BARUC
COLLEGE – CUNY
ZICLIN
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Spring 2002, Dr. Abdullah Uz
Tansel
CIS
9000: Information Systems for Managers
The new
user names are the last eight digits of your Baruch (CUNY) ID card,
The new default password is the last six digits of your social security
number. You can change your password during your first session on
BlackBoard by clicking on the Student Tools
or Tool button within the course.
For further assistance you can click on the e-help button within the
BCLN or send an email to Deniz_Duyar@baruch.cuny.edu.
Click
here to reach the course home
page in blackboard.
Course Logistics Course
Description Prerequisites
Textbook HBS Cases Lecture
Material Course Coordinator
Course Outline Grading Case
Analysis
Academic Integrity Other
References of Interest Case:
Modern Living
Email: mailto:tansel@baruch.cuny.edu
Internet: http://cisnet.baruch.cuny.edu/tansel
Course home page in blackboard:
http://bcln.baruch.cuny.edu/courses/CIS9000MW6sp01
This course describes concepts, techniques and issues related to the adoption of information technologies for business strategy. Information systems are shown to be facilitators of market penetration, competitive advantage, and organizational change. The course demystifies many contemporary and emerging technological issues that are relevant to firms. Case studies reinforce the position of these technologies to organizations. Attention is given to student oral and written presentation of business analyses.
Course Prerequisites-- Accounting
Core and/or Managerial Economics;
Spreadsheet software proficiency or concurrent enrollment in CIS 8000
Text (required): Laudon and Laudon: Management Information Systems
(7th edition), Prentice Hall, 2001.
Other sources
http://cisnet.baruch.cuny.edu/cisnet/course.htm
is the course home page that contains useful information and links.
HBS (Harvard Business School Cases):
o BroadVision
o Sun Life’s Maestro
o Electronic Commerce at Air Products
o HE Butt Grocery Company (A)
o Sothebys.com
o Providian Trust: Tradition and Technology
o BAE Automated Systems - Denver International Airport
o Rich-Con Steel
o "The New Meaning of Quality in the Information Age"
o "How E-Commerce will Trump Brand Management"
The nature of the text requires steady reading, requiring pulling the more relevant data, and skimming of peripheral issues. Lectures will emphasize parts of the text that is important. Note that class presentations are available below for download in PowerPoint. Below for each topic you will find a link to lecture notes in PowerPoint. You can download and print them six slides a page. Simply pick '6 slides per page' at the bottom of the print dialog box that pops up when you print in PowerPoint. You can bring them to class and take your notes on them and avoid copying items that is already available to you.
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Dr. M. Palley, Professor, Computer Information Systems
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Session |
Topic |
Chapter |
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Jan. 28 |
Course Introduction. Formation of Project Teams Introduction to Information Systems, lecture notes in PowerPoint presentation |
1 |
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Jan. 30 |
Finalization of Project Teams. "How to Approach a Case Study" An Epistemology of Information Systems: TPS/ MIS / DSS Case discussion: Modern Living (Available at the end of this document) Lecture notes in PowerPoint presentation |
2 |
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Feb. 5 Feb. 7
Feb. 12
Feb. 14
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Continue with chapter 2 The Strategic Role of Information Systems (A Firm-Wide View of Systems) Lecture notes in PowerPoint presentation College closed The digital firm: Electronic commerce and Electronic business Lecture notes in PowerPoint presentation |
3
4 |
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Feb. 19
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Computer Hardware Resources - Computer Systems Architecture. General Components, Multitasking, Multiprogramming, Multiprocessing. Downsizing and the Organization, Lecture notes in PowerPoint presentation |
5 |
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Feb. 21 |
** Case - Sun Life's Maestro |
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Feb. 26 |
Software-- Machine Language Through 4GL. Trade-Offs and Programmer Productivity. Systems Software - General Functions. Off-the-Shelf (vendor) versus Custom Software, HTML, XML, Lecture notes in PowerPoint presentation |
6 |
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Feb. 28 |
** Case - Electronic Commerce at Air Products |
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March 5 |
Database Management Systems A - Advantages over 3GL Environment and traditional file processing, Lecture notes in PowerPoint presentation |
7 |
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March 7 |
Database Management Systems B - Comparison of DBMS Models - Costs / Considerations for DBMS Implementation |
7 |
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March 12 |
**Case: BroadVision (Written report submission) |
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March 14 |
Telecommunications - LANs; Network Design, Lecture notes in PowerPoint presentation |
8 |
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March 19 |
Mid term exam |
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March 21 |
Telecommunications - Selection Criteria / Organizational Impacts |
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March 26, 28 |
Spring recess |
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April 2 |
EDI and Connectivity, Electronic Commerce, Transition to the Web, - |
9 |
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April 4 |
**Case: HE Butt Grocery Company (A) |
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April 9 |
Systems Analysis and Design, Structured Analysis and Design, Representation Methodologies, Alternative system building methodologies, Lecture notes in PowerPoint presentation |
