MIS-7500 - Strategic Information Systems
Babson College – F. W. Olin Graduate School of Business
Spring Semester 2000
This syllabus last updated February 18, 2000
Instructor: Dr. Robert H. Reck
Office: Not on campus
Campus Phone: None
Kendall Consulting Group
268 Highland Road, Andover, MA 01810
Phone: 978-474-9109
Fax 978-470-1490
E-mail: reck@babson.edu or
bobreck@kendall-consulting.com
Class Meets: Tuesdays, 6:30 pm-9:00 p.m., Gerber 102
Course Summary and Objectives
This course is about the strategic deployment and management of information technology (IT) within today’s complex organizations. The course establishes a basis for a strategic look at business and the technology-related decisions being made, examines technology use in the value chain or supply chain of a business, examines electronic commerce from several viewpoints, and examines the technology, data communications and architectures in use in today’s business. Classes are structured to address key topics in systems management, including techniques, issues and contemporary and best practice. This class also serves as an introduction to information technology deployment, and as such, is a prerequisite to more advanced courses.
Preliminary Course Web Site: http://faculty.babson.edu/reck/mis7500s00
An icampus site will be established for this class. You must have access to the Babson computer system with name/password in order to gain access to ecampus. Assignments, handouts and notices will be posted at this site as well as e-mailed to students via the ecampus e-mail address. You are responsible for ensuring that you receive these e-mails. (You may arrange with ITSD to have campus e-mail forwarded to an external address.)
Class Approach and Student Evaluation
Classroom participation, three short case studies, and a team-based final paper/ case/ presentation are the basis for the course grade, in proportions 30%, 15% each, and 25% of the final grade.
Participation will be evaluated on the basis of understanding and using assigned readings and study findings, contributing to insights on analysis and action recommendations for the case or topic being discussed, and taking into account others’ inputs. All students are expected to exhibit a high level of professionalism in terms of class attendance and interactions. To get a good grade in participation students must verbally contribute, discuss and raise questions in class. If you must be absent from class you are expected to obtain notes and an encapsulation of class events and discussion from another student. Participation is also influenced by active contribution to the team project. The team project is a team grade.
Three short case studies are to be an analysis of a situation relevant to the class topics for each of the first three class segments:
The papers are to take into account not only the assignment materials for the classes to that point, but also the class discussions and insights reached after the class. Students should write their paper as a case study (similar to HBS and Babson case studies). In addition to describing the sequence of events and presenting the dilemma facing the organization, you should analyze the business and technology situation. You may use a teaching note to make recommendations (or a plan of action). Your case study may examine a company from the viewpoint of class material, or go in depth into one of the more technical topics. Papers should examine the course topic (strategic informations systems) as well as the more particular subtopic suggested by the class segment (above). Typical questions to consider include:
Students are encouraged to discuss material for classes and papers, but are individually responsible for the final products. Papers are due in class one week after the last class in each course segment (e.g., in class during the weeks of TBD). A Word 97 version should also be sent by e-mail to the instructor on the due date. Papers will be marked down a full letter grade for each calendar day they are late!! If you have an emergency, you should contact the instructor ahead of time with a very good excuse. Individual papers each make up 15% of a student’s grade.
Team Paper and Presentation - Class members will also arrange themselves in teams of three or four students for a team final paper and presentation which will comprise 25% of each team member’s final grade. No single person papers will be acceptable.
The term paper will span all of the course material and class discussions. This paper is a research or analysis of a company or topic relevant to the major themes of the course. The key questions posed above for the short papers are relevant here, as well as a deeper and more thorough set of questions developed during the course. Two general options may help you pick a topic.
Option 1 - Prepare a case study of a critical information technology issue within your organization or department. Use secondary sources (e.g., articles, annual reports, company documents/fliers, newspapers) as well as primary sources (e.g., interviews with key managers or staff members) for your study. In addition to describing the sequence of events and presenting the dilemma facing the organization, you should analyze the business and technology situation and make recommendations (including a plan of action) as if you were consulting to the firm or department. You should use a minimum of five relevant practitioner and/or academic journal or book chapter references beyond what you are required to read for this course. The length of the case situation description should be at least 15 pages (excluding any exhibits). A teaching note is also required (minimum of two pages).
