BUSI 2400*
Foundations of Information Systems
Fall 2012
Section B, C & D
Instructors:
Name
Email:
Phone:
Office:
Office hours:
Sections:
Section
B
C
D
Day
R
T
T
Robert Riordan (Course Coordinator)
robert_riordan@carleton.ca
613.520.2600x2505
DT 1014
By appointment
Time
14:35
08:35
14:35
CRN
30511
30512
30513
Location
SA518
TB446
UC282
Professor
Riordan
Riordan
Riordan
Tutorials: 1 hour/week REQUIRED. Selection opens Friday September 14th, 9AM; details in
first class. Labs begin week of September 10.
COURSE WEBSITE
This site is for lecture notes, assignment details, readings, My Page and support
information. We do not use WebCT or cuLearn. The website URL is:
http://busi2400.ssb.carleton.ca
PREREQUISITES
Enrolment is restricted to students in the Bachelor of Commerce Program. The School of
Business enforces all prerequisites. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure
that the prerequisite requirements are met. Failure to meet the prerequisites may
result in your deregistration from this course any time into the term.
This course is a prerequisite to
1. BUSI 3400 (with a grade of C or higher)
2. BUSI 3402 (with a grade of C or higher)
3. BUSI 3405 (with a grade of C- or higher)
4. BUSI 3407 (with a grade of C- or higher)
5. BUSI 4009 (with a grade of C- or higher)
6. BUSI 4400 (with a grade of C- or higher)
7. BUSI 4404 (with a grade of C- or higher)
8. BUSI 4609 (with a grade of D- or higher)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course provides an introduction to the study of information systems in organisations.
No manager can be effective in administering complex modern organisations without some
understanding of information systems and their impact. Information Systems is
multidisciplinary, with contributions coming from computer science, organisational theory,
organisational behaviour, management science, operations research, strategic
management, sociology, psychology, cognitive science and political science. As information
systems are social as well as technical systems, their impact is best understood from a
sociotechnical perspective. Topics covered will include: fundamental concepts of information
systems; the technical foundations of information systems, and; approaches to building,
deploying and controlling information systems. Presentation and collaboration skills will also
be developed in this class.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Experience the value and importance of sharing data within an organisation through
participating in assignments and in-class exercises wherein you must communicate with
other groups using electronic and in-person methods;
2. Be able to identify the major functional areas in a traditional manufacturing business and
appreciate how the organisation and its functional areas operate within the context of
information systems;
3. Be aware of the key issues in information systems design, development, and deployment
through hands-on exercises such as in-class discussions and reports, individual
assignments and tutorial tasks using information and communications technology such
as databases, spreadsheets and enterprise planning tools;
4. Be familiar with the basic technologies that underpin organisational information systems
such as networks, operating systems and network services;
5. Have hands-on experience building and deploying simple yet effective information
systems such as personal and group websites, personal BLOGS, enterprise tools such as
databases as well as analysis and presentation tools such as spreadsheets and
presentation software;
6. Have a basic understanding of services, service-oriented architectures (SOA) and Cloud
Computing;
7. Have experience presenting reports based on the decision-making needs of managers in
various fields as they apply to information systems;
NEW TEXT
Norrie, James L., Nanjad, M. and Mark W. Huber (2012), Introduction to Business
Information Systems, Third Canadian Edition, John Wiley & Sons Limited. ISBN 13:
978118299791
 Textbooks are available at Haven Books, just a short walk from campus across
Bronson up Sunnyside Avenue. You must use this textbook. The textbook used in
previous years is outdated and unsupported. Exams will be based on the new
book.
EVALUATION*
Individual grade weight 66% / Group grade weight 34% (Group grades are peer evaluated)
ELEMENT
WEIGHT %
Multiple Assignments
55
Test 1
10
Test 2
15
Final Exam*
20
TOTAL
100
*See Credit for BUSI 2400 section below for critical information.
TESTS
There will be two in-class tests. The tests will be held on the dates provided in the course
schedule below. Makeup tests are not available in this course. You must be present to write
these tests or you must present a medical or other note to explain your absence. If you
must miss one of the mid-term tests due to verifiable illness or, in rare and highly
exceptional cases, due to some other circumstance beyond your control, you may
apply to have the weight of the missing test applied to the subsequent test in the term by
submitting a medical certificate or other appropriate documentation (if not a medical issue)
to your instructor no later than 18:00 on the fifth (5th) calendar day following the midterm
date. To be clear, if the test is on the 1st day of the month, your documentation must be in
your instructor’s hands by 6:00 PM on the 6th day of the month.
