Tentative Syllabus (May 11-June10)

CIS305.N01DE Management Information Systems, Summer I , 2011

Dr. Abbas Foroughi - Office: BE2069 Office Phone: 465-1667 E-MAIL: aforough@usi.edu,

Office Hours: by appointment - Homepage: http://business.usi.edu/aforough

Note: TENTATIVE SYLLABUS is subject to change. For the most up-to-date syllabus for this class, click on the following URL:

http://www.usi.edu/business/aforough/abbsyll.htm

When you send me an email message, always begin the “Subject” of your message with “CIS305.”

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
CIS 305 is an introduction to management information systems designed to enable students to grasp the fundamental concepts of information and integrate them into organizational structures. Students will assess the various system modeling tools and techniques, and analyze the fundamentals of computer hardware and software. They will recognize how information is used as an organizational resource, as well as how it is applied for organizational decision making; and will survey the way information technology is used strategically in an organization to gain competitive advantage. The course will be conducted as a distance education course. Students will complete assignments, which include reading cases, and responding to them. Additionally, students will post their responses to assigned videos on the Blackboard Discussion Board and will respond to fellow students’ postings. Students will also complete a course-long project which requires decision making and problem solving related to a fictitious business.

COB SKILL DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES:

This course will contribute to the following College of Business skill development objectives:

Use of Technology— Students will assess the various system modeling tools and techniques, and analyze the fundamentals of computer hardware and software.

Analytical Problem Solving— Students will analyze information in case studies, articles, and videos and will interpret and respond to this information, and comment on the opinions of their fellow students.

REQUIRED TEXT:
Business Driven Information Systems,3rd Edition, Baltzan, 2011, McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Please note that an electronic textbook is also available from the publisher.

Using the Internet is a required part of this course.

PREREQUISITES:

ACCT 201, 202*; ECON 208, 209*, and Junior Standing (* may be taken concurrently)

MAJOR STUDENT OUTCOMES:

· Explain why information systems are important for business and management.

· Evaluate the role of information systems in a competitive business environment.

· Assess the impact of the Internet and Internet technology on business and government.

· Identify the major management challenges to building and using information systems.

· Describe the information systems supporting the major business functions.

· Analyze the relationship between organizations, information systems, and business processes.

· Evaluate the impact of information systems on organizations.

· Analyze how information systems support various business strategies for competitive advantage.

· Assess how information systems support the activities of managers in organizations.

· Analyze how Internet technology has changed value propositions and business models.

· Define electronic commerce and describe how it has changed consumer retailing and business-to-business transactions.

· Evaluate the role of Internet technology in facilitating management and coordination of internal and inter-organizational business processes.

· Analyze the relationship among ethical, social, and political issues that are raised by information systems.

· Identify the main moral dimensions of an information society and principles for conduct used to guide ethical decisions.

· Evaluate the impact of information systems and the Internet on the protection of individual privacy and intellectual property.

· Define IT infrastructure and describe the components and levels of IT infrastructure.

· Identify and describe the technology drivers of IT infrastructure.

· Assess computer hardware and software trends.

· Identify the challenges posed by data resource management.

· Identify the most important tools for communication and e-business.

· Identify and describe the challenges posed by networking and the Internet.

· Evaluate the role of mobile commerce in business.

· Assess the business value of wireless technology.

· Explain why information systems need special protection from destruction, error, and abuse.

· Evaluate the most important tools and technologies for safeguarding information resources.

· Identify the challenges posed by information systems security and control.

· Assess how enterprise systems, supply chain management systems, and customer relationship management systems provide value for business.

· Assess the role of knowledge management and knowledge management programs in business.

· Evaluate the role of information systems in helping people working individually and in a group make decisions more efficiently.

· Assess how systems that support decision making can provide value.

· Explain how a company can develop information systems that fit its business plan.

· Demonstrate how building new information systems produces organizational change.

· Analyze the principal causes of information systems failure.

· Identify the major factors driving the internationalization of business.

· Compare strategies for developing global businesses.

· Evaluate the issues and technical alternatives to be considered when developing international information systems.

DISABILITY SUPPORT:

Students with disabilities can receive assistance through the University Counseling Center. More information is available from the Counseling Center in OC 1022, 812-464-1867 812-464-1867 or TDD 812-465-7072 812-465-7072 . Students are encouraged to discuss any special needs with the instructor at the beginning of the term.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
Academic dishonesty such as plagiarism, cheating, etc. WILL NOT be tolerated. Any student found violating this rule of honesty risks a grade of “0” for the assignment/test (at the very least) and possible expulsion from the class. Please consult the student handbook for specifics in this area.

