THESEUS 1996/97

INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT

Miklos A. Vasarhelyi

KPMG Peat Marwick Professor of Accounting Information Systems

Rutgers University

September 1995

Scope & Objectives

 

This course, coming at the beginning of your studies at Theseus, is intended to provide you with an overview of computer-based information systems and their application in organizations. Specifically, you will have an opportunity to begin to:

  1. gain a managerial overview of information systems concepts and technology.
  2. understand ways in which information systems are used in organizations and industries.
  3. examine issues pertaining to the effective planning and management of information systems.
  4. perceive the progressive convergence of information processing and telecommunication technologies.
  5. link information technology to other domains of management knowledge

This course examines management's needs for information in an organization, focusing on the systems that are developed to supply this information. After identifying the types of information systems being used by organizations, the course proceeds to a careful examination of the process involved in selecting, developing, implementing and evaluating these systems. The course does not primarily focus on the technical aspects of data processing and computer operations, though these topics will be discussed largely in the context of case examples: thus, the emphasis is on the management of systems development rather than on specific tools and techniques.

Evaluation

A tech-core grade will be assigned based on case discussion, assignments and class participation and inputs of other instructors.

Background Textbook References:

 Cushing, B. E. & Romney, M. B., Accounting Information Systems and Business Organizations, Addison Wesley, 1996. (Sixth Edition) (CR) or any good accounting information systems book to serve as a supporting reference. (note: Seventh Edition is just out but not at the Theseus library)

Vasarhelyi, M. A. & Lin, W. T. Advanced Auditing, Addison-Wesley, March 1988. (VL)

Vasarhelyi, M. A. (Ed.) Artificial Intelligence and Expert Systems in Accounting and Auditing, (Vols. 1, 2 & 3) Markus Wiener Publishing, 1991, 1994. (V)

Wilkinson Joseph W., Accounting and Information Systems, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1993.

Kogan, A., Sudit, E. & Vasarhelyi, M., The Internet Guide for Accountants, Prentice Hall. (KSV)

Assignments:

Legend:

R = Reading
H = Assignment to hand in
O = Optional reading
T = Team Presentation
C = Assignment to be done in the classroom (not passed out in advance)

Sessions 1, 2 & 3; Thursday, September 12, 1996 AM -

Introduction: History of Information Technology & the industry


R: "Datamation 100." June 15, 1996

"The Death of distance," The Economist, September 30, 1995.

Sessions 4, 5 & 6; Thursday, September 12, 1996 PM -

Concepts in Data Processing (Software & hardware)

R: A Review of computer hardware & Software (CR chapter 4)

R: Morris and Ferguson "How Architecture wins Technology Wars" Harvard Business Review, March- April 1993, pp. 86-96 and May-June 1993, Page 160-170.
R: "Wonder Chips," Business Week, July 4, 1994, pp. 86-92.
O: White & Downs, How Computers Work, PC Computing, February 1993, p. 281-308.

Sessions 7, 8 & 9; Friday, September 13, 1996 AM -

Competitive Advantage

R: How Information Gives you Competitive Advantage, Harvard Business Review (HBR ­ 85415)
H: OTISLINE (A) Harvard Business School Case (HBR ­ 9-186-304)

Sessions 10, 11 & 12; Friday, September 13, 1996 PM -

Database Management Systems

R: Data Base and File Oriented Systems (CR chapter 7)
H: Case Mrs. Fields' Cookies

Sessions 13, 14, 15; Saturday, September 14, 1996 AM -


The Internet: Publishing and Business Prospects

R: Kogan, Sudit and Vasarhelyi, Chapter1, "Introduction".
R: Kogan, Sudit and Vasarhelyi, Chapter4, "Personal Publishing on the Web.".

"The Future of E-Money," Business Week, June 12, 1995.
"Bookstore Sets Up Electronic Store on the Internet," Data Base Advisor, Feb. 1995.
"The World Wide Web: Internet Boomtown?", Datamation, January 15, 1995.

Computers and Telecommunications - the merging path

R: Udell, J., "Computer Telephony," Byte, July 1994, pp. 80-90.
R: Verity, J. W. " The Information Revolution," Business Week, 1994.