For medical issues, you must use the medical certificate form found at:
http://www1.carleton.ca/registrar/ccms/wp-content/ccms-files/med_cert1.pdf. You must show the
ORIGINAL medical certificate to your instructor, keep the original for your records, and
provide a photocopy for our records. For other rare circumstances, your instructor will
decide ad hoc what constitutes reasonable and appropriate documentation.
ASSIGNMENTS
There are many small to medium-sized assignments in this class. Each is described in full on
the website and adequate warning and discussion will be provided in class, in labs and
potentially via various electronic means. There are several resources to use in order to
accomplish the tasks required in this class, including a dedicated Help Desk providing
guaranteed 12-hour turnaround of emails, 7 days a week.
CREDIT for BUSI 2400
In order to receive credit, you must meet the requirements for satisfactory in-term
performance (as specified below) AND you must achieve a grade of 50% or higher on the
final exam, whether written during the scheduled examination period or as a deferral.
The requirement for satisfactory in-term performance consists of four criteria:
1) You must write AT LEAST ONE in-class test. You cannot choose one or the other.
2) A missed in-class test must be documented per the procedure specified in this
outline. Either you write the test or you produce a medical certificate according the
guidelines in this document within 6 days. Carleton certificate, you show original to
me, keep the original for your records, provide a copy for me.
3) You must score 50% or better on AT LEAST ONE in-class test and your average test
grade must be 50% or higher. Even though the tests carry different weights in the
overall grade scheme, they are considered to be of equal weight (because they test
equal amounts of material) in this calculation. If you do not write Test #1, you must
pass Test #2. If you do not write Test #2, you must have passed Test #1 in order to
satisfy this criterion. Please be very clear on this.
4) Your overall term work grade going into the final (i.e. the weighted sum of all
individual and group assignments (after peer evaluation weights are applied) as well
as tests and any bonus marks earned, when considered together as your final preexam grade) must be 50% or higher.
Failure with No Deferral (FND)
Unsatisfactory in-term performance in this course will lead to a grade of FND in this term.
COMMUNICATION
2400 Email Procedure:
It is important to use the structure outlined in the template below:
 The subject of the email must begin with 2400.
 The first line in the body of the email must contain your name, student number,
section of the course and your FA# (more on FA# later).
SPECIAL NOTE:
 Your instructor will not reply to emails which ask for information that was either
supplied verbally in class, is in class notes, was provided in tutorials/labs or was posted
as a news item on the course website and/or Blog. So make sure the information isn’t in
the public domain before you ask…
 Do not expect an email reply if you do not use the proper email procedure.
 Do not expect a reply from your instructor on weekends or holidays. The Help Desk,
however, will always reply within 12 hours.
Sample email message:
DETAILED COURSE SCHEDULE*
Class #
Week of:
Topic
Other #
Sept 10
Introduction
1
IT for Business and Business
Sept 17
2
Professionals (Ch 1) and Technology
R&R Present
Essentials (Ch 2)
Sept 24
3
E-commerce (Ch 7)
FAWS Present
Oct 1
4
SAP and the enterprise push
Test 1
Oct 8
5
Managing and Using Data (Ch 3)
Oct
15
6
Enterprise Systems (Ch 4)
Oct 22
7
Creating Business Value (Ch 5)
Oct 29
8
The buyout
Test 2
Web 2.0, Social Media and Online
Nov 5
9
Trends(Ch 8)
Managing IS Projects and Creating
Nov 12
10
Solutions (Ch 6)
Strategy, Big Data and Current Topics –
Nov 19
11
Vis Present
What’s New and What’s Next? (~)
Nov 26
12
Cap + Exam params
EEP Present
*Note: While every attempt will be made to keep to the schedule listed above, unforeseen
circumstances may necessitate modifications throughout the semester.
Please check the University’s important dates & deadlines
(http://www.carleton.ca/cuuc/university/academicyear.html) for information on this term’s
start and end dates, holidays and drop deadlines.
Required calculator in BUSI course examinations
If you are purchasing a calculator, we recommend any one of the following options: Texas Instruments
BA II Plus (including Pro Model), Hewlett Packard HP 12C (including Platinum model), Staples Financial
Calculator, Sharp EL-738C & Hewlett Packard HP 10bII. A calculator is not required for BUSI 2400.
Group work
The Sprott School of Business encourages group assignments in the school for several reasons. They
provide you with opportunities to develop and enhance interpersonal, communication, leadership,
follower-ship and other group skills. Group assignments are also good for learning integrative skills for
putting together a complex task. Your professor may assign one or more group
tasks/assignments/projects in this course. Before embarking on a specific problem as a group, it is your
responsibility to ensure that the problem is meant to be a group assignment and not an individual one.
