BUSI 7220 – Operations and Information Technology for Competitive Advantage
Spring, 2012
Module 1 - Tentative and Dynamic Syllabus
(Last modified: 1/9/2012)
Instructor: Dr. Nelson Ford
Office: Lowder 409
E-mail Address: ford@business.auburn.edu
Phone: (O) 334-844-6503
Office Hours: T, Th: 1:00 - 2:00; W: 10:00-12:00, 1:00-2:00;
(M) 334-444-7408
or by appointment.
Course Description
Module I
of this course is based almost entirely on case discussions. Each case
discussed has an information technology flavor, but is managerially oriented.
As such, technical discussions are rare, and no particular expertise in MIS
technical matters is needed.
Each case should be addressed by considering the following questions:
(1) What is the business problem?
(2) What business is the company in? What is its strategy? Is this
strategy correct?
(3) What is the information technology problem?
(4) Is information technology the business problem? Is information
technology causing the business problem? Is information technology a possible
solution to the business problem?
(5) What is the solution to the business problem?
(6) Does the solution involve information technology? If so, how?
As students will see, the course emphasizes "business before technology." Cases are drawn from a variety of industries, to give students a flavor of similarities and differences among companies and industries.
Students must be able to discuss each case on the day it is assigned, as students will lead discussions on a random basis during the semester.
Other guidelines for case analysis that may be helpful can be found at the following links:
http://socrates.acadiau.ca/courses/Busi/IntroBus/CaseMethod.html
http://wps.pearsoned.co.uk/ema_uk_he_johnson_excorpstrat_7/26/6678/1709611.cw/content/index.html
http://www2.wmin.ac.uk/haberba/4mbs601.htm#_Analysing_a_Case_Study
http://www.mhhe.com/business/management/thompson/11e/case/prepare2.htm
Missed
Exam Make-Up Policy:
Students who miss a major exam will receive a zero, with no opportunity for
make-up work, unless one of the following conditions has been met:
(1) The absence was APPROVED IN ADVANCE by the instructor. This
will only occur in rare situations involving sickness, required participation in
official University events, or extenuating circumstances. Approved absences
will be those outlined in the Tiger Cub. In the event of illness, the excuse
must be signed by a physician or nurse (not a receptionist). Excuses with boxes
checked that indicate a student was seen in, for example, the University Health
Center, do not indicate that the student was too ill to participate in the exam
and are not sufficient. Copies of excuses will not be accepted. You must
provide the original excuse. Excuses must be presented in person within
one week of the missed exam. Medical excuses WILL be checked. The penalty
for a falsified excuse is determined by the Academic Honesty Committee, and may
result in receiving an "F" in the course and suspension from school for a
semester. Lack of preparation for an exam is not a valid excuse and students
should not be tempted to "fake" a doctor's excuse due to lack of preparation.
The penalty for this is severe and could affect you for the rest of your
career. STUDENTS WHO FAIL TO GET APPROVAL IN ADVANCE FOR ABSENCES OF THIS
TYPE WILL FORFEIT ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR MAKE-UP WORK.
(2) The absence was due to a LEGITIMATE EMERGENCY FOR WHICH IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO OBTAIN ADVANCED APPROVAL. In this situation, the student must contact the instructor as soon as possible and must provide documentation that: (1) The emergency was legitimate; AND (2) advanced notification/approval was not possible. STUDENTS WHO FAIL TO MEET REQUIREMENTS (1) AND (2) WILL FORFEIT ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR MAKE-UP WORK.
MAKE-UP
EXAMS
Students who miss a major exam and have satisfied one of the above
conditions will be allowed the opportunity for a make-up exam. THE MAKE-UP
EXAM WILL BE DIFFERENT AND MAY USE A DIFFERENT EXAM FORMAT.
STATEMENT
RELATED TO POLICIES ON UNANNOUNCED QUIZZES AND CLASS ATTENDANCE:
Attending class is a key to success in this class because lectures and case
analyses/exercises are a significant portion of the learning experience.
Further, test questions will come from lecture material as well as from the
assigned material. Thus, students are expected to attend each class.
Unannounced quizzes will be given. These quizzes CANNOT be made up.
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
Students who need special accommodations should make an appointment to discuss the Accommodations Memo with me during my office hours as soon as possible. If scheduled office hours conflict with classes, please arrange an alternate appointment time. If you do not have an Accommodations Memo but need special accommodations, contact the Program for Students with Disabilities, 1244 Haley Center, 334-844-5943.
Academic Honesty: ALL PORTIONS OF THE AUBURN UNIVERSITY HONESTY CODE (TITLE XII) FOUND IN THE TIGER CUB WILL APPLY TO THIS CLASS.
STATEMENT REGARDING E-MAIL AS OFFICIAL MEANS OF COMMUNICATION:
E-mail is the university approved form of communication. It is the student's responsibility to make sure that he or she receives e-mail.
Course Grading
Module I of the course will count as 50% of your course grade, and will be determined as follows: There will be two examinations. Exams will be discussion format and will be given during regular class hours. Each exam will be 37% of your grade. Class participation will be the remaining 26% of your grade. For outreach students, posts on the Class Discussion Board will be evaluated for class participation. Traditional percentages will be used for course grade determination: 90 % or better for an A; 80 % or better for a B; 70 % or better for a C; etc.
Exam 1 37%
Exam 2 37%
Class Participation 26%
COURSE SCHEDULE (Tentative)
Jan 10 Introduction to the course; analyzing business cases
Jan
12
Three Innovations That Changed America ;
Is immortality possible? ;
Are Computers Transforming Humanity? ;
The Future of Work
Jan
17
10 Technologies That Will Change the World in the Next 10 Years ;
Wary Mexicans Shun Database ;
Lawyers ;
Big Data Revolution ;
Data, Data Everywhere
Jan
19
Does IT Matter? ;
The ITC e-Choupal Initiative
(
Related video )
Jan
24
U.K. Dept. of Health: Prescription for Disaster ;
Census Bureau's SNAFU
;
Can the Cellphone Help End Global Poverty
;
Putting Twitter's World to
Use
Jan
26
Gillette's Fusion Launch ;
The iPhone as a Cash Register
;
Swiping Is the Easy Part
;
AE and VISA Squeeze PayPal ;
How Facebook is Taking Over Our Lives
Jan
31
Catch
up...
Feb
2
EXAM #1
Feb
7
The Groupon Clipper
;
Groupon Getting It Right
;
BP Misses Social Networking ;
L’Oreals Manufacturing Makeover ;
Mom-and-Pop Multinational ;
Get Rich Slow! ;
Amazon at Your Service
Feb
9
Web
Plan Dividing Companies ;
Struggle for What We Have ;
Will Netflics Kill the Internet ;
Net Neutrality 2011 ;
Verizon Challenges FCC ;
Stuxnet: Cyber Attack on Iran… ;
Dissecting The Flash Crash
Feb
14
WikiLeaks Avoids Shutdown ;
PayPal, PostFinance Hit: WikiLeaks ;
An Invitation to Crime: Facebook ;
LexisNexis ;
Google Wants Search More Social ;
Facebook Revenue In 2010
Feb
16
How to Change the Way Kids Learn ;
How to Go to Harvard for Free ;
College Too Expensive? Try YouTube ;
AgriBeef: Cattle Drive
Feb
21
Sleek Audio Made In America ;
Sir Ken Robinson (TED video) ;
GE Healthcare Goes Agile
Feb
23
EXAM #2