Week 1: Intro to Class and MIS

Lecturer: C. Matt Graham, MSBE, ABD, Information Systems

Class Objectives

1. Introduce myself

2. Introduce BUA 235 and what is expected of you

3. Introduce you to Management Information Systems (MIS)

4. Answer the question; “why is MIS important to me? (and you!)”

???:Who is he?!?• Name: C. Matt Graham

• Education: PhD candidate in Information Systems (Dissertation deals with Y-Generation leadership and Virtual Teams), Ms. Business Education, and Bs. in Business Administration

• IT/IS Experience: MS Access DBMS developer, BPM advisor/consultant, MS Office Trainer, and Website design

Research Interest’s:

• Information Security, computer privacy, online learning environments, and workplace e-learning.

• Graham, C. M. & Miaoulis, G. (2010). Web 2.0 Social Networking Technologies & Student Engagement: An Evaluation of an In-Class Question-Answer SMS Text Messaging System. Journal of Innovative Education Strategies. (Accepted )

• Jones, N. & Graham, C.M. (2009). Improving Hybrid Course Delivery in Distance Education with Emerging Technologies. In Y.K. (1st Ed.) Learning Management System Technologies and Software Solutions for Online Teaching: Tools and Applications. Hershey, PA: IGI Publishing

• Graham, C.M. (2010). HIPAA and HITECH Compliance: Moving unsecured personal patient information into a secured privacy policy management approach. Proceedings of the 2010 Northeast Business and Economics Association (NBEA). Montclair, NJ. (Accepted).

BUA 235: Information Systems and Technology for Business

BUA235: Information Systems and Technology for Business Fall 2010

Professor: Matt Graham, MSBE, PhD Candidate (ABD), Information Systems

Office Hours: DPC 330: Tues & Thurs 11:00 am – 12:30 pm by appt.

2nd Life Office Hours: by Appt.

Phone #: 581-1946 E-mail: Christian_Graham@umit.maine.edu (Firstclass)

Class Time: Section 1: Tues & Thurs 9:30 pm to 10:45 pm DPC 117 Section 2: Tues & Thurs 12:30 pm to 1:45 pm DPC 107 Section 3: Tues & Thurs 2:00 pm to 3:15 pm DPC 107 Note: This class will also use First Class, WebCT, and 2nd Life in addition to normal class meetings. Please note that your WebCT account information is NOT the same as your First Class account. If you do not yet have a user ID and password to access WebCT, please call IT at 581-2506 immediately. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE DAY ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE!!! 2nd Life: What is 2nd life? Second Life™ is an online virtual environment with great training capabilities for students that span a large geographic area. Second Life™ more accurately simulates the physical classroom experience, allows for greater interaction amongst participants, and establishes a truer sense of presence for all participating. You need to download the 2nd life software and create your own avatar. How will we use 2nd life? Student advising and extended office hours H1N1 Swine Flu Outbreak In the event of disruption of normal classroom activities due to an H1N1 swine flu outbreak, the format for this course may be modified to enable completion of the course. In that event, you will be provided an addendum to this syllabus that will supersede this version.

Course Description: BUA 235 provides an overview of current and emerging technologies used in organizations today. Emphasis is placed on ensuring that all business majors understand the technological infrastructure underlying information systems, with emphasis on system components, databases, networking, telecommunications and distributed systems. Students will demonstrate

What is “Management Information Systems?”

“What do you study in that class?”– Computers?

– Computer programming?

– Has something to do with business?

– solve business problems with computers using spreadsheets and other programs?

“What do you study in that class?”– Computers?

– Computer programming?

– Has something to do with business?

– solve business problems with computers using spreadsheets and other programs?

• Moore’s Law (1965) “The number of transistors

per square inch on an integrated chip doubles every 18 months.” (Intel proved!)

Statement commonly misunderstood to be:

• “The speed of a computer doubles every 18 months,” which is incorrect, but captures the sense of principle.

Doesn’t Matter: what does matter is that because of Moore’s Law the ratio of price to computing has dropped tremendously!

Which allows for:

Sooo…MIS?

• YouTube• iPhone• Facebook• Second Life• Hulu• Twitter• LinkedIn• And on, and on…..

• Do I have to be a;– Computer programmer?– Network Analyst

/technician?– Database Developer?

• You could, but the answer is NO!

Ehem, you still really haven’t answered “what is MIS?”

• So many IT/IS needs and skills can be outsourced today!

• 1st Reason to take this course– You (future business

leaders) need to be able to assess, evaluate, and apply emerging technology to business

• Not just problems either…..

• These are the skills you need to be successful in business!

