IS 740 – Management Information Systems in Business

2 Credits

Instructors

Description

Management Information Systems in Business is the first in a series of courses you could take to develop your background in the use of computers in business. This course is introductory in nature and therefore will deal with the basics in several areas of information systems and management. If, upon completion of this course, you have the desire to extend your education, you might want to look into College programs related to Management Information Systems, Computer Information Systems or Computer Science.

Course Units

Unit 1 Introduction to the Internet

Unit 2 Introduction to Information Systems in Business

Unit 3 Hardware and Software Issues

Unit 4 Data and Databases

Unit 5 Telecommunications

Unit 6 Business Information Systems

Unit 7 E-Commerce Systems Development

Course Objectives

The primary objectives of Management Information Systems in Business are to develop the following competencies:

Develop the ability to explain how information systems may be used to solve problems and make decisions, enabling persons to be better managers and workers.
Identify and describe the components of an information system. (Stair, Ch. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) Note: Information in parentheses indicates chapter in text.
Develop an understanding of graphical user interfaces (i.e., Windows). (Stair, Ch. 3)
Introduce the concept of a query language (i.e., SQL). (Stair, Ch. 4, 5)
Develop an understanding of databases, their manipulation, and data reporting. (Stair, Ch. 5; Parsons, Ch. 3, 13)
Identify how global interaction has impacted business activities through the use of technology. (Stair, Ch. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
Identify and classify business applications and select appropriate tools of technology for solving the different types of problems (i.e., inventory control, production scheduling, etc.). (Stair, Ch. 8, 9, 10, 11)
Identify changing trends in information and technology management and describe how they affect the functional areas of organizations. (Stair, Ch. 8, 9, 10, 11)
Introduce the concept of Group Decision Support Systems. (Stair, Ch. 10)
Develop problem-solving techniques utilizing information systems tools such as data flow diagrams, data models, process models, structure charts, and pseudocode. (Stair, Ch. 12, 13)
Develop an understanding of the systems development life cycle and information engineering methodologies. (Stair 12, 13, 14)
Develop an understanding of data integrity and security. (Stair, Ch. 8, 12, 13)
Develop an understanding of the ethical, moral, and legal responsibilities related to managing the privacy of data and ensuring the adherence to professional licensing of hardware and software. (Stair, Ch. 9, 10, 11)
Develop an understanding of functional career opportunities in information handling and management information systems in a business environment and corporate structure. (Stair, Ch. 2)
Develop the ability to communicate with others via electronic mail, the Internet, and software systems.

Examinations

Exams are designed to evaluate your performance in learning and retaining the concepts covered in class and on homework assignments. The format will be multiple choice and short answer discussion. The first exam will cover Units 1-4. The final exam will be comprehensive and cover Units 1-8.

Exam Policy

Each of the exams covers material in the chapters assigned for the modules of the course as well as the lectures and slide presentations.

The exams are open-book and open notes. You are operating under an honor system and I expect you to be ethical. Plan your time so that you can complete your exam in one sitting. Each will take you about one hour.

The questions are designed to test your knowledge of the information. They might be very specific. Your text may go on for several pages discussing issues. I do not expect you to reproduce those pages if you are given a short answer essay on the same topic. Be concise and exact in your answers and you will do well. I encourage outlining and/or bullets. Use only a 12 point font and 1 inch margins.

How should you review? I realize that you are reading a great deal in a limited amount of time. You might do the following to review for the exam:

Review the key terms at the end of the chapter.
Go through the review questions at the end of the chapter.
Go over the discussion questions at the end of the chapter.

"You retain 5% of what I tell you, 50% of what I show you, and 90% of what I make you do yourself." -Chinese proverb

Individual Assignments

Individual exercises and problems are designed to enhance your learning, and grades will be awarded based both on correctness and effort.

I encourage you to not wait until the last minute to complete assignments. Always keep a backup copy on disk of all assignments.

All assignments are due at the time and date specified. To receive full credit for assignments, you must put the exercises in order, label all exercises, and key answers to short answer questions using correct spelling, format (Students may determine the correct format if not specified) and grammar.

Failure to do any of these items will result in a 10% penalty per exercise. Late assignments will be penalized 10% per 24-hour period after the due date, and no assignments will be accepted one week past the due date.

I recommend that you make a backup of every assignment before submitting them. Even in this electronic world documents can get lost.

You are encouraged to share and discuss high-level concepts pertaining to an assignment, but the final documents you turn in must have been created solely and distinctively by you if it is an individual assignment.

Students suspected of "sharing" homework results will also share the awarded grade points.

Discussions

During the course you will be directed to post items for others to react to.

Collaborative Work

You may be randomly assigned to small groups and asked to analyze an issue or short case and then present your results. Each group member will be required to submit a summation of his or her discussion. Your group discussion grade will result from the quality and effort displayed in your session and presentation.

"A lecture is the process of transferring information from the notes of the instructor to the notes of the students without going through the minds of either."