Bis219

------------------------------------------------- Course Syllabus BSA/219 Business Information Systems Course Start Date: 08/31/2010 Course End Date: 09/28/2010 Campus/Learning Center: MESA                   Please print a copy of this syllabus for handy reference. Whenever there is a question about what assignments are due, please remember this syllabus is considered the ruling document. Copyright Copyright ©2010 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. University of Phoenix© is a registered trademark of Apollo Group, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft©, Windows©, and Windows NT© are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Use of these marks is not intended to imply endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation. Edited in accordance with University of Phoenix© editorial standards and practices. Facilitator Information                                                                                                       Brian K Davis bkdvet@email.phoenix.edu (University of Phoenix) bkdvet@gmail.com (Personal) 602-803-9703 (MST) Facilitator Availability First, let me welcome you to this class and say that I look forward to working with each of you. My name is Brian Davis and I reside in Peoria, AZ. I’ve lived in Arizona since 1993. Before that, I lived all over the place; as I was in the US Army for 10 years. I grew up in Texas, and of course, I’m a huge Dallas Cowboys fan! I have earned a Masters degree in Information Systems Management and a Bachelors of Science is in Information Systems. I have many technology industry certifications, including but not limited to MCT, MCSE, CCNP, CCEA, ITIL V2 and V3a, LPI, etc. I currently work for American Express, and hold the title of Senior Technology Architect. I have held Senior Technology positions for IBM, Cisco, and Microsoft. I am available from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on most days, but I attempt to reserve Sunday for my family. On Saturdays, I tend to be online in the morning only. If these times are not convenient for you, please let me know. I will be happy to accommodate your schedule, if possible. I provide you with these times to make it easier to communicate with me, and not to limit our contact. I want you to know that, should you need to contact me outside these time frames, you should not hesitate to do so. For emergencies, when you are not able to gain access to messages on the Online Learning System (OLS), please send a message to my personal email address. In the event a third party needs to contact me, please direct them to my contact information listed under "facilitator information." No third party should use your login credentials to gain access to the classroom. Where to Go to Class: Your Course Forums                                                                  Main: This is the main forum for the class and is where you may ask questions between class meetings. It has read-and-write access for everyone. Chat-Room: This is a read-and-write access forum. It is designed as a place to discuss issues not related to the course content. Course-Materials: This is a read-only forum, which means you can read messages here but cannot send any. This is where I will post the course syllabus and materials. Learning-Team-A, B, C, D, E and F: These six Learning Team forums will be used as workrooms for the learning teams. You will be assigned to one of these learning teams. Individual Forum: You will see one forum with your name on it. This is a private forum, shared only by you and me, the facilitator. Your classmates will not have access to this forum. You can ask questions here. However, if you have general questions about instructions of assignments, please post those in the Main forum, since other students may benefit by that exchange as well. Where to Submit Your Assignments                                                                              Assignment Section: This is where you will submit all formal assignments. Navigate to the Assignments link on eCampus. Locate the link to submit your assignment as an attachment. Policies                                                                                                                               For class policies, please see the "Policies" link on the left side of the Materials page for the course on eCampus. Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within that link. University policies are subject to change so please be sure to read them at the beginning of each class as it may have changed since your last class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities it is important you read the policies governing your current class modality. Learning Teams                                                                                                                 University of Phoenix students are expected to work effectively in diverse groups and teams to achieve tasks. They must collaborate and function well in team settings as both leaders and followers. They should respect human diversity and behave in a tolerant manner toward colleagues and peers. If you experience difficulties working with your team, you are expected to resolve them within the team if possible. However, please feel free to contact me for guidance if you have concerns in this area. Because Learning Team projects are outcome-based, all members of your Learning Team will generally earn the same grade for Learning Team projects. However, I reserve the right to report different grades for different Learning Team members if I see a substantial imbalance in individual contribution. Learning Team Charters and Peer Evaluation forms are required. Please see the instructions in the weekly sections for more information. It is expected that you will actively participate with your learning team and contribute to the team discussions by a) contributing original work that is accepted and used by the team with proof of originality b) participating in the project from assignment organizing through meaningful final review of the team project for submission, and c) ensuring to your team that your contributions are your original