MN202 1B Management Information Systems 2010/2011
Lecturers
Catherine Harbor (course co-ordinator)
Room MX116 Moore Annexe
Jose-Rodrigo Cordoba-Pachon
Room MX104 Moore Annexe
Workshop Tutor
Yasaman Soltan-Zadeh
Room MX120 Moore Annexe
Brief Outline and Aims of the Course
This course is concerned with one of the most rapidly developing fields of Management Studies. Computer-based information systems are designed nowadays with the explicit goal of improving one or more aspects of corporate performance in a cost-effective fashion. Methodologies have been designed to assist systems analysts and designers in producing new systems on time and within budget. These methodologies use a variety of analysis and design tools and techniques. The management and development of information systems has emerged as one of the most important functional specialisms in modern business.
Sufficient theory and concepts will be imparted to provide a strong foundation for more practical and applied work. Students will also be trained in the use of a range of powerful software tools of general utility, including spreadsheet and database software.
Learning Objectives
The objectives of the course are to enable students to:
Ø Develop an appreciation of the strategic issues in information systems and ways in which organisations might strengthen their competitive position through the use of well-designed and well-managed information systems.
Ø Study and evaluate some of the more widely used techniques, tools and methodologies of the analysis and design process.
Ø Develop an understanding of the broad field of information management, examining the role and functioning of management information systems specialists and departments within the modern corporation.
Ø Examine some of the social and organisational implications of using information systems.
Ø Develop an understanding of some of the technologies used in business (for example, TPS, DSS, GDSS, Expert systems, SIS, ESS etc) and the opportunities and challenges they represent.
Ø Learn how to use software to solve business problems and to apply this knowledge in realistic situations.
Organisation
In the course, students will learn mainly through reading and by carrying out assignments and group work. Reading is specified for each lecture. Students are expected to complete and hand in two assignments. The execution of the assignments provides a significant part of the overall learning in the course and students will be expected to exercise independent problem-solving skills to a reasonable extent, given access to adequate documentation and reference material. Learning is supported by lectures and workshops.
Lectures
Students are expected to attend twenty weekly lectures of one hour each. Attendance at lectures is compulsory. The lectures provide a brief overview of the course material, outlining particularly interesting or difficult aspects. The main purpose of the lectures is to guide students in their studies and, in general, there is no attempt made to cover the material exhaustively in lectures. Students are expected to read the course texts as directed and to conduct independent research. When appropriate, notes and instructions for assignments, workshops, etc. will be given in the lectures.
Workshops
Students are expected to attend every week an hourly workshop session for a total of 16 weeks. Attendance at workshops is vital as a way of putting into practice what is being taught at lectures which deal with the conceptual part of the course. They also cover techniques and information which you will require for answering assignment and exam questions. The workshops are divided as follows:
Ø In the first term, workshops commence in the week beginning Monday 4th October 2010. The first five workshops will involve practical sessions held in the CBT lab (SoM) based on Microsoft Access (database). This will be followed by three weeks of classroom-based discussions and problem-solving exercises. Please check your individual timetable for the location of your workshop.
Ø In the second term, workshops commence in the week beginning Monday 17th January 2010. The first five workshops will be based on Microsoft Excel (spreadsheet), again held in the CBT lab. This will be followed by three weeks of classroom-based discussion and problem-solving exercises. Please check your individual timetable for the location of your workshop.
You should already have registered for one of the workshops. If you find subsequently that your chosen workshop is at the same time as another lecture or workshop you can apply to change to a different workshop that fits in with your timetable. You can only change workshops in the event of a timetable clash. Change of workshop forms are available from the Undergraduate Information Vault (http://www.rhul.ac.uk/Management/UGmotd.html). Please do not register for one workshop and then go to another as you will be marked as absent and will not be "added-on" to the workshop list.
Reading
The following two books will form the basis of the reading for this course. They are both available in the Library, but purchase isrecommended as the number of copies they have is strictly limited. To save money you might like toget into small groups and arrange to share costs and use.
Ø Laudon, K. C. & Laudon, J. P. (2010) Management information systems: managing the digital firm, 11th edition, Upper Saddle River, N.J., Pearson Prentice Hall.
Available in the Bedford Library: four at 338.75403 LAU and two at Short Loan 338.75403 LAU
Ø Bocij, P., Greasley, A., and Hickie, S. (2008) Business information systems, 4th edition, Harlow, Financial Times/Prentice Hall.
Available in the Bedford Library: two at 338.7505 BUS and three at Short Loan 338.7505 BUS
The chapters you should read will be noted in the Recommended Reading for each Lecture topic (see Moodle page for MN2021). Alsoincluded will be a short list of Further Reading which will broaden your knowledge and may help you to get better marks in assignments and exam.
Other books which students may find useful for reference purposes include those shown below as well as other sources.
Avison, D E & Fitzgerald, G (2003) Information Systems Development: Methodologies, Techniques and Tools, 3rd edition. McGraw Hill. 001.64 AVI and Short Loan 001.64 AVI
Avison, D & Shah, H (1997) The Information Systems Development Life Cycle, Mc Graw Hill. 001.64 AVI and Short Loan 001.64 AVI
Benyon, D (1997) Information and Data Modelling, McGraw Hill. 001.6442 BEN
Bentley, C (1996) Introducing SSADM4+, London: Stationery Office. 338.7505 INT
Blissmer, R H (1992) Introducing Computers: Concepts, Systems and Applications, Wiley. 001.64 BLI
Capron, H L (1990) Computers: Tools for an Information Age 2nd ed., Benjamin/Cummings.
