COMMGMT 2512 - Business Information Systems and Management

Course Details

Course Code	COMMGMT 2512
Course	Business Information Systems and Management
Coordinating Unit	Adelaide Business School
Term	Semester 2
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 3 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Prerequisites	COMMGMT 1001
Incompatible	COMMGMT 7024
Assessment	Case studies

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Cate Jerram

Co-coordinators are:

Dr Cate Jerram
#08 8313 4757
cate.jerram@adelaide.edu.au
10.34, Nexus 10

Mr Ian Matthews
ian.matthews@adelaide.edu.au
Nexus 10

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

Course Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course students will be able to
1. Source, validate, use, and manage relevant and appropriate information for ethical and effective decision-making and problem-solving, applying systems thinking skills and techniques.
2. Analyse the technology needs required to support a business and liaise effectively with technology personnel for acquisition, maintenance, and business support.
3. Use basic/intermediate spreadsheet skills effectively for information management and decision-making.
4. Be able to explain the use of databases for information management and decision-making, and demonstrate a fundamental grasp of the principles of database design.
5. Assess the quality of information solutions to business problems, applying systems thinking skills and techniques.

Mission Statement

This course will give students a powerful entry to the thinking, skills and tools needed to solve problems and leverage technology for business success.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Deep discipline knowledge informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1 accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)	1 - 5
Critical thinking and problem solving steeped in research methods and rigor based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment	1 - 5
Teamwork and communication skills developed from, with, and via the SGDE honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning	2, 4, 5
Career and leadership readiness technology savvy professional and, where relevant, fully accredited forward thinking and well informed tested and validated by work based experiences	1 - 5
Self-awareness and emotional intelligence a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate	5

Required Resources

REQUIRED TEXT
There is no required text. Students research and resource as required.

RECOMMENDED (helpful) TEXT
Meadows, Donella. 2008. Thinking in Systems: a Primer. (Ed: Diana Wright). Sustainability Institute. (online with free delivery is cheapest)

Recommended Resources

It is strongly recommended that students familiarise themselves with Google SCHOLAR (not just Google) - and do so through the university library, rather than through direct Google search.

Online Learning

This course is Dual Mode and much of the course will be conducted using online tools, but because it is both research-based and case-based, very little of it will record well. There are no lectures in this class - it's all interactive. Therefore, it is highly recommended that students attend classes whenever they can, whether on campus or in the LIVE Zoom classroom, as trying to catch up by asynchronously by watching recordings of the live class will inevitably be difficult, frustrating, and tedious. this information is repeated in DUAL MODE section of this document.

Learning & Teaching Modes

This course is Dual Mode (see below).
BISM is case-based and will be taught in 3 hour blocks that will (usually) be separated into (approximately) 3 x 50 min sessions with a 10 minute break between them.These three sessions will (roughly) focus on the 3 critical components each week of: Systems Theory & Thinking (for Management & Decision-Making);(Use of) IT & IS in Business; and Spreadsheets for Decision-Making (not necessarily in that order).

Although having a business (rather than technology) focus, much of this class will be taught in computer labs for access to information management programs such as MS Excel (spreadsheets) and MS Access (database), as well as online research facilities. If attending class online, it is highly recommended to have a second monitor.

DUAL MODE
Software will be a necessary component of the course, and much of the course content will be online, primarily acquired by students through research.

Much of this course will be conducted using online tools, but because it is both research-based and case-based, very little of it will record well. There are no lectures in this class - it's all interactive. Therefore, it is highly recommended that students attend classes whenever they can, whether on campus or in the LIVE Zoom classroom, as trying to catch up by asynchronously watching recordings of the live class will inevitably be difficult, frustrating, and tedious. this information is repeated in Online Learning in this document.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

The University expects full-time students (i.e. those taking 12 units per semester) to devote a total of 48 hours per week to their studies.
This means that students are expected to commit approximately 12 hour per week to this course (including class time and the research, collaboration, online, & study time outside of your regular classes).

Students are expected to attend all class sessions (live or zoom).
Students are required to complete class preparation (posted in MyUni) before the start of class.
NOTE PARTICULARLY – there is a heavy spreadsheet component. Students new to Excel will have extra preparation each week to be able to work with “spreadsheets for decision-making”. It is possible for new Excel users to succeed in this class, but only if the extra time is invested before class.

Learning Activities Summary

BISM II will be taught in 3 hour blocks that will (usually) be separated into (approximately) 3 x 50 min sessions with a 10 minute break between them.

These three sessions will (roughly) focus on the 3 critical components each week of: Systems Theory & Thinking (for Management & Decision-Making); (Use of) IT & IS in Business; and Spreadsheets for Decision-Making (not necessarily in that order).

Core information management software will be studied: MS Excel.

Theoretical debates will be embedded regarding methods for and approaches to data sourcing and analysis, information management, and related ethical, legal, and security issues.

