Management Information Systems

MBA (II) Final Semester

Course Lecturer: Farhan Mir

Course Lecturer

Farhan Azmat Mir MIMS [Monash University Melbourne]

MBA (MIS) [B.Z.U] Gold Medal

• Consultation MethodBest through e-mail address (farhanmir_99@hotmail.com)

OR

After/before lectures on lecture day OR

Announced Timings in case of Assignments or Reports

Lecture 1, 2, 3

Introduction & Overview

Lecture 1,2 Administration

• Course Introduction

• Introduction of the Class

• Few Words on Lecture Notes

• Introduction to Lecture Methodology

• Management Information Systems Overview

Course Administration

• New Assessment Criteria– 20 Prim

– 25 Mid

– 45 Final

– 10 Sess

• Lectures Notes– Available from Photostat shop before lectures

– Basically about lecture’s contents and discussion topics

Course Administration

• Sessionals– May be written assignments (details in coming lectures

– Attendance, Presentations, Quiz & Class Discussion & Participation

• Requirements– Overall Class Attitude

– Things to Avoid (Referencing, cut-copy-paste Culture)

– Things to do (Innovation, Confidence, Work Attitude)

– Critical Evaluation the key

Course Orientation• Basically Theoretical focus

Introduction of Concepts and Issues in the field of IS

• But– The practical orientation will also be a major focus of

the course– Perhaps Demo from a local company by MIS Manager

highlighting the practical issues and difficulties in the area of IS (Approx. in lectures close to MID in the week after MID)

– Case Studies

Examination

• Questions will be formulated in a way to examine both bookish as well as conceptual thinking

• The Answers will be evaluated on the key requirement of “critical thinking”

• Other details will be given close to Prim

Text & References

• Focus will be on topics rather Chapters of any text

• Many Text/books are available in market • Charles Parker, Thomas Case. (2000). “Management

Information Systems: Action & Strategy”. (2nd Ed). McGraw Hill Book Company

• Kenneth C. Laudon & Jane P. Laudon (2001). “Management Information Systems: Managing a Digital Firm”.(7th Ed). Prentice Hall Company.

• But Not necessarily every thing is taught from the Text, Students need to

broaden their view and consult as many additional references as possible (Preferably available in local market and from the Internet)

Expected Topics• Introduction to IS

• Systems and Models

• Management & Decision Making

• IT Fundamentals

• Transaction Processing and Reports System

• DSS

• Knowledge-Based Systems

• System Development

• MIS in the Fundamental Areas of Business

• Contemporary Issues

Introduction to IS

• The Background

• What are these systems?

• Why IS/MIS? (Goals & Objectives)

• The scope of MIS

• The current International status

• The new trends

• The challenges and issues

• Counter Strategies

Background• Operational Efficiency

– Computers replacing manual activities– Speed, accuracy, efficiency, capacity

• Information a Key Business Asset– Information initially as a by-product– Data Vs Information– The realization about information potential and the need to manage it

for competitive advantage

• The Early IS– Slow computing– Time consuming system development and information management– Failure Stories

What are these Systems?

• “An organized combination of people, hardware, software, networks and data resources that collect, transforms, and disseminates information in the organization.” James O’Brien (1998).

• IS theory is however extremely vast and various classification & definitions are available on MIS

• IS Perspectives– Operational activities

– Management support

– KM

– Networking and e-activities

Goals & Objectives

• Operational Efficiency

• Functional Effectiveness

• Customer Service

• Product Creation & Enhancement

• Competitive Advantage

• Communication and Networking

• Control & Feedback

Role & Scope of IS• Pervasiveness of IS

– Distribution, Payroll, MkIS, Library Systems, Student Enrollment, Inventory

• Functional Areas– Finance, Marketing, Communication, Sales, Customer Support &

Service, Manufacturing

• Management Support– MIS – Decision Support

• Knowledge Management• Networking

– EDI– E-Business

Current International Environment

• Last Decade (Heavy Investment in IT/IS)• Success & Failure Stories

– Australian Govt. IT Outsourcing Initiative– (

• IS a normal life necessity– Banks– Communication & Entertainment– Government Essentials (Registration, civil administration)

• Continuous improvement & research– The hottest area of academic interest– Ongoing Debates ( IT Bubble burst)

New Trends• Media popularity (Hype Factors)• IS-related topics in debate

– KM– DSS– Tele-working/Virtual Organizations

• Online Services• Information Based Products• New Coming Lot of Professionals• IS-Business Relationship

– IS based businesses

Contemporary Issues• IS Theory seems to be still in evolution• People/Management a trouble area• Keeping yourself updated (choice of technologies)• Investment Analysis for IS• Interaction between IT and other functional areas• Career Development • For us as Academic participants (Teachers & Students)

– Controversial area of study (Hype another factor)– Still the most demanded course in field of IT

• Have a look at some debates:– http://www.csc.com/features/2001/21.shtml– http://www.csc.com/features/2002/22.shtml

Counter Strategies• ??????????? (More Questions than answers)• Circumstances might change from situation to situation

and organization to organization• Continuous search for better IS options• Knowledge about IS issues is more crucial than having

the latest technology• Recommendations

– Analysis of the IS decisions will require same care and deep thinking as done for other business and functional problems/situations

– Project Management

References• Charles Parker, Thomas Case. (2000). “Management Information Systems:

Action & Strategy”. (2nd Ed). • Kenneth C. Laudon & Jane P. Laudon (2001). “Management Information

Systems: Managing a Digital Firm”.(7th Ed)• James O’Brien. (1998). “Introduction to Information Systems: A

Networked Enterprise Perspective”. (2nd Ed).• Chris Woodward (2001), CSC Research Services. Creating Information

Systems Harmony(http://www.csc.com/features/2001/21.shtml)

• CSC Research Services. CEOs are from Mars, CIOs are from Pluto(http://www.csc.com/features/2002/22.shtml)

• Grover S. Kearns (1997). Alignment of Information Systems Plans with

Business Plans: (http://hsb.baylor.edu/ramsower/ais.ac.97/papers/kearns.htm)