INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION SYSTEM
Fall 2003
SYLLABUS & COURSE OUTLINE
Lecturer: Dr. She-I Chang
Office Address: Room 405 - College of Management
Lecture Hours: 16:10 - 18:00 Mon. (Room 101 – College of Management)
Lecture Hours: 16:10 - 17:00 Wed. (Room 217 - Computer Center)
Office Hours: 13:00-15:00 (Tue), 14:00 – 16:00 (Wed), 12:00 – 14:00 (Thur)
Phone: 05-2720411 ext. 34510
Fax: 05-2721197
E-mail: actsic@ccu.edu.tw
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The course is designed primarily for business students who are potential managerial end users.
That is, it is written for business students, most of who will become managers, entrepreneurs,
or business professionals in today's e-business enterprise. The goal of the text is to help
business students learn how to use and manage information technologies to revitalize business
processes, conduct electronic commerce, improve business decision-making, and gain
competitive advantage. Thus, it places a major emphasis on the role of Internet technologies in
providing a technology platform for electronic business, commerce, and collaboration within
and among internetworked enterprises and global markets.
This course is designed for use in undergraduate courses in Management Information
Systems, (MIS), which are required in many Business Administration or Management
programs as part of the common body of knowledge for all business majors. Because of this
orientation, a large number of real world examples dealing with problems and opportunities
faced by managers from all functional areas of business have been included. The text focuses
on providing only the level of knowledge of technical information systems concepts and
terminology required by a business end user.
The course is also designed to support the attainment of information system literacy by
students. Its objective is to build a basic understanding of the value and uses of information
systems for business operation, management decision-making, and strategic advantage. It is
not designed for courses in computer literacy, although it does include a four-chapter module
that gives an "Introductory Overview" of information systems technology. The four chapters
of this module emphasise the implications of information technology. They contain overviews
of computer hardware, software, data resource management and telecommunications that can
be used as a refresher on such topics or to help remedy deficiencies in student computer
literacy.
FIVE DIFFERENT TEACHING EMPHASES
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Department of Accounting, NCCU
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This course reduces the complexity of a course in management information systems by using a
framework that emphasises the IS knowledge a business end user needs to know into five
major areas:
1. Foundation Concepts: Fundamental behavioural, technical, business, and managerial
concepts about the components and roles of information systems. Examples include basic
information system concepts derived from general theory or competitive strategy concepts
used to develop information systems for competitive advantage. Chapters 1 and 2, and
other chapters of the text support this area of knowledge.
2. Information Technology. Major concepts, developments, and managerial issues involved
in computer hardware, software, telecommunications networks, and data resource
management technologies. Chapters 3 through 6 along with other chapters of the text
support this area of information systems knowledge.
3. Business Applications: The major uses of information systems for the operations,
management, and competitive advantage of an internetworked e-business enterprise,
including electronic business, commerce, collaboration and decision making using the
Internet, intranets, and extranets are covered in Chapters 7, 8, and 9.
4. Development Processes: How end users or information specialists develop and implement
information systems to meet e-business strategies and systems using several strategic
planning and application development systems. Chapter 10 helps you gain such
knowledge as well as an appreciation of the business issues involved.
5. Management Challenges: The challenges of e-business technologies and strategies,
including security and ethical challenges and global IT management is emphasized in
Chapters 11 and 12, but all of the chapters in the text emphasise the managerial challenges
of information technology.
PREREQUISITES
None
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS


O’Brien, J. INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS: ESSENTIALS FOR THE EBUSINESS ENTERPRISE, McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2003, ISBN: 0-07-115109-5
Packet of Real World Case Links, Video Clips, Application Exercises, Powerpoint
Presentations, Chapter Outlines and Summaries, Multiple Choice Quizs, Fill in the Blanks
and True or False are available on the McGraw-Hill Online Learning Center
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072472642/
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity free from fraud and deception and is an
educational objective of this institution. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:
cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating of information or citations, facilitating acts of academic
dishonesty by others, having unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of
another person or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with
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Department of Accounting, NCCU
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the academic work of other students. At the beginning of each course it is the responsibility of
the instructor to provide a statement clarifying the application of the academic integrity to
that course. (Policies and Rules: A Handbook for Students)
GRADING
Your grade will be determined as follows:
Assignment
Class Participation
Case Studies/Video
Presentations
Mid-Term Exam
Team Project: Application
Exercises Project Log
Final Exam
Weight
10%(5x2)
10%
Due Date
Each Class
Week 8 and 16
20%
40%
Week 9
Week 17
20%
Week 18
Class Participation
The Management Division requires regular attendance by students in each course. Class
attendance is useful to the student as a means of acquiring knowledge and clarification, and is
a prerequisite for class participation. Class participation is the active engagement in questions
and answers, taking part in analyses of business situations, and contributing comments in class
sessions. The participation grade will be based on the quality of comments made during the
class discussions and discussions of “Review Quiz” and “Discussion Questions” not the
quantity of comments.