2. The only job security that exists is “a marketable skill and the courage to use it.”

• Because cost of data storage and data communications is essentially zero, any routine skill can and will be outsourced to the lowest bidder.

Second Reason Introduction MIS Most Important

• “Rapid technological change and increased international competition place the spotlight on the skills and preparation of the workforce, particularly the ability to adapt to changing technology and shifting demand. Shifts in the nature of organizations…favor strong non-routine cognitive skills.”(Lynn A Kaoly and Constantijn W.A. Panis, The

21st Century at Work. RAND Corporation, 2004, p. xiv) • What are your marketable skills?

Third Reason Introduction MIS Most Important

Third Reason Introduction MIS Most Important

Necessary Non-routine SkillsSkill Example Setback / Problems

Abstraction Construct a model or representation

Inability to model customer life cycle or business process life cycle

Systems thinking Model system components and show how components input and outputs relate to one another

Confusion about how customers contact accounts payable or how CSR’s record new customer purchases

Collaboration Develop ideas and plans with others. Provide and receive critical feedback

Unable to work with others / work with others work-in-progress

Experimentation Create and test promising new alternatives, consistent with available resources

Fear of failure (or saying “I can’t do that!”) prohibits the discussion of new ideas

So!!! “What is MIS?”

• Management Information Systems deals with “The development and use of information systems that help businesses achieve their goals and objectives”

Definition has 3 elements:1. Development and Use2. Information systems, and3. Business goals and objectives

12

What Information Systems (IS) is not?

• IS is not computer science

• IS is not computer engineering

• So what is it?

Information Systems

• Information systems components

Hardware—desktops, laptops, PDAs Software—operating systems, application programs Data—facts and figures entered into computers Procedures—how the other four components are used People—users, technologists, IS support

What is MIS?

Figure 1-3 Five Components of an Information System

How Can You Use the Five-Component Framework?

Low-tech IS Consists only of a file of email addresses and an

email program. Only small amount of work moved from the

human side to computer side. Considerable human work is required to

determine when to send which emails to which customers.

High-Tech vs. Low-Tech Information Systems

High-Tech vs. Low-Tech Information Systems

High-tech IS Customer support system keeps track of

equipment customers have, maintenance schedules for equipment, and automatically generates email reminders to customers.

More work has been moved from human side to computer side.

Computer is providing more services on behalf of humans.

High-Tech vs. Low-Tech Information Systems

High-Tech vs. Low-Tech Information Systems

Ask questions• What new hardware will you need?

• What programs will you need to license?

• What databases and other data must you create?

• What procedures will need to be developed for both use and administration of the information system?

• What will be the impact of the new technology on people? Which jobs will change? Who will need training? How will the new technology affect morale? Will you need to hire new people? Will you need to reorganize?

Understanding the Scope of New Information Systems

Five IS components evaluated based on order of ease of change and amount of organizational disruption.

1. Hardware is simple to order and install.

2. Obtaining or developing new programs is more difficult.

3. Creating new databases or changing structure of existing databases is more difficult.

4. Changing procedures, requiring people to work in new ways, is even more difficult.

5. Changing personnel responsibilities and reporting relationships and hiring and terminating employees are both very difficult and very disruptive.

Components Ordered by Difficulty and Disruption

I get Information systems, What is information?

• Several definitions; Knowledge derived from

data (most common)

Data presented in a meaningful context

Data processed by summing, ordering, averaging, grouping, comparing, or other similar operations

A difference that makes a

difference

• The bottom line is that you understand that information and data is not the same thing….

• Data is just recorded facts or figures

Difference between Data & Information

DataInformation

22

Data, information, knowledge, and Wisdom!

Data

Information

Knowledge

Wisdom?Knowledge Management Systems

• Accurate—correct and complete data, and processed correctly. Accuracy is crucial; managers must be able to rely on results of their information systems.

• Timely—produced in time for its intended use.

• Relevant—both to the context and to the subject.

• Just barely sufficient—for purpose for which it is generated. Avoid information overload.

• Worth its cost—appropriate relationship between cost of information and its value.

What Makes Some Information Better than Other Information?What Makes Some Information Better than Other Information?

IS and IT: what’s the difference• Information technology refers to the

hardware, software, an data components (things you can buy or lease)

• Information technology refers to the hardware, software, an data components (things you can buy or lease)

• Information Systems (IS) include five components: Hardware Software Data Procedures People

• New systems—always have training tasks (and costs), employees resistance to change to overcome, and need to manage employees as they utilize the new system.

• You can buy IT, you cannot buy IS.

Questions???