Sessions 16, 17, & 18; Monday, September 23, 1996 PM -

Systems Development: Overview, Analysis, Systems Design & Implementation

R: (CR) Chapters 8 & 9, Overview, Analysis and Acquisition.
R: Davenport & Short, " The New Industrial Engineering: Information Technology and Business

Process Redesign," Sloan Management Review, Summer 1990.
R: (CR) Chapters 10, Systems Design and Implementation.
H: HBS case # 9-193-013, American Airlines: The InterAAct Project (A)
C: HBS case # 9-193-013, American Airlines: The InterAAct Project (B)

Sessions 19, 20, & 21; Tuesday, September 24, 1996 AM -

Supporting Accounting and Finance Functions

A. Control Considerations in Computer-Based Information Systems

R: Control and Accounting Information Systems (CR chapter 12 & 13)
R: Vasarhelyi & Halper, "A Continuous Control Monitoring" A Monograph for the Institute of Internal Auditors, Chapter 4.

B. Auditing Corporate Functions

R: Auditing of Computer - Based Systems (CR chapter 15)

Sessions 22, 23 & 24; Tuesday, September 24, 1996 PM -

Expert Systems and Artificial Intelligence

R: Vasarhelyi, Miklos A., "Artificial Intelligence in Accounting and Auditing," (in V pp: xii-xxiv)

Bailey, Andrew D. Jr., Karl Hackenbrack, Prabuddha De and J. Dillard, "Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Science and Computational Modeling in Auditing Research: A Research Approach." (in V pp. 3-31)
Computers That Think are Almost Here. Business Week. July 17, 1995. 5 pp.
· Baby Steps. Byte. March 1995. 6 pp.
Automatic Letter Composition for Customer Service. Innovative Applications of Artificial Intelligence 3. 1991. 9 pp.
· Speech Replaces Point and Click. Information Week. July 3, 1995. 3 pp.
Barletta, R., "An Introduction to Case-Based Reasoning," AI Expert, August 1991, pp. 43-49.
H: ExperTAX: Coopers & Lybrand's Tax Accrual and Tax Planning System

Sessions 22, 23 & 24; Tuesday, September 24, 1996 PM -

Marketing Information Systems

R: Cushing & Romney. Chapter 16. 53 pp.

· A Trillion Byte Weapon. Business Week. July 31, 1995. 2 pp.
· Focusing Knowledge-Based Techniques on Market Analysis. IEEE Expert. August 1993. 6 pp.

H: - Case - Frito Lay

Sessions 25, 26 & 27; Wednesday, September 25, 1996 AM -

Supporting Human Resources & Production

R: Accounting Information Systems for Production Management (CR chapter 18)
R: Accounting Information Systems for Personnel Management (CR - chapter 19)

Intranets

R: The Intranet, Business Week, February 26, 1996.
T: HBS Case 9-188-003: Bennetton S.p.A: Industrial Fashion (A). 1988, revised 1992.

Sessions 28, 29 & 30; Thursday, September 26, 1996 AM -

Object-Oriented Tools & Groupware

R:· Manager's Guide to the New Software. PC World. January 1992. 6 pp.

· An Object Lesson in Management. Datamation. July 1, 1995. 3 pp.
· Need Groupware? Think Functions, not Products. Datamation. July 15, 1995. 8 pp.
· Getting It Together. PC Magazine. February 8, 1994. 9 pp.
· Competing Platforms. Byte. August 1995. 2 pp.
· Coping with Change. PC Magazine. June 14, 1994. 9 pp.

H: HBS Case 193-131 Chemical Bank: Technology Support for Cooperative Work

T:· HBS Case 9-192-144: Brooklyn Union Gas: OOPS On Big Iron. 1992.

Sessions 31, 32 & 33; Thursday, September 26, 1996 PM -

Computing Security, Viruses & Computer Fraud

R: Computer Fraud (CR chapter 14)
R: Sandler, C., "Virus, They Wrote," PC Computing, September 1994, pp. 207-212.
R: Zakas, P., "Virus!", Computerworld, July 11, 1994, pp. 92-94.

The Virtual Corporation

R: Malone, T. W., et al. " The Logic Markets." Harvard Business Review, May-June

1989, pp. 166-172.

R: "Information Replaces Inventory at the Virtual Corporation," Datamation, July 15, 1994.
C: Case, Eastman Kodak Co; Managing Information Systems Through Strategic Alliances, 1992.

· Let Customers Have It Their Way. Datamation. April 1, 1995. 4 pp.
T: HBS Case 9-189-050: Budd Services, Inc. 1990.

Sessions 34, 35 & 36; Saturday, September 28, 1996 AM -

Student knowledge evaluation

A set of exams and cases will be performed with the purpose of feedback to the participants. The topics will cover both the ISM course as well as the entire technological core. Individual feedback sessions, will be scheduled in the last full week of October.

Individual Discussions with students: October 25 (to be scheduled) -


Students will meet with instructor, individually and in groups for review of exams and cases. A knowledge diagnostic will be issued for each student for individual growth and guidance of further study