ISYS 205 - Strategic Uses of Information Systems Syllabus Fall 2001 (Group Independent Study format) Professor: Glenn Booker E-mail: gbooker@drexel.edu (note that gbooker@acm.org and gbooker@snip.net are exactly the same address) Phone: 856-216-0960 (home) – but E-mail is more reliable for most questions Web Site: http://users.snip.net/~gbooker/ This web site contains the course assignments, lecture notes, syllabus, reading list, “General Course Information,” and (many miscellaneous references which probably won’t be needed for this course). Text: There is no “textbook” per se. Various readings are specified for each week, and are listed in a separate file. Course Structure This course is being held in a group independent study format. The class members may choose groups to work in, with 2-4 people in each group. (It’s better if only 2 or 3 people are in a group, since it’s otherwise easy for someone to hide in the group.) Each week there are case studies and lecture notes to read, and an assignment to do. Each group will discuss the materials, and work on the assignment together. A single result will be turned in for each group’s homework assignment via E-mail by the dates given below. It’s up to each group to decide whether to meet in person, via E-mail, teleconference, or whatever. If you E-mail questions to me, please include the rest of your group in the message’s address so I can reply to all of you at once. The General Course Information link on the web site describes my wishes for assignments in terms of format, font size, etc. Course Objective This course is based on the assumption that students have obtained general knowledge of information systems components in ISYS101 and of the application of information systems in organizations in ISYS102 (or through equivalent experience). This course builds on that knowledge and focuses on the organizational environments in which information systems are used and the business problems they can help solve. The objectives of this course are: to give an understanding of how information systems can be used to benefit organizations, to introduce the pitfalls of developing and implementing information systems in organizations, to introduce basic business problems and operations, and to help improve critical thinking skills. 1 The course makes extensive use of case studies in which real business problems involving information systems are described. Additional material relevant to the case studies will be presented in lectures and handouts. What Are Strategic Uses Of Information Systems? The principles of Information Resource Management (IRM) serve as the foundation for this course. IRM is both a philosophy and a set of practical tools and techniques for managing information in organizations. The basic problem of information systems in organizations is to get the right information to the right person, at the right time and in the right form, for them to be able to do their work effectively. A computer-based application is useless unless it provides information effectively. Strategic, as opposed to tactical, use refers to thinking in a high level, long term view. For an information system's use to be strategic, we must determine what is the "right" information and time, why is the information needed, who is the right person to get the information, and what is strategic, for this organization, under these circumstances. We must also understand common problems and issues involved in implementing Information Systems in business organizations. This course is designed to introduce the concepts of how organizational information systems (IS) are used to support a business organization and to enable you to appreciate many of the problems and issues encountered when organizational IS are introduced. We will examine how people work and make decisions in business firms, how typically they have been (or could be) involved in specifying the information systems that they use and how computer-based information systems can be used to support organizational decision-making. We will discuss what constitutes an organizational information system, examine formal and informal information systems and investigate in what circumstances the introduction and use of computer-based information systems supports organizational and personal work objectives. Assigned Readings Weekly assigned cases and readings are listed in the Reading Materials file. Most of these cases can be downloaded from the course web site in a large zipped file (or individually, if you have trouble with zipped files); the rest will be distributed in hardcopy form. Academic Honesty The Drexel University Academic Honesty Rules and Procedures (as stated in the Student Handbook, www.drexel.edu/studentlife/studenthandbook) will be adhered to strictly. It’s okay to use other people’s material in order to support your work – just make sure to give proper credit for it! 2 In order to avoid plagiarizing material, observe the following guidelines: If you use printed or electronic resources in your papers, be sure to attribute the sources you have used. This can be done by quoting the material or by paraphrasing the material and, in either case, listing the source in a footnote or an endnote. In a footnote or an endnote for a printed source, provide the following: Author lastname, Author first initial. (date). Title of article. Name of periodical, volume, page numbers. In a footnote or an endnote for an electronic source, provide the following: Author lastname, Author first initial. (date). Title of article. Name of periodical [On-line], volume. Available: Specify path If you have any doubts as to whether you are representing and attributing the ideas in your paper correctly, consult an English or writing handbook or see the instructor for guidance before the assignment due date. Assignments Students are given four assignments to answer in writing. These assignments are described in detail on the course web page. Assignments are due on the dates listed below. No assignments will be accepted late because of the tight time schedule for this course. There is one replacement credit assignment available. Students may complete this assignment to replace one assignment for which they would like to improve their grade. This assignment provides replacement credit, not additional credit. Students are encouraged to have a basic English handbook and a college-level dictionary readily available. You may also consult a publication stylebook (such as: Kate Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 6th Edition, 1996, University of Chicago Press), for help in composing case analysis reports and individual assignment essay papers. The document How to Prepare a Case Analysis is provided on the web page as well. Good writing skills are essential for success in this course. If you have any deficiencies in writing skills, visit the Drexel Writing Center (5060 MacAlister, 215-895-6633) for assistance. Grading Grading is based on four homework assignments. Homework assignments will be done in groups of 2-4 people (preferably 2 or 3 people) and turned in once for each group. Activity Weight Homework #1 25% Homework #2 25% Homework #3 25% Homework #4 25% Participation 0% TOTAL 100% 3 ISYS 205 Course Outline Week Topics 1 Information Resource Management Information Systems in Organizations 2 The Impact of Information Systems on the Organization Information Resource Management Across The Organization 3 Homework #1, #2, #3, and #4 assigned Homework #1 due October 12, 2001 Information Systems Implementation (E-business and E-commerce) Homework #2 due October 19, 2001 4 Ethical Issues in Information Systems Process Improvement and Reengineering 5 Information Systems Development Information Systems Evaluation Homework #3 due October 26, 2001 Homework #4 due November 2, 2001 There are no tests, quizzes, midterms, or final exam. This outline is tentative and topics may change or be reorganized due to the direction and flow of the class. 4