INCOMPLETE GRADES:
Students will be given a grade of “I” (incomplete) at the end of the semester only in the event of extreme hardship for circumstances that arise near the end of the term. A grade of “I” is not to be used to offset poor time management skills that result in unfinished/unacceptable work.

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION:

All assignments, projects, and exams are to be completed by each student individually.

Your course activities for each week are described on Blackboard. After logging in, click on the course name in the upper right hand corner. Then, click on the week you need: Week 1, Week 2, etc., and you will get to the assignment page for that week. Assignments include:

1. Chapter Reading Assignments in the text:

The links to student resources for each chapter are included in the reading assignment on Blackboard. When you click on a PowerPoint, allow time for them to come up. The PowerPoints have notes that describe the chapter issues in-depth. (links are embedded in Blackboard under “PowerPoint Presentations”)

2. Written Case Study Assignments (8 x 10 points = 80 points):

Case studies in the text give you an opportunity to evaluate software applications and explore the way they can be used to develop business solutions—tasks which are required in real-world MIS environments. You are responsible for completing and submitting all of the questions assigned for each case study. Assignments should be completed as Word documents.

To submit written assignments, go to the Blackboard Digital Drop Box and upload them. Be sure to include your name.

3. Discussion Board Forums (9 x 8 points = 72 points):

You will participate in Discussion Board forums on Blackboard. The goal of the discussion forum is a rich, critical discussion of an issue that pertains to the assignment.

You have been divided into discussion groups and assigned a group number. The members of each group will interact with each other in their group’s discussion area during the course.

Each Discussion Board assignment will involve completion of the following three tasks:

a. View the assigned video for the week.

b. Write your response/answers on Discussion Board in your group’s.

c. Post your response to another student’s posting on this topic by replying to the student’s posting.

You can earn up to 6 points for each Discussion Board assignment, as follows:

Up to 3 points for responses posted to questions about the video.

Up to 3 points for responses posted to posting(s) by other student(s).

The following guidelines will be used for grading Discussion Board participation:

· You should provide complete answers to each question regarding the content of the video in question, going beyond merely repeating the question or summarizing the case study/video.

· You should provide insight into the issue being discussed and support your statements with facts from the  video, or from your personal experiences.

· Spelling and grammar will be evaluated as part of the grade on these and all other written assignments in this course. Use only complete, grammatically correct sentences.

· You should provide insightful/useful, courteous feedback to other group members’ assignment postings, which means expressing your own opinion, not just writing “I agree” and “good point.”

Forum Decorum

1. If replying to another student, address that student directly to keep the conversation flowing.

2. Make sure to post in the right space:

· Student 1 Post

o Student 3 Reply to Student 1

o Student 2 Reply to Student 3

·      Student 2 Post

3. Hit reply when reading the post to which you want to reply. Posts in the wrong place do not count.

4. Exams (2 x 200 points = 400 points)

There will be 2 exams—a midterm exam and a final exam, each worth 200 points. Exams consist of 100 multiple choice questions. Final exam is not comprehensive.

As detailed below, Distance Education students who attend USI may take their exams with me or at the Distance Education Center. Guest students (attending universities other than USI) take exams with their DE-approved proctors.

I will proctor exams on the following dates/times:

Midterm Exam: Monday, Thursday, May 26, 4-6 p.m.

Final Exam: Friday, June 10, 4-6 p.m.

If you cannot make the above assigned exam time(s)…

You have the option of taking exams at set times at the Distance Education Center (FA 041):

The Distance Education Center's exam days and times do not vary. DE-proctored test times are:Tuesdays (9:00-11:30AM), Wednesdays (4:30-7:00PM), Thursdays (1:00-3:30PM)

Reservations for DEC-proctored sessions must be made in advance of test dates. Contact the DEC to make a reservation: http://www.usi.edu/distance/center.asp, 812-465-1010 812-465-1010 , or 464-1818.

Attention, Guest-students! (who attend colleges and universities other than USI, and USI students living outside the Evansville community). You must arrange for your respective DE-approved exam proctors and test sites at least one week prior to the first exam. The Exam Proctor Information Form, which guest-students must complete and submit to USI’s Distance Education Office, is available at the USI Distance Education Office, 812-465-7182 812-465-7182 , or by fax, 812-465-7131. For most courses, exams are faxed to the proctor 1-7 days before the exam is to be taken.