Case Studies/Video Presentations
During the Week 8 and 17, each student will prepare written description and presentation of
one case from the real world (Online resource: 63 Video Clips). The written analyses should
focus analyzing the materials in the case, evaluating the strategy employed by the company,
and making appropriate recommendations. Summarize the material in the case. Use the
material in the case and others to support your evaluations, and conclusions. In some case,
there might be several alternative recommendations. In these situations, evaluate the pros and
cons of the alternatives and use these evaluations to form your recommended approach.
The written case description should be limited to 2,000 words plus exhibits and tables. The
exhibits and tables should be related to the analysis, referred to in the text, and should not
simple graph data in the case. The presentation will also be limited within 10 minutes.
Team Project: Application Exercises Project Log
To be further advised from the Lecturer
Mid-Term Exam and Final Exam
The mid-term and final examination will be open book, open notes. It will consist of multiplechoice questions, true or false questions, answer questions addressing concepts and
applications discussed in the textbook and lectures.
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Department of Accounting, NCCU
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REQUIREMENTS
Class Meetings
You are required to attend all class meetings. If you miss a meeting, it is your responsibility to
obtain notes from a fellow student. Office hours are not meant for individual lectures.
Readings
You should read the chapters and/or articles and cases listed in the schedule before the class in
which they will be discussed.
Web Sites
Whenever you have to read a case, you must also log on to the site of the organization that is
the subject of the case, and update your knowledge about the organization’s activities as part
of preparing for class discussion. It is your responsibility to look the site up on the Web.
OUTSIDE CLASS COMMUNICATION
You are encouraged to exercise your right to own a College user ID and use it for electronic
mail. (Note that students are also entitled to maintain their own Web site, up to 50MB in size.)
Please feel free to communicate with me by phone, e-mail, fax, and my mailbox on campus.
Use my office hours whenever you feel you need to. If you wish to meet with me outside my
office hours, contact me and I will make every effort to work out a time to fit your schedule.
PROHIBITION ON SOFTWARE COPYING
Students in this course will use the College’s Microcomputer Laboratory and software
designed to run on personal computers. Much of this software is of a proprietary nature, and
its duplication is strictly prohibited. Unauthorized copying is prohibited by the University, and
may violate the University’s software licensing agreements and various government laws. Any
student who engages in unauthorized software copying will be subject to harsh penalties.
CELLUAR PHONES, BEEPERS, AND OTHER ANNOYNACES
Cellular phones and beepers must be turned off before entering the classroom. If your device
emits any sound during class session, you will be invited to leave the classroom and not
return.
COURSE OUTLINE
WEEK
TOPIC
1
COURSE INTRODUCTION
MODULE
FOUNDATION CONCEPTS
1
Topic: Foundations of Information Systems in Business
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© She-I Chang Fall, 2003
Department of Accounting, NCCU
READING
ASSIGNMENT
Chapter 1
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3
This chapter presents an overview of the five basic areas of information
systems knowledge needed by business professionals, including the
conceptual system components and major types of information systems.
Learning Objective
 Explain why knowledge of information systems is important for
business professionals and identify five areas of information systems
knowledge they need.
 Give examples to illustrate how e-business, electronic commerce, or
enterprise collaboration systems could support a firm’s business
processes, managerial decision-making, and strategies for
competitive advantage.
 Provide examples of the components of real world information
systems. Illustrate that in an information system, people use
hardware, software, data, and networks as resources to perform input,
processing, output, storage, and control activities that transform data
resources into information products.
 Provide examples of several major types of information systems from
your experiences with business organizations in the real world.
 Identify several challenges that a business manager might face in
managing the successful and ethical development and use of
information technology in a business.