Option 2: Prepare a research report on an interesting area of information technology. The focus of your paper can be on an issue facing IT managers or end users. You can choose a specific information technology from a hardware, software or network vendor and write about that topic and its application in a business context. You should use a minimum of 15 relevant practitioner and/or academic journal references or book chapters beyond what you are required to read for this course should be used in the construct of your paper. This report should be a minimum of 20 pages (excluding any exhibits).
You should form a team as soon as possible and the team should pick their topic, scanning ahead in the syllabus to get a feeling for the scope of the course. Teams should submit to the instructor by Week 4 class their team, topic title, and a one paragraph description of their study.
Each team will submit a single written report to the instructor. A Word 97 file should also be e-mailed to the instructor. The papers are to be 1+" margins, 10 or 12 point type font, well written, spell checked, and grammar proofed. Exhibits may be run in text or aggregated at the end. A complete reference and/or bibliography section should be included. Ancillary materials such as videos, web sites (on floppy disks if possible), programs, mock-ups, handouts, should also accompany the paper when handed in. Papers are due on the day of your team's presentation. Be sure to list the course title and all team members on the front cover of the report.
Team presentations of their paper will be made during the last two classes - May 2 and May 9, 2000. All team members should participate. Students should provide the instructor with a copy of all presentation slides before the presentation (e.g., PowerPoint two per page handouts). Presentations will be graded as both content and form (pizzaz!!). Be creative and daring! In the past, students have created videos, presented skits, demonstrated Web sites, conducted a talk show and debated key topics. Do whatever makes your topic come to life. You are presenting as much to your colleagues as to the instructor. The instructor will assign presentation dates about mid-way through the semester. You may trade dates with another team, however, notify the instructor of your trade. The team project final paper will be due concurrent with your team's presentation.
Standards for Written Work - All written work will be judged on the basis of content as well as writing style. Accordingly, your work should be error free both grammatically and in spelling. Use the tools on your computer. Babson's Writing Center should be used if you feel you need assistance in preparing your paper for class. No time extensions are granted for use of the Writing Center, so plan your work ahead of time. Papers are to use 1+" margins, 12 point type font, be well written, spell checked, and grammar proofed. They should not exceed five pages excluding any references, exhibits or attachments. (A complete reference and/or bibliography section in good academic form should be included.)
Course Materials and Course Packet
There is NO course pack or text. The instructor will assign cases, questions, and readings via e-campus or via links in this syllabus. Readings are likely to be added during the semester so check on the date of the syllabus you are using. Some class handouts may also be used.
Return of Papers
Team papers and other course materials students submit will be available in the MIS office
(see Donna Bailey) in Babson Hall after May 20, 2000 (possibly earlier).
If you want your paper mailed to you, please include a large SASE with your paper. Papers returned by the
Post Office for inadequate postage will be left with the rest of the papers in Babson Hall.
Detailed Syllabus by Class
Week Of Planned Contents Readings/Cases/Other Module 1 Strategy and Information Technology February 1 Week 1 Strategy 1
Course overview and administration. Scope and content of syllabus. Introduction of instructor.
Discussion of assignments, grading criteria, case paper and exams.
Definition of "strategic" IT. Basics of IT, change and value. Eras of IT. Benefits and
beneficiaries. Values of IT in business. What is IT? IT infrastructure "iceberg." Strategic
versus supporting IT. IT in the value chain and use for competitive advantage (e.g., Porter).
Customer Resource Life Cycle and IT deployment. Views of senior managers. Case: Class Handout
Read
http://www.redherring.com/mag/ issue73/ feature/ news-fea-trends-1 physical.html -
Focus on Trends 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 10. You may also want to look back at 1999.
Read http://www.businessweek.com/ 1998/ 35/ b3593034.htm -
J. Byrne, "The Corporation of the Future," Business Week, 8/24/98. N.B.: For this and
other Business Week articles you may need to "log on" to BW in a free account you can create and
search for the articles listed in this syllabus. Direct article addressing was not always possible. Babson
Library also offers access to this and other articles if you have problems.
Read http://www.cio.com/ archive/
cio_12_1_95_ markets.html - C. Koch, "Mutable Markets," CIO,, 12/1/95.
February 8 Week 2 Strategy 2
Organizational analysis (e.g., SWOT and "diamond") from an IT point of view.
Frameworks for assessing IT deployment. Horizontal and vertical integration without equity.
Market-Power and Sales-Power frames IT strategies. Evolution of all businesses to IT basis. Read http://www.businessweek.com - M. Stepanek,
"How Fast Is Net Fast," BW, 11/1/99.