10 |
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April 11 |
** Case: Providian Trust: Tradition and Technology (Written report submission) |
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April 16 |
IT Feasibility Analysis – Tangible versus Less Tangible. Impacts; Organizational, Technological and Cost Feasibility, Lecture notes in PowerPoint presentation |
11 |
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April 18 |
Systems Analysis and Design B - Interface Issues, Implementation Design, MIS -- Challenges and Issues. Organizational Resistance to IS Change |
11 |
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April 23 |
** Case: Sothebys.com |
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April 25 |
Managing Knowledge, Lecture notes in PowerPoint presentation |
12 |
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April 30 |
** Case: BAE Automated Systems (A) - Denver International Airport |
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May 2 |
Decision Support Systems / Artificial Intelligence. Business Applications of Expert Systems & Data Mining, Lecture notes in PowerPoint presentation **Case: - How E-Commerce will Trump Brand Management |
13 |
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May 7 |
Contemporary Issues: Look and Feel; Security, Privacy; Contractual Compliance, Restraint of Trade, Globalization and Information Technology |
14 17 |
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May 9 |
** Case: Rich-Con Steel |
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May 14 |
Social and Ethical Concerns Lecture notes in PowerPoint presentation **Case: - The New Meaning of Quality in the Information Age |
15 |
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Midterm |
30% |
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Case Write-ups (group submissions: 2) |
25% |
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Attendance & Class participation |
10% |
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Final |
35% |
The course includes several case analyses, related to the lecture material. Case analysis should be prepared in discussion groups. These groups will be formed during the first week of class. All groups must prepare the case, and students will be called on randomly in order to walk through the material. It is expected that teams will meet for one hour per week outside of class. Preparation should revolve around strategy, and not simply a rehash of the case material.
Case Study Guidelines:
1. Executive Summary - ruin the ending. A two paragraph overview of what is contained within. Includes explanation of the recommendations.
2. Overview - very brief summary of the key issues of the case. Remember that this section is intended to motivate the discussion only - not to rehash in detail what we already know.
3. Problem or Opportunity Statement - Rank ordered hierarchy of the problems facing the organization or an opportunity facing the organization. Be brief, concise and crisp. Do not be wordy.
4. Discussion - Explain why these are the problems or there is an opportunity for the organization, why you have rank ordered them as such, and provide some further details about the nature of each problem or the opportunity.
5. Alternatives - Provide a list of possible strategic organizational alternatives. Identify which are mutually exclusive, which are not. Explain the relative advantages and disadvantages of each.
6. Scenarios - Hypothesize several different environmental / organizational scenarios that might affect the firm such as a key employee leaving, an economic upswing/downturn, the threat of new competition, etc. Assign likelihood to each.
7. Praxis - Cross-analyze the alternatives provided (#5 above) with the scenarios (#6) to determine the most functional strategies.
8. Recommendations /Conclusions - Again, concise.
9. Implementation:-Prepare a detailed action plan to implement the recommended solution.
Students are reminded of the Baruch College guidelines that relate to the integrity of student behavior regarding submissions and assignments. Submissions are to reflect the original work of all teammates. Students are required to submit a memo attesting to that fact with all submissions of work. The memo should also include the percentage of work done by each teammate. Furthermore, each teammate’s relative contribution in group assignments will be evaluated with each submission.
Behavior during exams is expected to conform to Baruch College guidelines. No further warnings will be given prior or during the exams. Incidents of improper behavior (any form of cheating or communications with other students) will result in a course grade of ‘WU’, and referral of the matter to the appropriate Dean of Students.
Other References of Interest:
CASE - "Modern Living (to be
discussed in class)
By Prof. Henry C. Lucas, JR, Stern
School of Business, New York University Reprinted with Author's Consent
Background:
"Modern Living was
founded in the 1950s by Roger Holloway, its current president and owner. The
magazine contains fictional and feature articles, and product comparison tests.
The magazine has a large readership in the 18 to 40 age group, and appeals
primarily to college graduates. About 75% of sales are through subscriptions,
with the rest coming from the newsstands.
The Computer Department:
Early in the 1960s, "Modern Living" leased
an IBM 1401 computer system fro subscription processing. The first program kept
the names and addresses of subscribers for renewal notices. The programs for
.his computer were written in Autocoder, and assembly language for the 1401.
After the completion of the subscription system, computer applications expanded
primarily in the accounting area. With the addition of accounts payable,
summary information on subscriptions, renewals, and an accounts receivable system,
it was fairly easy to place the general ledger on the computer. Internal
department budgets were also computerized, which has helped management control
expenses.