work and properly quoted, cited, and referenced. Classroom Management Policies                                                                                     All assignments must be turned in before class on the day they are due. Any post that does not have an assignment attached in the OLS system or cannot be opened by the instructor will be considered as no assignment posted and marked late. I will deduct 20% per day if an assignment is late (individual or learning team). If an assignment isn’t turned in by midnight, 2 days after it is due I will record a "0" for that assignment. Technical Support                                                                                                             Technical Support is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 1-877-832-4867, or use the e-mail support form. Answers to the most common issues are found in the Knowledge Base by clicking Help, found at the top of every student Web site. Feedback                                                                                                                            Each week, I will provide grades or scores and comments on assignments within 7 days of when they were submitted. After I send feedback each week, I will post a notification in the Main forum. Grading Formula                                                                                                                Percentage % | Grade | 95+ | A | 90-94 | A- | 87-89 | B+ | 84-86 | B | 80-83 | B- | 77-79 | C+ | 74-76 | C | 70-73 | C- | 67-69 | D+ | 64-66 | D | 60-63 | D- | <59 | F | ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Course Description This course provides an overview of Business Information Systems. This includes a broad foundation for both technical and non-technical business professionals. Special emphasis is placed on how information is used by different types of businesses across different industries. ------------------------------------------------- Course Topics & Objectives Week One: Overview of Information Systems Identify information systems used in organizational departments. Explain how information resources are managed. Describe roles of the information systems department. Week Two: Data Gathering, Storage, and Uses Recognize data management issues. Identify components of a database. Describe the relationship between data, information, and knowledge. Compare e-business and e-commerce. Week Three: How Businesses Use Information Describe enterprise resource planning systems. Explain how functional areas use information systems. Identify uses of customer relationship information systems. Identify supply chain components. Week Four: How Managers Use Information Explain how managers use information systems. Explain information technology project development methodologies. Identify information tools for managers. Identify the phases of the system development life cycle. Week Five: Ethics and Trends Identify threats to information security. Identify communication technologies used in business. Recognize ethical and legal issues in information technology. ------------------------------------------------- Course Materials Rainer, R. K., Jr., & Turban, E. (2009). Introduction to information systems (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Pearlson, K. E., & Saunders, C. S. (2006). Managing and using information systems: A strategic approach (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. All electronic materials are available on your student website. ------------------------------------------------- Recommended Weekly Point Values | | Week One |   | Individual Assignment: Information Systems and Software Applications | 5 | Week Two |   | Individual Assignment: Club IT, Part One | 10 | Week Three |   | Learning Team Assignment: Amazon.com® Evolution | 15 | Week Four |   | Individual Assignment: Club IT, Part Two | 10 | Week Five |   | Individual Assignment: Final Examination | 15 | Individual Assignment: Club IT, Part Three | 15 | Learning Team Assignment: Where Did You Find That Book' | 15 | All Weeks |   | Participation & Discussion Questions | 15 | Assignment TotalsIndividual | 70 | Learning Team | 30 | Point Total | 100 | | | ------------------------------------------------- Week One Overview of Information Systems Identify information systems used in organizational departments. Explain how information resources are managed. Describe roles of the information systems department. ------------------------------------------------- Course Assignments Readings Read Ch. 1 & 2, and Technology Guides 2 & 5 of Introduction to Information Systems. Read Introduction of Managing and Using Information Systems. Review this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings. * Individual Assignment: Information Systems and Software Applications * Research software applications and information systems available for the various organizational departments within a company, such as accounting, finance, human resources (HR), marketing, and management. * Choose three of the aforementioned organizational departments and prepare a 350- to 700-word essay that provides an overview of these applications and systems. * Discuss how your selected applications relate to the organizational departments. * Include an introduction and a conclusion. * Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Learning Team Instructions Select classmates to be on your Learning Team. Create the Learning Team Charter. * Discussion Questions * Many organizations now have a members’ website, where customers can keep track of different kinds of information related to the organization, such as Wish Lists or My Favorites. Visit a site that offers this type of service: eBay®, Amazon®, Dell®, and Old Navy® are some examples. What types of information does the site collect' How does the business use this information' What kind of competitive advantage, if any, does the business gain in collecting this information' * * Choose one of the organizational departments of a business: accounting, finance, HR, or otherwise. What is the role of this department' What type(s) of information does the department need' How does the department use that