Read
http://www.manufacturing.net/scl/scmr/ archives/ 1999/ scl08.99/08value.htm - S. Kahl,
"What's the "Value" of Supply Chain Software?," Supply Chain Management Review, Fall 1998.
Read
http://www.cio.com/updates/ 051598_book.html - Book Review: L. Downes and C. Mui,
"Destroy You Value Chain Before Someone Else Does," CIO, 5/15/98.
Read
http://www.techweb.com/se/directlink.cgi? IWK19980615S0044 -
T. Stein, "Extending -- Companies That Don't Use Enterprise Resource Planning
Software To Share Information May Regret It," TechWeb, 6/15/98.
February 15 Week 3 Strategy 3
IT planning and alignment. IT organization and governance versus the business strategy.
Issues around cost justification for strategic systems. Cost-benefit analysis. Scenario planning
approaches and use in strategic technology deployment. Risk management. Read
http://www.cio.com/ archive/ 010100_ stop.html) - M. Levinson, "Don't Stop
Thinkin' About Tomorrow," CIO, 12/15/99. Focus on scenario planning.
Read
http://www.businessweek.com/ 1996/ 35/ b34901.htm -
J. Byrne, "Strategic Planning," BW,, 8/26/96.
Read
http://www.cio.com/archive/ 041596_ risk_ content.html) - L. Radosevich and C. Dahle,
"Taking Your Chances," CIO, 4/15/96. What are the risk factors?
Read
http://www.cio.com/archive/ enterprise/ 081598_risk.html) - "Risk Management: Beware the
Weak Links," CIO, 8/15/98. What factors of risk management are at play?
Module 2 Technology in the Supply Chain, ERP and Reengineering February 22 Week 4 Supply Chain/ERP/Reengineering 1
Reengineering as a change program – key elements of successful change. Major
approaches to reengineering in the supply chain (e.g., process maps, idea cloning).
Customer value disciplines as basis for change. Due: Team submissions on paper topic (e.g., team members, preliminary title, and short
paragraph description of topic)
Due: First Case Study
Read Case: Tomsho, R., "How Greyhound Lines Re-Engineered Itself Right Into a Deep Hole,"
Wall Street Journal, October 20, 1994. (Class Handout)
Read Case: "Hallmark's Sentiments for the 90s are Speed and Precision,"
CSC Insights, Spring 1992. (Class Handout)
Read http://www.brint.com/ papers/ bpr.htm) -
Y. Malhotra, "Business Process Redesign: An Overview," BRI, 1998.
Read V. Reck, "Value Disciplines,"
Innovations (Kendall Consulting Group), 1996.
Read R. Reck and V. Reck, "Role of Information
Systems Strategy in Making Market Leaders," Information Strategy, Summer 1996.
Read R. Reck and V. Reck, "Managing Change: A Proven Path to Business
Success," Kendall Consulting Group, 1997. This article casts reengineering as a
change program and explains the three elements for success in such a program.
Read http://www.fastcompany.com/
online/ 01/ reengin.html - T. Davenport, "The Fad That Forgot People," 1995. A classic
article on reengineering and some of the problems the concept faced in implementations.
Scan http://www.dtic.mil/c3i/ bprcd/ 7223c2.htm -
This is an online book on reengineering used within the Department of Defense. See also other chapters.
Scan other chapters too.
February 29 Week 5 Supply Chain/ERP/Reengineering 2
Supply chain management, technology deployment and reengineering. Critical
success factors along the supply chain and the role of technology. Discussion of
ERP via case study. Read Cases: J. Ross, "Dow Corning (A) and (B)," MIT, 1998. Used with permission.
Consider case questions: Click here for questions
Read http://www.cio.com/ forums/
erp/ edit/ 122299_erp.html - "The ABC's of ERP," CIO, 12/22/99. Good overview of ERP
systems and the concept of SCM.
Read http://www.cio.com/
archive/ 061597_ commerce_ print.html - P. Fabris, "EC Riders," CIO, 1997.
Streamlining the supply chain. Also discusses GE TPN.
Read http://wwwext03.sap.com/ usa/ aboutsap/ -
"SAP/R3 Overview," 1999, pp. 1-19. Find paper by following links to "SAP/R3", then "More Info", then
at bottom of page, "More Info" select "Overview 'SAP R/3 System'" (PDF 1.6MB).