In the mid 1960s, the company acquired an IBM
360/30, which it used at first to emulate the 1401. The first priority was
given to converting the accounting programs from Autocoder to COBOL for the
360. In I9 i3, "Modern Living" installed an IBM 370/135. While most
programs had been converted to COBOL, the old subscription system still ran in
emulate mode. In 1580, the firm installed a new IBM 4331 Group I system.
In 1984 Ted Johnson became director of information
services, and the reporting responsibility for the computer department was
moved from the controller to the President's office.
By 1985 "Modern Living" had acquired
several Apples, Radio Shack, and IBM PCs. These were purchased by various
departments whenever the needs were apparent. There was no central IS
Department involvement in these purchases. The Data Processing Group by and
large despised personal computers as mere toys.
In
1989, "Modern Living" standardized on IBM PC's or compatibles. This
policy was established by the Information Services Department unilaterally.
Advertising and marketing continued to use the Macintosh computers because of
their superior graphics ability A great deal of work was being performed on the
PCs but the IS department had no precise idea or inventory of this work k,
Outside of hardware standardization, the IS department tried to ignore PCs as
much as possible and focused on mainframe applications. There were no PC
networks.
New Applications:
Two new major applications have been suggested for
future implementation. The first is the use of the computer to analyse
responses from subscribers. Roger Holloway found this innovative idea very
exciting: "Now we can systematically tabulate our subscribers' reactions
to products they have used. We can also use these statistical packages to
provide detailed information to our advertisers which should help us acquire
more advertising.”
Ted Johnson has also suggested that "Modern
Living" should investigate the possible use of an on-line system for text
preparation and copy editing. An editor would work with a CRT terminal to edit
teat after it had been entered by a staff member or clerk. When finished, the
edited text would be used to drive a phototypesetter, producing the plates
needed for printing directly.
The Revised Subscription System:
In 1’89 Roger Holloway was pondering these new
applications while at the same time wondering what to do about the problems
with a new subscription system.
Roger had an extensive background in publishing, but
had little exposure to computers: "I don't know very much about machines,
however, I shouldn't have to get involved with computer programs so I really
don't need to know much about technology."
Despite his desire to avoid involvement, the new
subscription system was having a serious adverse effect on the magazine. The
goals of the new system were to: produce renewal notices which could be mailed
directly; keep an accounts receivable record for each subscriber; obtain
demographic data on subscribers for statistical analyses; and rewrite 370 COBOL
programs (that were simply translated directly from 1401 Autocoder after
emulation on the 370) to ANSI COBOL.
Based on the assurances of Ted Johnson, the new
system was implemented completely in one month. No attempt was made to run
parallel with the old system.
Unfortunately, there were some bugs in the new system.
When
certain types of subscribers renewed, the programs destroyed the record of the
neat subscriber in the file. About 10 to 15% of the subscribers received two
copies of the magazine each month. About 20% of the subscribers did not receive
any magazine at all.
As a result of these problems, "Modern
Living" found itself in the following position: a flood of angry letters
from subscribers arrived with each mail. Circulation was dropping as
subscribers cancelled when they did not receive magazines. Advertisers were
reducing space due to reduced circulation. Because records were chaotic and due
to the large volume of complaints, the subscription department had hired
temporary help and resorted to expensive overtime to try and remedy the
situation. The magazine had been forced to resort to costly over printing of
issues because they did not know exact subscription figures.
The President's Problem:
As the situation became more serious, Roger Holloway
began to check the various people at the magazine to see if he could find some
way to solve these problems. He collected the following comments.
From the head of the subscription department:
"The system is totally different from the old one. I don't really
understand half of what it does. There was very little training for any of my
people."
From a clerk in the subscription department: "I
don't really understand the new change forms. No one in the Computer Department
seems to be able to help us or take our advice on the systems."
From the head of market research: "We would like to have the data in the new subscription system, but so far the Computer Department doesn’t have the time to talk with us. I'm not sure of what they have in their system and whether it is what we need. As far as we're concerned, we would rather do the work on our own PCs if Johnson would just give us the data. "From a clerk in the mailroom: "I really worry about these computers; pretty soon you won't need people at all to produce the magazine."
From Ted Johnson, head of the Computer Department:
"We just have a few bugs to work out of the system. The update program has
some problems. We designed it with fixed length records and trailers and the
programmer didn't process the trailers correctly. He also forgot to keep record
counts or hash totals so we didn't catch some of the errors when subscribers
were dropped. We're working on these problems now."
"The subscription department is really tough to
work with; they don't know what they want. We looked at the old subscription
system and decided ourselves what should be done in the new one."
After Roger Holloway had listened to a number of
similar comments from others in the company, he was totally confused. Not only
was he worried about the new subscription system which threatened the very
existence of "Modern Living", he also wondered about the new
applications suggested for the computer.
Roger
has asked your help to: Define the computer and information systems problems at
"Modern Living"; Help formulate a plan to solve these problems so
that they are not repeated in the future.