IT MANAGEMENT
Syllabus
Updated A.Y. 2016-2017
Information Technology Management
Course Objectives
Modern organisations across the world are being driven by information technology to change and adapt the way they do business. There is a need by commercial firms to constantly innovate owing to
relentless evolution in information technology and to massive competitive pressure. Firms have evolved new strategies, new processes and new products through the creative use of IT. Others have reinvented their existing markets. But there are also firms that have not responded to the massive changes wrought by IT and many of these firms have either disappeared, or are struggling to adapt.
Though the innovations in IT dazzle with the possibilities they promise, they also present considerable challenges to the firm to adapt to new ways of doing business. The main challenge is that
of managing the innovations brought forth by IT. This course introduces students to the basic theory of information systems and technology within the frame of innovation. Aspects of technology, such as networks, databases, applications, are understood from the viewpoint of innovation and change. How organisations can implement and adapt to change are discussed from the viewpoint of decisions and decision making. Technology innovations such as open source, agile software development, social networks are understood from the lens of change and decision making.
The course assumes the perspective of a manager and all the topics are approached from this viewpoint. Thus, when technology is discussed, it is covered from the viewpoint of a person who has to
make decisions regarding the technology and its use, rather than from the perspective of a programmer or a computer scientist who is interested in design or construction of the technology.
The basic learning objectives of this course are:
● an understanding of the competitive need for information technology used by organizations
● an understanding of the issues of managing innovation with IT
● an understanding of the properties of digital goods
● an understanding of innovations in software development
● an overview of some IT applications
● an understanding of ethical and social issues emerging from innovations in IT
● an understanding of ICT innovations in society and government.
Textbook
MIS: Managing Information Systems in Business, Government and Society, De, R. (2012), Wiley India.
Additional reading materials will be available on Moodle.
Attendance
Attendance is required. There will be no make-up for in-class quizzes.
Course Outline
(This is a tentative outline. Readings and topics will be updated as needed.)
Session Topics and Readings
Session 1 | 27 April 2017
Introduction to Course
IT and Competitive Difference
MIS Decisions for Managers
1. Text: Chapter 1
2. “IT That Makes a Competitive Difference,” McAfee and Brynjolfsson, Harvard Business Review, 2008.
3. Text: Chapter 2
4. “How Fast and Flexible Do You Want Your Information, Really?” Davenport and
Snabe, Sloan Management Review, 2011.
Session 2 | 2 May 2017
MIS and Strategy
Information Economy
Digital Transformation
Readings
1. Text: Chapter 3
2. “Strategic Principles for Competing in the Digital Age” Hirt and Willmott, McKinsey Quarterly, 2014.
3. Text: Chapter 4
4. “Thriving in an Increasingly Digital Ecosystem,” Weill and Woerner, Sloan Management Review, 2015.
Session 3 | 4 May 2017
IT Innovation
Database Essentials
Readings
1. “The Manager's Guide to IT Innovation Waves” Swanson, Sloan Management
Review, 2012.
2. “Winning the Race with Ever-Smarter Machines” Brynjolfsson and McAfee,
SMR, 2012.
3. Text: Chapter 11
4. “Analytics 3.0” Davenport, Harvard Business Review, 2013.
Session 4 | 11 May 2017
Understanding Telecommunications Networks; Security and Control
Reading
1. Text: Chapter 8, 9
Case Discussion
Session 5 | 16 May 2017
Software Development; Software Project Management
Readings
1. Text: Chapter 10
2. “Why the Vasa Sank? 10 Problems and Some Antidotes for Software Projects?”
Fairley and Wilshire, IEEE Software, 2003.
Case Discussion
Session 6 | 18 May 2017
The Challenge of Open Source Software
Social Networking and Open Collaboration
Reading
1. Text: Chapter 16
2. Text: Chapter 15
3. “How to Manage Outside Innovation,” Boudreau & Lakhani, SMR, 2009.
4. “Using Open Innovation to Identify the Best Ideas,” King and Lakhani, SMR, 2013.
Case Discussion
Session 7 | 23 May 2017
Decision Support Systems and Analytics; Knowledge Management
Artificial Intelligence
Readings
1. Text: Chapter 13
2. “Keep up With Your Quants” Davenport, HBR, 2013.
3. “Data Scientist” Davenport, Patil, HBR, 2012.
Session 8 | 24 May 2017
Ethical Issues; Workplace Monitoring and Privacy
Readings
1. Text: Chapter 6
2. “The Dark Side of Information Technology,” Tarafdar, D'Arcy, Turel, Gupta,
SMR, 2015.
Case Discussion
Session 9 | 25 May 2017
Enterprise Computing and Cloud Computing
Readings
1. Text: Chapter 12
2. “The Trouble with Enterprise Software,” by Rettig, Sloan Management Review, Fall 2007.
3. “Revisiting Complexity in the Digital Age” Mocker, Weill and Woerner, SMR, 2014.
Session 10 | 26 May 2017
Digital Divide; ICT for Development; Telecenters, Community Radio
E-Government Systems
Readings
Text: Chapter 14
1. “Digital Government Evolution: From Transformation to Contextualization,” T. Janowski, Government Information Quarterly, 2015.
Technology
Students are encouraged to use Free and Open Source software for this course, such as Libre Office. Moodle (an Open Source Learning Management tool) will be used throughout the course. Please note
that all lectures will be recorded and made available for review through Moodle.
Teaching Philosophy
Learning is an active and collaborative process. As the instructor, I will guide you towards concepts and ideas, and encourage discussion around them in class. Your learning will come from reading the
material, seeing assigned videos, contributing to discussions, including case discussions, participating in the online quizzes and surveys and completing the assignments.