Note particularly ERP functionality. What's missing? Scan mysap.com material too.
Read http://www.businessweek.com - S. Hamm and M. Stepanek,
"From Reengineering to E-Engineering," BW,, 3/22/99.
Read http://www.businessweek.com - S. Baker and S. Hamm,
"Enterprise Software: A Belated Rush to the Net," BW,, 10/25/99.
March 7 Week 6 Supply Chain/ERP/Reengineering 3
Internal systems as a strategic tool. Critical Success Factors and Balanced scorecard.
Extended enterprise management. Strategic systems for small businesses.
Evolution of information business. Read Case: C. Gibson, "Lifeline Systems," 1998.
Consider case questions: Click here for questions
Read http://www.businessweek.com - "Intranets:
A Revolution of Corporate Culture," BW,, 7/15/99. Interviews with three key consultants
in this area. Note also the other Q&As listed on this page.
Read
http://www.perot.com/intersections/ champy/ Reengineering_ Dead- Dont_Be.htm - J. Champy,
"Reengineering Dead? Don't Believe It," Harvard Management Update, 3/23/99.
Module 3 Electronic Commerce or e-Biz, and Knowledge Management
March 14 Week 7 Electronic Business and Electronic Commerce 1
Landscape and definitions regarding e-business and e-commerce. Business models and approaches,
technologies and impacts. Industry taxonomy and market positions. Due: Second Case Study
Case: P. J. Guinan et. al., "Millipore and Electronic Commerce: A Case Study," Babson College,
1999. This case available on e-campus at the course web site.
Click here.
Read
http://www.economist.com/editorial/ freeforall/ 19990626/ su9828.html) - M. Symonds,
"The Net Imperative," Economist, June 26, 1999, Special Section.
Read http://www.businessweek.com - R. Hof,
"What Every CEO Needs to Know About Electronic Business," BW,, 3/22/99.
Read
http://www.businessweek.com/ ebiz/9908/ dm0813.htm -
"E-Commerce Explosion," BW,, 8/13/99.
Read
http://www.pathfinder.com/ fortunesb/ articles/ 0,2227,54,00.html -
S. Nance-Nash, "E-Commerce Efforts Disconnected," Fortune,, 1999.
Read
http://www.pathfinder.com/ fortune/ 1999/ 11/08/ eco.html -
E. Brown, "Big Business Meets the e-World," Fortune,, 11/8/1999.
Read http://www.stern.nyu.edu/ ~akambil -
Download from page, A. Kambil,
"Electronic Commerce: Implications of the Internet for Business Practice and Strategy,"
New York University Stern School of Business, 1995. See other articles by author including
"Doing Business in the Wired World," 1997.
March 21 No Class - Spring Recess See you in Florida! ;-) March 28 Week 8 Electronic Business and Electronic Commerce 2
Customer relationship management, data management, and data mining. Issues and red
herrings. Discussion of sell-side, buy-side and supply chain aspects of e-commerce. Business-
to-business transactions. Read Andrea Meyer, "GE TPN," 1999.
Case questions are at the end of the article.
Scan
http://www.3com.com/technology/ tech_net/ white_papers/ 503048.html - "Business to Business
Electronic Commerce," White Paper at site. Discusses technology and
supply chain solutions. Scan article focusing on the technology and software components used.
Scan J. Saunders, "Structural Costs
of E-Commerce," 1999. This draft report highlights business models and the associated costs for
implementation. A unique perspective, even though the report is in draft form.
Read http://www.pathfinder.com/
fortunesb/ articles/ 0,2227,46,00.html -
R. Resnick, "Treating Online Customers Like Gold," Fortune,, 1999.
Read http://www.businessweek.com - O. Port,
"Customers Move Into the Driver's Seat," BW,, 10/4/99.
Read
http://www.businessweek.com/ cgi-bin/ ebiz/ ebiz_frame.pl? url=/ebiz/ 9912/ ec1207.htm -
T. Mullaney, "Silknet: Customer-Service Software With Staying Power," BW,, 12/7/99.
Read http://www.businessweek.com - H. Green,
"Content is Prince," BW,, 3/22/99.
April 4 Week 9 Electronic Business and Electronic Commerce 3
Introduction to business models for new and mature businesses. Business plan requirements
and implications for start-ups. Site design criteria and layout. Approaches to link with strategy. This week's readings all comprise a case study: Chemdex, e-Chemicals and Life Technologies.
