Internet MS/IS 480 Syllabus

Management Information Systems
Fall, 1998

Course Contact Hours

Day & Date	Time	Room	Lunch Break
Saturday, 9/19/98	9am to 5pm	003CCB	12:00-1:00 Break
Saturday, 10/17/98	9am to 5pm	003CCB	12:00-1:00 Break
Saturday, 11/14/98	9am to 5pm	003CCB	12:00-1:00 Break
Saturday, 12/5/98	9am to 1pm	003CCB	No lunchbreak

Students must attend all course contact hours. It will be almost impossible to make up for any missed class times. Please make these 4 days your number one priority.

Course Instructor:

Dr. Mary C. Lacity
School of Business
University of Missouri-St. Louis
233 Computer Center Building
8001 Natural Bridge Road
St. Louis MO 63121-4499

(314) 516-6127 (work)
(314) 531-3924 (home)
(314) 516-6827 (fax)

Email: SMCLACI@UMSLVMA.UMSL.EDU
Homepage: http:/www.umsl.edu/~lacity

Visual Basic Assignment

Oral Group Presentation

On-line Quizes

Exam

Class Schedule, Readings, and Assignments

Course Description:

On average, companies spend 5% of revenues on information technology (IT). Thus a company with $2 billion in sales will, on average, spend $100 million per year on IT. That same company will carry $200 million worth of IT assets on the balance sheet. Do such IT expenditures generate value? This course is designed for general managers to help ensure the answer is "yes" for their organizations. The course focuses on the proven practices in organizing IT departments, recruting critical IT capabilities, gaining a competitive advantage through IT, managing large IT-based investment projects, capitalizing on the growing outsourcing market, providing a corporate-wide information architecture, and managing stakeholder expectations and perceptions of IT.

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Course Instructor

Mary is an Associate Professor of MIS at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and a Research Affiliate at Templeton College, Oxford University. Her research interests focus on IT management practices in the areas of sourcing, IT privatization, benchmarking, IT metrics, and client/server development. She has conducted case studies in over 75 organizations and has surveyed both US and European IT managers on their management practices. She has given executive seminars world-wide and has served as an expert witness for the US Congress. She has written two books with Rudy Hirschheim, Information Systems Outsourcing: Myths, Metaphors, and Realities (Wiley, 1993) and Beyond the Information Systems Outsourcing Bandwagon: The Insourcing Response (Wiley, 1995) and edited a book with Leslie Willcocks, Strategic Sourcing of Information Systems (Wiley, 1997). Her articles have appeared in the Harvard Business Review, Sloan Management Review, and many other academic and practitioner outlets. She is US Editor of the Journal of Information Technology. She has previously worked as a consultant for Technology Partners and as a systems analyst for Exxon Company, USA.

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Course Materials:

Managing IT as a Strategic Resource, edited by Leslie Willcocks, David Feeny, and Gerd Islei, McGraw Hill, London, 1997. (Book is also available from Amazon On-Line)

Course Technology World Wide Web

Course Technology HTML

Course Technology Microsoft Excell, Level I and Level II tutorials
Course Technology Visual Basic 5.0, New Perspective Series

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Course Grades:

PERCENT	REQUIREMENT	DUE DATE
15%	Web Page Assignment	Due October 15 by 9:00 am
10%	Excel Assignment	Due November 14 by 9:00am
15%	Visual Basic Assignment	Due December 8 by 9:00am
15%	Oral Group Presentation	Groups 1-5 present on Oct. 17; Groups 6-8 on Nov. 14
25%	Quizes on Assigned Readings	1st set due Oct. 16 by 9:00am; 2nd set due Nov 13 by 9:00 am
20%	Exam	December 15, 5:30-7:30 3CCB

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Webpage Assignment

Students will be responsible for building their own web pages. While the technical skills will be taught during the first class session, the assignment allows for personal creativity. Most students find this exercize fun and worth-while. I will hop on the web to grade your assignment.

Web page assignment
Standard Home Page
Tips on creating web pages
More Tips on creating web pages
Cool stuff to put on your Web pages
Yet More Stuff to put on your Web pages

Links to MIS480 Student Homepages

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Excel Assignment

The Excel assignment has 3 parts, all found in New Perspectives Series: Microsoft Excel 97:

To create student disks referred to in the tutorial, follow the instructions inside the front of your textbook cover or try my instructions

Part A:

Create and Print the Spreadsheet "MotorCycle Specialties Incorporated" on Page 2.35
Format the Sales for 1999, Sales for 1998, and Average, Maximum, Minimum Sales to be in US dollars with no decimals. For example 365000 becomes $365,000.
Format the "% change" to be a percent with 2 decimal places
Format the "% of 1999" sales to be a percent with 2 decimal places