information' * * What are information resources' What types of information resources does a business usually need' Why is it important for a general manager to be knowledgeable about information technology' * * Identify the competitive forces in Porter’s model. What affect might these forces have on a business' What can a business do to respond to these forces' ------------------------------------------------- Week Two Data Gathering, Storage, and Uses Recognize data management issues. Identify components of a database. Describe the relationship between data, information, and knowledge. Compare e-business and e-commerce. ------------------------------------------------- Course Assignments 1. Readings Read Ch. 4 & 6 of Introduction to Information Systems. Read Ch. 4 of Managing and Using Information Systems. Read Ch. 7 of Managing and Using Information Systems. Stop at “Evolution of E-business” and continue at “Threats on the Internet” to end of the chapter. Review this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings. * Individual Assignment: Club IT, Part One * Resources: Club IT, Part One reading supplement Read the Club IT, Part One reading supplement. * Prepare a 700- to 1050-word essay that addresses the following: * Club IT’s mission and primary clientele * * Club IT’s information resources include intranet resources; for example, the password to log-in is clubit. Resources also include the role of the information technology (IT) department and how its information resources are managed. * * Choose one of the different strategies for competitive advantage listed in Ch. 2 of the Rainer and Turban text, which presents cost leadership, differentiation, innovation, operational effectiveness, and customer orientation. Describe the kinds of information Club IT would need to pursue that strategy. * Include an introduction and a conclusion. * Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Learning Team Instructions: Amazon.com® Evolution Resources: Ch. 1 of Introduction to Information Systems Begin working on the Amazon.com® Evolution paper by reading Amazon: From Book Seller to Service Provider in Ch. 1 of Introduction to Information Systems. Discuss whether the company is moving away from its core competency of being a leading online retailer. Evaluate the offerings of Google™ and Microsoft®, identify in which areas Amazon.com® is competing, and discuss whether this is a wise strategy. Discussion Questions * What are some of the issues inherent in managing data' What methods may be used to identify data management issues' As a manager, how would you propose such issues be resolved' * What is the relationship amongst data, information, and knowledge' What are the advantages of a knowledge management system' How may a knowledge management system enhance productivity' * * What are business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions' How do they differ' How does each type of transaction benefit from conducting business using the Internet' * * Identify online advertising options. What are the advantages and disadvantages of online ads' Are online ads effective' Explain your answer. * ------------------------------------------------- Week Three How Businesses Use Information Describe enterprise resource planning systems. Explain how functional areas use information systems. Identify uses of customer relationship information systems. Identify supply chain components. ------------------------------------------------- Course Assignments 1. Readings Read Ch. 8 of Introduction to Information Systems. Read Ch. 2 & 5 of Managing and Using Information Systems. Review this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings. * Learning Team Assignment: Amazon.com® Evolution Resources: Ch. 1 of Introduction to Information Systems Prepare a 700- to 1,050-word essay describing Amazon®’s strategy in which you address the following: * * Discuss whether the company is moving away from its core competency of being a leading online retailer. * * Present areas where Amazon.com® is competing with Google™ and Microsoft®, and whether competition is a wise strategy. * * Address the uses of the Amazon.com® database; possible data management issues; and the relationship amongst Amazon®’s data, information, and knowledge. * * Describe how Amazon.com® uses e-business and e-commerce for B2B and B2C. * Include an introduction and a conclusion. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. * Discussion Questions * Define an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. What business processes are supported by using an ERP' What are the advantages and disadvantages of using an ERP system' * * Identify the components of a supply chain. What is the function of supply chain management (SCM)' When problems arise along the supply chain, how may SCM be used to resolve these problems' * * What are the differences between ERP and customer relationship management (CRM) software' In what ways do they complement each other' What is the best use of each' * * Differentiate between a functional or silo approach and a process approach for operations management. What are the advantages and disadvantages to IT support for these strategies' What changes to a company’s business strategy can occur when IT support increases' ------------------------------------------------- Week Four How Managers Use Information Explain how managers use information systems. Explain information technology project development methodologies. Identify information tools for managers. Identify the phases of the system development life cycle. ------------------------------------------------- Course Assignments 1. Readings Read Ch. 9 & 10 of Introduction to Information Systems. Read Ch. 10 of Managing and Using Information Systems. Read Ch. 11 of Managing and Using Information Systems. Stop at “Managerial Influences”. Review this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings. * Individual Assignment: Club IT, Part Two * Resources: Club IT, Part One; Club IT, Part Two Evaluate the IT status of the business using the information you have gathered from your review of the Club IT website and interviews with Ruben and the staff. Prepare a 700- to 