Medical certificate
Please note that in all occasions that call for a medical certificate you must use or furnish the
information demanded in the standard university form. http://www2.carleton.ca/registrar/forms/
Persons with disabilities
Students with disabilities requiring academic accommodations in this course must register with the Paul
Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities (PMC) for a formal evaluation of disability-related needs.
Documented disabilities could include but are not limited to mobility/physical impairments, specific
Learning Disabilities (LD), psychiatric/psychological disabilities, sensory disabilities, Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and chronic medical conditions. Registered PMC students are required to
contact the PMC, 613-520-6608, every term to ensure that I receive your Letter of Accommodation, no
later than two weeks before the first assignment is due or the first in-class test/midterm requiring
accommodations. If you only require accommodations for your formally scheduled exam(s) in this
course, please submit your request for accommodations to PMC by the deadlines published on the PMC
website.
Religious observance
Students requesting academic accommodation on the basis of religious observance should make a
formal, written request to their instructors for alternate dates and/or means of satisfying academic
requirements. Such requests should be made during the first two weeks of class, or as soon as possible
after the need for accommodation is known to exist, but no later than two weeks before the compulsory
academic event. Accommodation is to be worked out directly and on an individual basis between the
student and the instructor(s) involved. Instructors will make accommodations in a way that avoids
academic disadvantage to the student. Students or instructors who have questions or want to confirm
accommodation eligibility of a religious event or practice may refer to the Equity Services website for a
list of holy days and Carleton's Academic Accommodation policies, or may contact an Equity Services
Advisor in the Equity Services Department for assistance.
Pregnancy
Pregnant students requiring academic accommodations are encouraged to contact an Equity Advisor in
Equity Services to complete a letter of accommodation. The student must then make an appointment to
discuss her needs with the instructor at least two weeks prior to the first academic event in which it is
anticipated the accommodation will be required.
Plagiarism
The University Senate defines plagiarism in the regulations on instructional offenses as: "to use and pass
off as one's own idea or product work of another without expressly giving credit to another."
Borrowing someone else's answers, unauthorized possession of tests or answers to tests, or possession
of material designed in answering exam questions, are also subject to university policy regarding
instructional offences. For more information on Carleton University's Academic Integrity Policy, consult:
http://www1.carleton.ca/studentaffairs/academic-integrity/
Important Dates & Deadlines - Fall Term 2012
September 1, 2012 - Last day for receipt of applications from potential fall (November) graduates.
September 3, 2012 - Statutory holiday, University closed.
September 4, 2012 - Fall term begins.
September 4-5, 2012 - Academic Orientation. All students are expected to be on campus. Class and
laboratory preparations departmental introductions for students and other academic preparation
activities will be held.
September 5, 2012 - Orientation for Teaching Assistants.
September 6, 2012 - Fall and fall/winter classes begin.
September 19, 2012 - Last day for registration. Last day to change courses or sections for fall/winter and
fall term courses.
September 30, 2012 - Last day to withdraw from fall term and fall/winter courses with a full fee
adjustment. Last day for receipt of applications for review of final grades in summer term courses.
September 28-29, 2012 - Summer deferred final examinations to be written.
October 5, 2012 - University Day at Carleton. Undergraduate classes suspended. December examination
schedule (fall term final and fall/winter mid-terms) available online.
October 8, 2012 - Statutory holiday, University closed.
October 15, 2012 - Last day for receipt of applications for admission to a degree program for the 2013
winter term from applicants whose documents originate from outside Canada or the United States.
November 9, 2012 - Last day to submit, to the Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities, Formal
Examination Accommodation Forms for December examinations.
November 15, 2012 - Last day for receipt of applications for admission to a degree program for the
winter term.
November 19, 2012 - Last day for tests or examinations in courses below the 4000-level before the final
examination period (see Examination Regulations in the Academic Regulations of the University section
of this Calendar).
December 1, 2012 - Last day for receipt of applications from potential winter (February) graduates.
December 3 (Monday), 2012 - Fall term ends. Last day of fall-term classes. Last day for academic
withdrawal from fall term courses. Last day for handing in term work and the last day that can be
specified by a course instructor as a due date for term work for fall term courses. Last day for receipt of
applications for degree program transfers for winter term. Last day for receipt of applications for
admission to a degree program for the 2013 winter term.
December 4-5, 2012 - No classes take place.
December 5, 2012 - Last day for receipt of applications for degree program transfers for winter term.
December 6-19, 2012 - Final examinations in fall term courses and mid-term examinations in fall/winter
courses may be held. Examinations are normally held in the day and evening during the Monday to
Saturday period .In exceptional circumstances, it may be necessary to schedule an examination on a
Sunday.
December 16, 2012 - Fall Co-op Work Term Reports due.
December 20, 2012 - All take home examinations are due.
December 24, 2012 to January 1, 2013 - University closed.