 14 and 15 of the semester (see course outline below). The oral presentation will
be about 30-35 minutes long, including time for questions and comments.
3. Examinations
Examinations will be held—both a midterm and final—to test your understanding of the material
covered in this course. Both examinations are closed-book and no materials are allowed. You
are responsible for all reading material assigned, as well as all lecture material covered in class.
The examinations will be a combination of multiple-choice questions, and short answer
questions. I will provide more details about the examinations before they are to take place.
4. Class Participation and Professionalism
Regular class attendance and participation in discussions is expected from each of you, and will
be a determining factor in your final course grade. At a minimum, you are expected to attend
class. To promote deeper discussion of the reading assignments, I will (on occasion) require that
you answer a set of questions on the assigned reading. Failure to turn in a set of answers will
negatively impact your class participation grade.
Other factors that could negatively impact your class participation grade include regularly
showing up late for class, surfing the web during class lecture time ,and turning in your
assignments late without advanced warning. If you are having problems keeping up with the
class assignments, please see me as soon as possible, NOT the night before the assignment is
due.
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Grading
Grading will be based on three homework assignments, a group presentation, a midterm, a final
exam, and class participation. The breakdown for the grading is provided below:
Assignments
Assignment 1: Database
11%
Assignment 2: DSS
9%
Assignment 3: Sensitivity Analysis 9%
Midterm Exam
22%
Group Presentation
13%
Final Exam
26%
Class Participation
10%
Total
100%
Last day to withdraw or apply for credit / no-credit grading: March 17, 2006
Academic Honesty and Integrity
You are expected to work on the assignments and take the examinations individually and
independently. (You may consult with other students on the assignments, but I expect each of
you to turn in your own assignments). Plagiarism and cheating on examinations will not be
tolerated. Students who commit any act of cheating or dishonesty will receive an automatic F on
the assignment/exam on which they cheated. If the offense is serious enough, the student may
fail the course outright without the possibility of withdrawal.
Please Note: The computer assignments are modified from semester to semester, so that you
cannot copy another classmate’s assignment from another semester. The penalty is severe if I
catch any act of copying. (It is very easy to copy another student’s file, but please do not do
this!)
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MBAA 609 Course Outline
Jan - Apr 2006
Week #
Date
Topic
1
Tue
Jan 10
Introduction to Course &
Management Information Systems
Foundations of IS in Organizations
2
Tue
Jan 17
Databases, P. I
Reading: Hoffer, J.A., Prescott, M.B., and McFadden, F. R. (2005). Modern Database
Management, 7th Edition, Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Chapter 1, The Database
Environment, pp. 3-30.
Lab: Developing Databases Using Access, P. I
3
Tue
Jan 24
Databases, P. II
4
Tue
Jan 31
Systems Development, P. I
Lab: Developing Databases Using Access, P. II
Reading: Laudon, K.C. and Laudon, J.P. (2004). Managing Information Systems: Managing
the Digital Firm, 8th Edition, Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice-Hall. Chapter 12,
Redesigning the Organization with Information Systems, pp. 376-407.
Lab: Developing Databases Using Access, Conclusions
5
Tue
Feb 7
Systems Development, P. II
6
Tue
Feb 14
The Internet and E-Business , P. I
Reading: Rigby, D.K. and Ledingham, D. (2004). “CRM Done Right,” Harvard Business
Review, November 2004, pp. 118-129.
Reading: Afuah, A. and Tucci, C.L. (2002). Internet Business Models and Strategies,
McGraw-Hill. Chapter 3, Competitive Landscape-Changing Properties of the Internet, pp. 3246.
Lab: Decision Support Systems using Excel
7
Tue
Feb 21
8
Tue
Feb 28
Mar 6 –
Mar 10
Midterm Examination
The Internet and E-Business, P. II
Reading: Magretta, J. (2002). “Why Business Models Matter,” Harvard Business Review,
May 2002, pp. 86-92.
Lab: Organizational Uses of Spreadsheets
UNIVERSITY HOLIDAY:
Spring Break
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9
Tue
Mar 14
Strategic I.S.
10
Tue
Mar 21
Strategic I.S.
Reading: Porter, M.E. (2001). “Strategy and the Internet,” Harvard Business Review, March
2001, pp. 63-78
Reading: Tapscott, D, (2001) "Rethinking Strategy in a Networked World (or Why Michael
Porter is Wrong about the Internet)," Strategy+Business, Third Quarter, Issue 24.
Lab: Sensitivity Analysis and Macros
11
Tue
Mar 28
12
Tue
Apr 4
Supporting Organizational Decision-Making with IT
Reading: Mallach, E.G. (2000). Decision Support Systems and Data Warehouse Systems,
Irwin McGraw-Hill, Chapter 10, Group Decision Support Systems, pp. 384-414.
Managing Security Threats
Reading: Austin, R.D. and Darby, C.A.R. (2003). “The Myth of Secure Computing,” Harvard
Business Review
Austin, R.D. (2003). “The iPremier Company (A): Denial of Service Attack,” Harvard
Business School Case Study.
13
Tue
Apr 11
New and Emerging Technologies
14
Tue
Apr 18
15
Tue
Apr 25
Group Project Presentations:
Groups 1, 2, and 3
Reading: Werbach, K. (2005). “Using VoIP to Compete,” Harvard Business Review,
September 2005, pp. 1-8.
Group Project Presentations:
Groups 4, 5, and 6
Course Wrap-Up
Note: The course outline is tentative and subject to change by the instructor during the semester
based on the progress of the class.
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