1,050-word essay including the following: * Identify three business problems that you see at Club IT. Evaluate Club IT’s resources, customers, and supply chain. Provide three detailed IT solutions to resolve the three problems. Incorporate ERP, CRM, and SCM into your solutions. Discuss how the various departments within Club IT may use your solutions. * * Include an introduction and a conclusion. * Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Learning Team Instructions: Where Did You Find That Book' Resources: Case Study 7-1 of Managing and Using Information Systems; http://www.amazon.com and http://barnesandnoble.com * Begin working on the Where Did You Find That Book' Project by reading the Amazon.com® Case Study 7-1 of Managing and Using Information Systems and visiting http://www.amazon.com and http://barnesandnoble.com. * Compare three booksellers: Amazon.com®, Barnes & Noble®, and a local bookstore in your city. Evaluate their business models and websites regarding ethical, legal, and security issues. Also, evaluate how they use communication technologies. * Discussion Questions * Define each of the following methodologies for IT project management: prototyping, rapid applications development (RAD), joint applications development (JAD), and systems development life cycle (SDLC). What are the advantages of each methodology' Which one do you think would be the most beneficial for managing an IT project' * * What are digital dashboards and management cockpits' What are the capabilities of these information tools' How are global information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems (GPS) being used to expand the information tool kit available to managers' * * Identify the phases of the SDLC. Who participates in SDLC' As a manager, how would you deal with potential problems when using this methodology' * * You are the chief information officer and your company needs an application of strategic importance to your firm. What are your options for acquiring the necessary software' What are the advantages and disadvantages of each option' What information would you require to make the best decision for your company' ------------------------------------------------- Week Five Ethics and Trends Identify threats to information security. Identify communication technologies used in business. Recognize ethical and legal issues in information technology. ------------------------------------------------- Course Assignments 1. Readings Read Ch. 3 & 7 of Introduction to Information Systems. Read Ch. 8 of Managing and Using Information Systems. Review this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings. * Individual Assignment: Final Examination * * Resource: Introduction to Information Systems * Click the link to the Final Examination on your student website available from the end of Week Four through the end of Week Five. * Complete the Final Examination. You have one attempt to complete the exam, which is timed and must be completed in 3 hours. Results are auto-graded and sent to your instructor. * * Note. This exam contains third-party copyrighted materials. Portions are: Copyright © 2010 University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons. All rights reserved. * Individual Assignment: Club IT, Part Three * Resources: Club IT, Part One; Club IT, Part Two; Club IT, Part Three Prepare a 4- to 7-slide Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation addressing the following: * * Identify the ROI and NPV of the wireless order-taking system. Discuss some of the intangibles Lisa needs to consider and make a recommendation as to whether Lisa should order such a system. * * Research some executive dashboard products, identify information that Lisa and Ruben would likely find useful presented in a dashboard, and how they would use the information. Make recommendations as to which product you would recommend for Club IT. * * Choose one of the technology project development methodologies described in the readings and explain how you would go about the systems analysis effort. Identify what information is needed for whom, when, and in what format. Additionally, consider what major stakeholders you would interview, and how you would proceed to gather information to make an informed decision. * * Provide a description of how you envision this project would proceed through the SDLC—what would happen in each phase' * Learning Team Assignment: Where Did You Find That Book' Resources: Case Study 7-1 of Managing and Using Information Systems Prepare a 10- to 15-slide Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation with speaker notes based on the comparison of the three bookstores in which you address the following: * * Define the business models of all three of the bookstores and discuss how all are competing with each other. * Contrast the websites of the three bookstores. * Discuss how all three of the book stores address ethical, legal, and security issues. * Identify the communication technologies used by each bookstore. * Include appropriate graphics to highlight major points. Format your slides with bullets and use no more than seven sentences per slide. * Discussion Questions * What are the basic provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the U.S. Patriot Act' What effects are these pieces of legislation having on information security' What measures have businesses implemented to ensure they are in compliance' * * Define web 2.0. How would you describe web 2.0 to someone who has not taken a course in information systems' What are the advantages and disadvantages of these new technologies' * * Define wi-fi. How is wi-fi being used to support mobile computing and e-commerce' How does wi-fi affect the use of cellular phones for m-commerce' * * What are the three fundamental tenets of a code of ethics' What ethical issues might arise with the widespread use of information systems' What preemptive measures might a business take to avoid ethical problems' * * Are there ethical and legal considerations particular to conducting e-commerce' If so, what are these considerations' What measures can businesses adopt to ensure information security in e-commerce transactions' *