Read handouts, articles below, and consider
these questions (Click Here).
Study http://www.chemdex.com. Download and read the "pdf" article on
"B2B E-Commerce" from the Chemdex site. What business is Chemdex in?
Study http://www.lifetech.com. Visit site and understand nature
of their business and distribution channels. Contrast with Chemdex.
Read
http://www.cio.com/archive/ webbusiness/ 120199_ net_ content.html - M. Santosus and
N. Lewis, "Compound Interests," CIO, 12/1/99. Article about netpreneurs who established
http://www.e-chemicals.com. Contrast with Chemdex.
Read http://www.businessweek.com - A. Stone,
"A Chemicals Superstore With an Explosive Cyber Formula," BW,, 12/30/99.
Study the web site http://www.websitesthatsuck.com. Seriously! ;)
April 11 Week 10 Knowledge Management (KM) and Groupware
Definition of KM and relation to business strategy. Groupware and information management
and their use in KM. Relationship to business changes and culture. Types of groupware deployment.
Read Case: P. J. Guinan et. al., "Integral Consulting," Babson College, 1998.
This case available on e-campus at the course web site.
Click here.
Read http://www.skyrme.com/ insights/ -
David Skyrme's site contains a number of interesting articles, including two on
Knowledge Management.
Read
http://www.cio.com/archive/ 060196_ uneasy_1.html) - "Five Uneasy Pieces: Knowledge Management,"
CIO, 6/1/96. Short overview of KM. What is your 25 word definition of KM?
Scan http://www.kennedy info.com/mc/ gware.html#j/ -
"B. Reimus, "Knowledge Sharing Within Management Consulting Firms," Kennedy Information, 1997.
Read
http://www.cio.com/ archive/ 060198_ think_ content.html) - T. Davenport, "Managing Customer Knowledge,"
CIO, 6/1/98. Focuses on turning customer data into useful knowledge.
Read
http://www.microsoft.com/ DigitalNervousSystem/ km/ KMpract.htm - "Practicing Knowledge Management:
Turning Experience and Information Into Results." A look at Knowledge Management
from Microsoft's perspective. Download the paper "PractKM.doc" from this page at the Microsoft site.
There are many case studies and other material at the Microsoft site. Focus on the following, however. . Module 4 Information Technology Architecture April 18 Week 11 Technology/Data Comm/Architecture 1
Failed strategies due to technology. Risk management. Review of the eras of technology deployment
and relation to business strategies. Legacies still in play. Technology industry, players
and major IT trends. Four components of architecture. Principles as a basis for linking strategy
and technology. Due: Third Case Study
Read R. Reck,
"Operating Principles," Innovations (Kendall Consulting Group), 1998.
Read http://www.reengineering.com/
articles/ jul96/ infomanagement.htm -
R. Barrett, "Outsourcing Success Means Making the Right Moves," 1996.
Find and Read
http://www.techweb.com/se/ directlink.cgi? IWK19970929S0018 -
B. Caldwell and M. McGee, "Outsourcing Backlash," Information Week, 9/29/97.
April 25 Week 12 Technology/Data Comm/Architecture 2
Client-server technology and thin clients. Data communications approaches and technologies.
Success factors in strategic systems deployment. Technology-driven business planning.
Start of project presentations.
Class evaluations will be conducted at the end of this class. Final Case Studies are due for presenting teams.
Study Case: J. L. Gogan and P. J. Guinan,"Fletcher Allen Health Care's Telemedicine Initiative,"
Babson College, 1998. Online Case at
http://www.vtmednet.org.:80/ telemedicine/ case.htm or
Click here to download Word file.
Read http://www.businessweek.com - E. Malkin,
"How Latin Patients Can Step in for a Cyber Consultation," BW,, 11/23/99.
Read "Charting the Future With Information Technology," Indications (Index Group), March 1989.
(Class Handout or Available from this Web Site Later in Semester)
May 2 Week 13 Project Presentations and Wrap-Up
Final team presentations will be conducted. A brief review of the course material and future
directions of technology will also be conducted. Final Case Studies are due for presenting teams.
Record of Changes and Updates: End of syllabus.
http://www.microsoft.com/ DigitalNervousSystem/ km/ default.htm - Read three case studies available
through links at this page on KPMG, A. T. Kearney, and British Petroleum.
2/18/00 - Added links to cases on e-campus (Weeks 7 and 10).