Topic: Competing with Information Technology
Purpose of the chapter is to introduce you to the fundamental concepts of
competitive advantage through information technology, and illustrates
strategic applications of information systems that can gain competitive
advantages for today’s global e-business enterprises.
Learning Objectives
 Identify several basic competitive strategies and explain how they can
use information technologies to confront the competitive forces faced
by a business.
 Identify several strategic uses of information technologies for
electronic business and commerce, and give examples of how they
give competitive advantages to a business.
 Give examples of how business process reengineering frequently
involves the strategic use of e-business technologies.
 Identify the business value of using e-business technologies for total
quality management, to become an agile competitor, or to form a
virtual company.
 Explain how knowledge management systems can help a business
gain strategic advantages.
MODULE
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES
2
Topic: Computer Hardware
4
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
The chapter reviews trends and developments in microcomputer,
midrange, and mainframe computer systems; basic computer system
concepts; and the major types of technologies used in peripheral devices
for computer input, output, and storage.
Learning Objective
 Identify the major types, trends, and uses of microcomputer,
midrange and mainframe computer systems.
 Outline the major technologies and uses of computer peripherals for
input, output, and storage.
 Identify and give examples of the components and functions of a
computer system.
 Identify the computer systems and peripherals you would acquire or
recommend for a business of your choice, and explain the reasons for
your selections.
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Department of Accounting, NCCU
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Topic: Computer Software
Purpose of this chapter is to give you an overview of computer software
by reviewing the basic features and trends in the major types of
application software and system software used to support enterprise and
end user computing.
Learning Objective
 Describe several important trends occurring in computer software.
 Give examples of several major types of application and system
software.
 Explain the purpose of several popular microcomputer software
packages for end user productivity and collaborative computing.
 Outline the functions of an operating system.
 Describe the main uses of high-level, fourth-generation, objectoriented, and Web-oriented programming languages and tools.
Topic: Database Resource Management
Purpose of the chapter is to emphasize management of the data resources
of computer-using organizations. The chapter reviews key database
management concepts and applications in business information systems.
Learning Objective
 Explain the importance of implementing data resource management
processes and technologies in an organization.
 Outline the advantages of the database management approach to
managing the data resources of a business.
 Explain how database management software helps business
professionals and supports the operations and management of a
business.
 Provide examples to illustrate each of the following concepts:
a) Major types of databases
b) Data warehouses and data mining
c) Logical data elements
d) Fundamental database structure
e) Database access methods
f) Database development
Topic: Telecommunications and Networks
Purpose of this chapter is to present an overview of telecommunications
networks, applications, and trends, and review technical
telecommunications alternatives.
Learning Objective
 Identify several major developments and trends in the industries,
technologies, and applications of telecommunications and
Internetwork technologies.
 Provide examples of the business value of Internet, intranet, and
extranet applications.
 Identify the basic components, functions, and types of
telecommunications networks used in business.
 Explain the functions of major types of telecommunications network
hardware, software, media, and services.
Topic: Case studies/Video Presentations
Objectives: Understand how the Information Systems / Information
Technology are applied in real world.
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MID-TERM TXAM WEEK
MODULE
BUSINESS APPLICATIONS
3
Topic: Electronic Business Systems
10
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Purpose of this chapter is to describe how information systems integrate
and support the enterprise-wide business processes and business functions
of marketing, manufacturing, human resource management, accounting,
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Department of Accounting, NCCU
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and finance.
It also gives an understanding of the importance of
electronic commerce and the role that the Internet is playing in the
evolution of e-commerce for companies doing business in today’s
networked global markets.
Learning Objective
 Identify each of the following cross-functional e-business systems
and give examples of how they can provide significant business value
to a company and its customers and business partners.
a) Enterprise resource planning
b) Customer relationship management
c) Enterprise application integration
d) Supply chain management
e) Online transaction processing
f) Enterprise collaboration
 Give examples of how Internet and other information technologies
support business processes within the business functions of
accounting, finance, human resource management, marketing, and
production and operations management.
Topic: Electronic Commerce Systems
Purpose of this chapter is to describe and introduce the basic process
components of e-commerce systems, and discuss important trends,
applications and issues in e-commerce. It also gives an understanding of
the importance of electronic commerce and the role that the Internet is
playing in the evolution of e-commerce for companies doing business in
today’s networked global markets.
Learning Objective
 Identify the major categories and trends of e-commerce applications.