001.64 CAP
Curtis, G (2002) Business Information Systems: Analysis, Design and Practice, 4th ed. Addison-Wesley. 338.7505 CUR
Lejk, M & Deeks, D (1998) An Introduction to Systems Analysis Techniques Prentice Hall. 003.LEJ
Gupta, U (1996) Management Information Systems: A Managerial Perspective, West. 338.7505 GUP
Martin, M P (1995) Analysis and Design of Business Information Systems, Maxwell Macmillan. 338.7505 MAR
Nickerson,R. (1998) Business and Information Systems, Addison Wesley Longman 338.7505 NIC
O'Brien, J A (2002) Management Information Systems, McGraw Hill. 338.7505 OBR
O'Brien, J A (2005) Introduction to Information Systems, McGraw Hill. 338.7505 OBR
Patching, D (1990) Practical Soft Systems Analysis, Pitman. 003 PAT
Peppard, J (1993) IT Strategy for Business, Pitman. 338.7505 PEP
Reynolds, G W (1994), Information Systems for Managers, West. 338.7505 REY
Robson, W (1997), Strategic Management & Information Systems, Financial Times Prentice Hall. 338.7505 ROB
Senn, J A (1990) Information Systems in Management, Wadsworth. 338.7505 SEN
Sprague,R.H. & Watson,H.J. (1996) Decision Support for Managers, Prentice Hall. 338.7505 SPR
Stair, R.M. & Reynolds, G.W. (2006), Principles of Information Systems, Course Technology /ITP. 338.7505 STA
Turban, E, McLean, E & Wetherbe, J (2004) Information Technology for Management. John Wiley. 338.7505 TUR
Turban,E. & Aranson, (2001) Decision Support and Intelligent Systems, 6th ed. Prentice Hall. 338.7505 TUR
Wysocki, R K & Young, J (1990) Information Systems: Management Principles in Action, Wiley. 338.75403 WYS
Yeates, D, Shields M & Helmy D (1994) Systems Analysis and Design, Pitman. 001.61 SYS
Students are expected to supplement their reading through independent research, especially when carrying out assignments. Relevant articles can be found in journals such as those listed below as well as other sources.
Communications of the ACM
Computer Weekly
Computing
Datamation
European Journal of Information Systems
Information and Management
International Journal of Information Management
Journal of Global Information Management
Journal of Information Technology
Journal of Strategic Information Systems
MIS Quarterly
Some of these journals are available in the College library, while others can be found in electronic form via Metalib.
Assessment
The marks for the course will be awarded as follows:
Assignment 1 (Essay) 15%
Assignment 2 (Report using Access and Excel) 15%
End of year examination 70%
You must submit two copies of all assignments: one hard copy and one identical electronic copy. Your submission will not be accepted as complete unless both copies are received before 12:00 noon on the deadline date.
Your hard copy should be submitted to the Management Reception. Your electronic copy should be submitted via JISC Plagiarism Detection Service called TurnItIn. Full instructions on this process are on the UG Information Vault (UGIV) and Course Codes and Passwords will be given in good time before the submission date for each course unit. The timely submission of assignments is your responsibility, and excuses - such as finding a long queue in the Computer Centre to print out - will not be accepted.
You will receive an electronic receipt from TurnItIn via email. It is your responsibility to keep this safe as proof of submission. You are strongly recommended to keep a copy of all submitted assignments.
DO NOT hand work for assessment directly to the Course Tutor/Lecturer.
Students may not be awarded a PASS for a course, regardless of marks achieved, unless at least 50% of the prescribed coursework is submitted and, if required, they sit a written examination. If you fail to hand in sufficient work then you may be awarded “incomplete” for the course and may have to repeat the course again. Coursework will not be accepted for assessment unless it represents a serious attempt to deal with the subject under consideration, and therefore may “incomplete” your course. Students should consult the School of Management Student Handbook 2010/11 for the full regulations concerning the submission of coursework.
For work submitted up to 24 hours late, the mark will be reduced by ten percentage marks, subject to a minimum mark of a minimum Pass. For work submitted more than 24 hours late, the maximum mark awarded will be zero
Assignments 1 & 2 (15% each)
The first assignment will be a discursive, referenced essay maximum length 2000 words. There will be a choice of titles to be chosen from a range of topics covered in the first term’s lectures. Full details of the assignment will be given out in the third lecture of the first term.
The second assignment will be a practical exercise using the computer to solve a realistic business problem. It will take the form of a report to be based on the results of analysis carried out using Excel and Access. Full details of the assignment will be given out in the first workshop of the second term. While some workshops may be used to obtain advice on computer-based part of the assignment, students will be expected to complete the assignment in their own time.
End of year examination (70%, summer term)
The 3-hour end of year examination will account for 70% of the final mark. The topics included in the examination paper will be drawn from the set of topics covered in lectures and supporting reading, and workshops and seminars and supporting reading.
Information Technology Skills for Management Students
It will be assumed that students already have a basic knowledge of how to use Microsoft Access and Microsoft Excel. If you want to make sure that you have sufficient skills in preparation for this course, you are advised to book for the appropriate IT training sessions provided by the Computer Centre. Full details are available from:
http://www.rhul.ac.uk/Information-Services/Computer-Centre/training/student/index.html
N.B. This course outline will be valuable for obtaining exemptions for postgraduate qualifications, e.g. CIMA. Please keep all course outlines safe for this purpose; as with transcripts an administrative fee will be charged for providing additional copies once you have completed your degree. You will find copies of all course outlines for this year, together with other important documents on the School of Management website and the relevant pages on Moodle.
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