Part B:

Create and Print the Spreadsheet and Chart "Windsor Stove Sales" on Page 4.33
Suppose that Windsor opened an outlet in St. Louis Missouri. Suppose sales were as follows:

Missouri:

Star 95,000

Box 33,000

West 50,000

Circle 65,000

Update your spreadsheet and chart to show Missouri sales in addition to Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine.
Print your revised chart

Part C:

Create and Print the Faculty List sorted by department by last name, see Figure 5-7 on Page 5.10
Suppose the university is accused of sexual discrimination. You are hired as a consultant. Does the university pay men more money than women? Your analysis should include several calculations, such as average salary by sex, controlling for rank; average salary by sex controlling for department. Average salary by sex controlling for year hired. Design your spreadsheet as effectively as possible. Make sure you clearly indicate whether the answer is YES, discrimination evident or NO, discrimination not evident. Create the spreadsheets and charts which effectively support your answer.

Please hand in your disk, a printed copy of parts A, B, and C in a manilia envelop. On the outside of the envelop, please put:

your name
your student ID
"Excel Assignment"
MIS480 Saturday Section

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Visual Basic Assignment

visual basic assignment

VISUAL BASIC HANDOUTS TO BRING TO CLASS

Introduction to Visual Basic
Creating the Title Form
Creating the Customer Form
Creating the Notes Form
Creating the Payment Form
Creating the Quote Form
Tips on Debugging
Grading Sheet for Visual Basic

Please hand in your disk, with all the forms and project file. Your program will be run from the A: disk to be graded. On the outside of the envelop, please put:

your name
your student ID
"Visual Basic Assignment"
MIS480 Saturday Section

You may pick up your graded Visual Basic assignments outside my office on Friday, December 11th at 12 noon. If you don't want to fetch your graded assignment from my office, I will bring your graded assignment to the final exam on December 15.

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Oral Group Presentation

The class will be divided into 8 groups. Each group is responsible for presenting a one- hour module to the class. Each group will be assigned a different IT topic:

Group 1: The role of the CIO
Group 2: Using IT as a Competitive Weapon
Group 3: The IT Productivity Paradox
Group 4: IT Organizational Structures
Group 5: The Development and Implementation of Systems
Group 6: Major Information Technology Projects
Group 7: Re-Engineering
Group 8: Information Architecture

Each topic corresponds with a chapter in your textbook. Groups may assume that the entire class has read the assigned chapter before their presentation. Therefore, the class will have a general understanding of the topic. Each group should spend their hour in approximately the following way:

Framework: Overview of the topic, perhaps presenting the textbook framework, a framework found in other research, or a framework based on your own group's almagation of the topic. (~10 minutes)

Case-based Data: Apply the framework to real organizations. Most students chose one or two organizations from among the group members' workplaces. (~30 minutes)

Generalizations: Extract a set of proven practices/lessons for the general manager (~20 minutes)

Presentation Materials

Your group may chose to distribute handouts, create web pages, or any other media that your group deems important.

Oral Group Presentation Grades

Groups will be rated by the following scale:

10 -- Exceptional (A range)
9-- Outstanding/Excellent (A- range)
8-- Very Well Done (B+ range)
7-- Solid Performance (B range)
6-- Needs Some Improvement, But Overall Good Performance (B-/C range)
5-- Needs Major Improvements (C- range)
4-- Needs Substantial Improvement (D range)
3-- Poor Performance (F range)
2-- Completely Unacceptable Performance (F range)
1-- Beyond Words (F range)

Groups and Individuals will be rated on the following dimensions:

Group presented a helpful framework for organizing the topic area
Group presented meaningful "real world" examples
Group presented a useful set of proven practices
Group invited meaningful audience dialog
Group presented material above and beyond class reading (please provide a list of references)
Individual communicated clearly
Individual spoke in a natural voice and did not read or memorize a "script"
Individual demonstrated enthusiasm for the topic
Individual demonstrated knowledge of the topic
Individual communicated effectively

I am very happy to work with groups on their specific topic. I may have additional readings or other materials to suggest. Please feel free to email, call, or make an appointment.

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On-line Quizes

Students will be asked to submit on-line quizes for each of the readings. The quizes ensure that you stay motivated to keep up with the class. It will also ensure that our class time is well-spent because all students will have the same level of background from the readings. There are 12 quizes in all. The two lowest quiz grades will be dropped.

Read Chapters then hop on the WWW to the Quiz site (you will be given a URL for the quizes) When you hit submit on the quiz,I will get an email copy of your answers. You may submit quizes one at a time, 24 hours a day...as long as you complete them prior to due dates.