 Identify the essential processes of an e-commerce system, and give
examples of how they are implemented in e-commerce applications.
 Identify and give examples of key factors and Web store
requirements needed to succeed in e-commerce.
 Identify and explain the business value of several types of ecommerce marketplaces.
 Discuss the benefits and trade-offs of several e-commerce clicks and
bricks alternatives.
Topic: Decision Support Systems
Purpose of the chapter is to explain how management information
systems, decision support systems, executive information systems, expert
systems, and artificial intelligence technologies can be applied to
decision-making situations faced by managers and professionals. The
chapter emphasizes the major trends and changes occurring in e-business
decision support, which is empowering business professionals and
knowledge workers (not just managers and executives), with web-enabled
decision support tools.
Learning Objective
 Identify the changes taking place in the form and use of decision
support in e-business enterprises.
 Identify the role and reporting alternatives of management
information systems.
 Describe how online analytical processing can meet key information
needs of managers.
 Explain the decision support system concept and how it differs from
traditional management information systems.
 Explain how the following information systems can support the
information needs of executives, managers, and business
professionals:
a) Executive information systems
b) Enterprise information portals
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Department of Accounting, NCCU
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
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
c) Enterprise knowledge portals
Identify how neural networks, fuzzy logic, genetic algorithms, virtual
reality, and intelligent agents can be used in business.
Give examples of several ways expert systems can be used in
business decision-making situations.
MODULE
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
4
Topic: Developing e-Business Solutions
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Chapter 10
Purpose of this chapter is to introduce the traditional, prototyping, and
end user approaches to the development of e-business systems, and
discuss the processes and managerial issues in the implementation of new
e-business systems and technologies. It presents a systematic approach to
problem solving. It then introduces a variety of approaches used by IS
professionals and end users to develop information system solutions to
business problems.
Learning Objective
 Use the systems development process outlined in this chapter, and the
model of IS components from Chapter 1 as problem-solving
frameworks to help you propose information systems solutions to
simple business problems.
 Describe and give examples to illustrate how you might use each of
the steps of the information systems development cycle to develop
and implement an e-business system.
 Explain how prototyping improves the process of systems
development for end users and IS specialists.
 Identify the activities involved in the implementation of new
information systems.
 Describe several evaluation factors that should be considered in
evaluating the acquisition of hardware, software, and IS services.
 Identify several change management solutions for end user resistance
to the implementation of new e-business applications.
MODULE
MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES
5
Topic: Security and Ethical Challenges of e-Business
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15
Purpose of the chapter is to discuss the threats against, and defenses
needed for e-business performance and security, as well as the ethical
implications and societal impacts of information technologies.
Learning Objective
 Identify several ethical issues in how the use of information
technologies in e-business affects employment, individuality, working
conditions, privacy crime, health, and solutions to societal problems.
 Identify several types of security management strategies and
defenses, and explain how they can be used to ensure the security of
e-business applications.
 Propose several ways that business managers and professionals can
help to lessen the harmful effects and increase the beneficial effects
of the use of information technology.
Topic: Enterprise and Global Management of e-Business Technology
Purpose of this chapter is to emphasize the impact of e-business on
management and organizations, the components of information systems
management, and the managerial implications of the use of information
technology in global e-business.
Learning Objective
 Identify several ways that information technologies have affected the
job in e-business companies.
 Explain how problems of information system performance can be
reduced by the involvement of business managers in IS planning and
© She-I Chang Fall, 2003
Department of Accounting, NCCU
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
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management.
Identify the seven major dimensions of e-business organization and
explain how they affect the success of e-business companies.
 Identify each of the three components of e-business technology
management and use examples to illustrate how they might be
implemented in an e-business enterprise.
 Identify several cultural, political, and geoeconomic challenges that
confront managers in the management of global e-business
technologies.
 Explain the effect on global e-business strategy of the trend toward a
transnational business strategy by international business
organizations.
 Identify several considerations that affect the access choice of IT
applications, IT platforms, data policies, and systems development
methods made by a global e-business enterprise.
Topic: Case studies/Video Presentations
Objectives: Understand how the Information Systems / Information
Technology are applied in real world.
Team Project: Application Exercise Project Log

16
17
18
Final Exam Week
Note: This schedule is subject to change.
© She-I Chang Fall, 2003
Department of Accounting, NCCU
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