5. Cohesion Case Project (12 x 10 points = 120 points):

Instead of completing a course term paper, you will analyze The Broadway Café, http://www.cohesioncase.com/, case throughout the course. As shown in the Cohesion Case Diagram, the case includes 12 knowledge areas that correspond to specific chapters in the text. The Cohesion Case Project Outline, included at the end of this syllabus, details the specific task in each of the 12 knowledge areas which is assigned, the date on which each assignment is due, and the criteria which will be used to grade the assignments. Assignments should be created as Word documents. The Grading Rubric for Written Assignments and Cohesion Case Assignments (below) shows the criteria which will be used in grading Cohesion Case Project assignments. To submit your assignments, go to the Blackboard Dropbox and upload them. Be sure to include your name.

Writing Standards:

Writing: Grammar, organization, and clarity of expression are expected and required in each assignment you complete for this course—and they will be taken into account in grading your work. Since all of your interaction with the instructor and with your fellow students will be in written form, clarity and, of course, good manners are essential. Think of this as a good opportunity to concentrate on your written expression, a skill that is demanded and required in the workplace.

Late Assignments will not be accepted:

Out of fairness to the students who submit assignments on time (See due dates/times in the Course Schedule below.), all assignments are due on time. Assignments submitted late will not count toward your grade.

Grading Rubric for All Assignments

In short:

Tentative Syllabus (May 11-June10)

CIS305.N01DE Management Information Systems, Summer I , 2011

Dr. Abbas Foroughi - Office: BE2069 Office Phone: 465-1667, E-MAIL: aforough@usi.edu,

Office Hours: by appointment

Homepage: http://business.usi.edu/aforough

Note: When you send me an email message, always begin the “Subject” of your message with “CIS305.”

The above course schedule is subject to change.

Note: BLACKBOARD--This course uses Blackboard software for distributing information to students. You should familiarize yourself with Blackboard. Grades and assignment information will be distributed via Blackboard http://blackboard.usi.edu/. If you experience problems with access or retrieval of information, you need to contact the Instructional Technology Services Office at USI directly at 465-7182. If you have issues accessing library resources, please call 461-5328.

Communication Policy

Communication is vital to this class. I will return all phone calls and respond to your emails as soon as possible, but, in some circumstances, it may take up to 48 hours. Of course, if there is an urgent matter, please let me know and we will address it as needed. I make a point to check my email from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday. IF YOU HAVE TECHNOLOGY PROBLEMS OVER THE WEEKEND, CALL ME at my office number (812-465-1667 812-465-1667 ). Please use the communication modality that suits the response needed.

Student Conduct

USI policies and regulations governing the conduct of students and the procedures for handling violations of these policies and regulations apply to all students and can be found in the USI Bulletin. These policies cover a variety of forms of academic misconduct, such as cheating, fabrication, and plagiarism. Any form of academic misconduct on exams, papers, or assignments will not be tolerated in this class. Please note that, in accordance with university policy, you cannot use materials for this class that you have used or are using for a grade in another class.

The Cohesion Case Project Outline

The Broadway Café (www.cohesioncase.com)

You have recently inherited your grandfather’s coffee shop, The Broadway Cafe, which is conveniently located in downtown (your city). The cafe offers many different kinds of specialized coffees, teas, a full service bakery, and homemade sandwiches, soups, and salads. Your grandfather first opened The Broadway Cafe in 1952 and it was a local hotspot for many years. Unfortunately, business has been steadily declining over the last five years. Although your grandfather was an expert at running the coffee shop, it is outdated. There are no computers in the store and all ordering takes place manually. Your grandfather had a terrific memory and knew all of his customers by name, but unfortunately, none of this information is located anywhere in the store. The family recipes for the baked goods and soups are also stored in your grandfather’s memory. Inventory is tracked in a note pad, along with employee payroll, and marketing coupons. The Cafe does not have a Web site, uses very little marketing except word-of-mouth, and essentially still operates the same as it did in 1952.

Throughout this course you will “own and operate” The Broadway Café, taking advantage of business practices discussed in this text to increase profits, keep the business running, and bring the cafe into the 21st century. In this role, you will complete a number of tasks that relate to the following topics covered in the text. The table below indicates the various written assignments, as well as the date they are due.

Submit each week’s Cohesion Case Assignments on Blackboard’s Digital Dropbox by the due date indicated on the Course Schedule.