Quizes for the first set of readings must be submitted via www by Oct. 16 by 9:00am

Why General Managers Need to Study MIS
Chapter 17: The IT Function: Changing Capabilities and Skills
Chapter 1: Is your CIO Adding Value?
Chapter 2: Understanding the CEO/CIO Relationship
Chapter 3: IT as a Basis for Sustainable Competitive Advantage
Chapter 4: Assessing IT Productivity
Chapter 6: Configuring the IS Function in Complex Organizations
Chapter 8: The Development and Implementation of Systems

Quizes for the second set of readings must be submitted via www by Nov 13 by 9:00 am

Chapter 9: Management and Risk in Major Information Technology Projects
Chapter 10: Does Radical Re-engineering Really Work?
Chapter 13: Information Architecture Practice
Chapter 11: The Value of Selective IT Sourcing
Chapter 14: A World-wide Client Server Implementation

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Exam

The exam may cover material from the textbook, lectures, group presentations, handouts, and assignments.The final exam will be given during the scheduled exam time on Tuesday, December 15, 5:30 to 7:30 in room 3 CCB. No make up exams will be given without prior instructor permission or under extreme documentable circumstances.

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CLASS SCHEDULE, READINGS, AND ASSIGNMENTS

FIRST 8-HOUR WEEKEND, Saturday September 19; 9:00-5:00; 3CCB

Module A: Course Overview
Estimated class time: 30 minutes
Presented by Lacity

Reading Assignment: Please read Why General Managers Need to Study MIS

Module B: The Nature of IT Within Organizations
Estimated class time: 1 hour
Presented by Lacity

Module C: Nine Core IS Capabilities
Estimated Class Time: 1 hour
Presented by Lacity

Reading Assignment: Please read, Chapter 17 in your textbook, "The IT Function: Changing Capabilities and Skills".

Module D: Building Your Personal Webpages
Estimated class time: 4.5 hours
Presented by Lacity

Module E: Group Assignments and Presentations
Estimated Class Time: 30 minutes
Presented by Lacity

READING ASSIGNMENTS AN ON-LINE QUIZES DUE OCTOBER 16 by 9:00am

Chapter 1: Is your CIO adding value?

Chapter 2: Understanding the CEO/CIO relationship

Chapter 3: IT as a basis for sustainable competitive advantage

Chapter 4: Assessing IT Productivity

Chapter 6: Configuring the IS Function in Complex Organizations

Chapter 8: The Development and Implementation of Systems

Chapter 11: The Value of Selective IT Sourcing

SECOND 8-HOUR WEEKEND, Saturday October 17, 9:00-5:00, 3CCB

Module F: The role of the CIO
Estimated class time: 1 hour
Note: Class will have read Chapters 1 & 2 prior to presentation
Presented by Group 1

Module G: Using IT as a Competitive Weapon
Estimated Class Time: 1 hour
Note: Class will have read Chapter 3 prior to presentation
Presented by Group 2

Module H: IT Productivity Paradox
Estimated Class Time: 1 hour
Note: Class will have read Chapter 4 prior to presentation
Presented by Group 3

Module J: IT Organizational Structures
Estimated class time: 1 hour
Note: Class will have read Chapter 6 prior to presentation
Presented by Group 4

Module K: The Development and Implementation of Systems
Estimated Class Time: 1 hour
Note: Class will have read Chapter 8 prior to presentation
Presented by Group 5

Excel Module
Estimated class time: 2 hours
Presented by Lacity

READING ASSIGNMENTS AND ON-LINE QUIZES DUE due Nov 13 by 9:00 am

Chapter 9: Management and Risk in Major Information Technology Projects

Chapter 10: Does Radical Re-engineering Really Work?

Chapter 13: Information Architecture Practice

Chapter 14: A World-wide Client Server Implementation

THIRD 8-HOUR WEEKEND, Saturday, November 14, 9:00-5:00, CCB

Module L: Major Information Technology Projects
Estimated Class Time: 1 hour
Note: Class will have read Chapter 9 prior to presentation
Presented by Group 6

Module M: Re-Engineering
Estimated Class Time: 1 hour
Note: Class will have read Chapter 10 prior to presentation
Presented by Group 7

Module N: Information Architecture
Estimated Class Time: 1 hour
Note: Class will have read Chapter 13 prior to presentation
Presented by Group 8

Visual Basic Module:
Estimated Class Time: 4 hours

FORTH 4-HOUR WEEKEND, Saturday, December 5, 9:00am-1:00, 003 CCB

Module I: IS Sourcing Issues
Estimated Class Time: 1 hours
Note: Class will have read Chapter 11 prior to presentation
Presented by Lacity

Module O: Client/Server Technology
Estimated Class Time: 1 hour
Note: Class will have read Chapter 14 prior to presentation
Presented by Lacity

Visual Basic Module:
Estimated Class Time: 2 hours

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