Seminar Schedule
Week	Focus One: Systems Theory & Thinking	Focus Two: IT & IS in Business	Focus Three: Spreadsheets for Decision-Making
Week 1 Case Study 1	Overview of course;
	Complexity & Systems	Information and Information Systems in Business;	TBA
	Systems Perspective/ Systems thinking & lots of different Systems branches	Information Systems in the professional’s workplace;
	Thinking analysis/self-awareness


Week 2	Systems Structure and Behaviour	Business, Business Information Systems and IT; relate case to theory.
	Intro to Mental Models	Organisational Strategy, Information Systems, and Competitive Advantage	TBA
	Systems Theory
	Feedback Loops


Week 3	Reinforcing Loops	Hardware, Software, Firmware, Data Communications and other technical necessities;	TBA
	Balancing Loops	Ram & Rom as memory / cognitive load (not in outline)
		Business Process Management using Functional, Cross-Functional & Inter-organisational Systems


Week 4 Review & Assessment	Summary & Review: Integration & Assessment Case Study 1 Finalisation, Preparation, Presentation, Peer feedback.	Summary & Review: Integration & Assessment Case Study 1 Finalisation, Preparation, Presentation, Peer feedback.	Summary & Review: Integration & Assessment Case Study 1 Finalisation, Preparation, Presentation, Peer feedback.

week 5 Case Study 2	Why Systems Work So Well	Information Systems Development;	TBA
	Decision Making and Problem Solving
	Causal Loops Diagrams




Week 6	Applications of Causal Loops Diagrams	Information Systems Management & Developing IS Proposals and Budgets	TBA


Week 7	Systems applications to teams & other decision-making situations	Information Security Management and Managing Computer Security Risk	TBA


Week 8 Review & Assessment Case Study 2 Assessment Part 1	Summary & Review: Integration & Assessment	Summary & Review: Integration & Assessment	Summary & Review: Integration & Assessment

Week 9	Levers & Leverage for Outcomes (Strategy & Tactics)	Strategic Business Use of e-Commerce (B2B, B2C, B2G), Web 2.0, Social Networking and User-Generated Content	TBA


Week 10	System Dynamics & Spreadsheets	Business Intelligence and Information Systems for Decision-Making;
	Plumbing diagrams & CLDs		TBA


Week 11	Working with Mental Models	Business Implications of the latest developments in IS	TBA

		(Big Data, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Robotics)

Week 12 Review & Assessment Case Study 2 Assessment Part 2	Summary & Review: Integration & Assessment Case Study 3 Finalisation, Preparation, Presentation, Peer feedback.	Summary & Review: Integration & Assessment Case Study 3 Finalisation, Preparation, Presentation, Peer feedback.	Summary & Review: Integration & Assessment Case Study 3 Finalisation, Preparation, Presentation, Peer feedback.

Week 13

Small Group Discovery Experience

There is no official teamwork in this course. However, students are encouraged to work together.

Please read COLLABORATION vs COLLUSION in the Assessment section of this document.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

ASSESSMENT TASK	COLLABORATIVE / INDIVIDUAL	WEIGHTING	WORD COUNT / TIME	DUE DATE	LEARNING OUTCOME
Lab-based Case study 1	(Collaborative) / Individual	20	1 page + 1 spreadsheet + 1 assessment	Conducted & concluded in Week 4 class*	1 – 3, 5
Lab-based Case study 2A	Individual	35	1 page + 1 spreadsheet + 1 systems anaysis + 1 assessment	Conducted & concluded in Week 8 class	1 - 5
Lab-based Case study 2B	Individual	45	2 pages + 1 workbook + 1 systems anaysis + 1 dashboard + 1 self-assessment	Conducted & concluded in Week 12 class	1 - 5

Assessment Related Requirements

Collaboration vs collusion

While students may collaborate as a team to discuss their ideas of appropriate response to the problem, and design of technical information management solution in the time leading up to the assessment, students will individually determine and write-up their proposed solution, and create their own individual spreadsheet solutions to support their management solution.

Submission

All assessment activities occur in class, therefore submission of all assessment activities occurs in class – on-campus or in the zoom classroom. Any student unable to attend (live or synchronously) an assessment-focused class must negotiate a private assessment with the course coordinator or designated delegate.

Assessment Detail

A. Lab-Based Case Study 1

Students will undertake analysis of a business information problem case study and determine theory-and-pragmatic-based potential solutions over a couple of weeks, which they will create and present in class during week 4.

While students may collaborate as a team to discuss their ideas of appropriate response to the problem, and design of technical information management solution in the time leading up to the assessment, students will individually determine and write-up their proposed solution, and create their own individual spreadsheet solutions to support their management solution.

The required case study analysis and solutions will be submitted and discussed in class.

Students will be responsible to assess and give feedback to at least one other solution.

Rubrics available in MyUni.

B. Lab-Based Case Study 2A

Students will undertake analysis of a new business information problem case study and determine theory-and-pragmatic-based potential solutions over a couple of weeks, which they will create and present in class during week 8.

While students may collaborate as a team to discuss their ideas of appropriate response to the problem, and design of technical information management solution in the time leading up to the assessment, students will individually determine and write-up their proposed solution, and create their own individual spreadsheet solutions to support their management solution.

The required case study analysis and solutions will be submitted and discussed in class.

Students will be responsible to assess and give feedback to at least one other solution.

Rubrics available in MyUni.

C. Lab-Based Case Study 2B

Students will continue analysis of the Case 2 business information problem and determine theory-and-pragmatic-based potential solutions over a couple of weeks, which they will create and present in class during week 12.

While students may collaborate as a team to discuss their ideas of appropriate response to the problem, and design of technical information management solution in the time leading up to the assessment, students will individually determine and write-up their proposed solution, and create their own individual spreadsheet solutions to support their management solution.

The required case study analysis and solutions will be submitted and discussed in class.

The final report will incorporate background, analysis, selection of spreadsheet and systems solutions, and integrated management solution.

Students will be responsible to assess and give feedback to at least one other solution.

Rubrics available in MyUni.

Submission

No information currently available.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator