Hall Building room 1070
2:45 pm to 5:30 pm Wednesday

Instructor

Chitu Okoli

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Phone

(514) 848-2424 x2985

Office

GM 209-13 (2^nd floor of the Guy-Metro JMSB Building)

Office hours

Textbook (required)

• The course website is http://chitu.okoli.org/comm301
• You will be expected to check your e-mail at least once every day, since this is the primary means of communication for this class. I will only e-mail the address I find in MyConcordia, so be sure to keep this address current. You are responsible to act on all communications sent to this e-mail address.

• Hall Building Room 509. You may obtain a computer account code through MyConcordia.
• CASA lab for JMSB students in Room 903-16 of the GM building.

Prerequisites

COMM 210 and DESC 200, INTE 290, or equivalent.

Course overview

We are living in the era of the new economy, in which knowledge is the basic form of capital, and economic growth is driven by its accumulation. Together with efforts to open markets and to accelerate international trade, information and communications technologies (ICT) are central drivers of the globalization process, affecting all human and societal activities in general and business activities in particular. As the proper utilization of ICT, through building ICT-based systems or Information Systems (ISs), releases people's creative potential and business knowledge, it is essential to a firm’s competitive advantage. The field of management of information systems (MIS) studies the development, use, and management of information systems, and to this end, this course introduces important MIS concepts that students of the John Molson School of Business need in order to fit in today’s economy.

Learning outcomes

1. Describe the main concepts of information systems and the related concepts;
2. Describe the relationship between information systems and competitive advantage;
3. Explore the different aspects of managing business information;
4. Demonstrate how information systems can enhance business decision making and create business partnerships;
5. Describe how organizations develop, acquire and implement information systems;
6. Discuss issues related to computer crime and security, and information systems ethics.

Teaching method

• Reading Assignments: You are required to read the entire textbook (except Appendix C). There might also be some supplementary readings required, which I will provide you. Each week, I will notify you in class what specific chapter to read, as well as the assignments for the week. From time to time, I might also assign additional readings for in-class discussion. You will be required to complete the assigned readings before the beginning of class. The reading assignments are selected to give you adequate understanding of the course material.
• Lectures with discussion: Important material from the textbook and other sources will be covered. These lecture resources may include presentations, photos, slides, websites, and videos.
• Mini-case studies and discussions: Real or fictional business scenarios may be presented, and there will be in-class discussions on how to apply information systems to solve business problems.
• Assignments: Students will be required to complete assignments designed to complement and enhance learning of the course material as well as to provide some practical experience of management information systems.
• Exams: The midterm and final exams will take place on the university premises. The final exam will not be cumulative. Both exams cover only the material in the book. The date, time and rooms for the final exam will be determined by the examination office.

Participation

This class will feature a lot of in-class discussion. You should come to class prepared by having read the assigned materials beforehand so that you can actively participate in stimulating, thoughtful discussion. I also encourage you to bring into the discussion anything you might have read, learned or experienced outside the materials for this class. I value a few thoughtful insights far more than frequent unreflective comments. Contribution to the class’s learning also means that you listen to what other students say, and you build on their comments so that our group discussion can have direction.

Assessments

Grading scheme

The objective of this course is to broaden your knowledge and skills in the area of Management Information Systems. Working through the assignments will enable you to develop a better understanding of this field. Feedback will be provided to you throughout the course.

At the end of the course, the instructor will submit a letter grade for every student registered. Using the grade point equivalents listed below, Grade Point Averages (GPA) are calculated for the evaluation of academic achievement, honours standing, prizes, and academic standing.

Assignments, activities, and quizzes

Assignments

Each section of this class will have different assignments or projects, as determined by the instructor. The instructor will provide related information in class.

Weekly activities and quizzes

Each week, there will be various pre-announced activities or quizzes. There will be 12 such assignments. The lowest two marks will be dropped; only the highest 10 will be kept for your final score. Thus, there will be no make-ups for missed quizzes or activities. More details will be provided in class.

Late submissions: Assignments must be submitted at the beginning of class on the due date to be considered on time. Late submissions incur the following penalties: –10% if submitted more than 15 minutes after the start of the class; –20% if submitted after class on the same day due; and –10% for each day late after that. I accept e-mail submissions if I receive them before class starts; otherwise, they will be marked as late.

Examinations

In order to successfully pass this course, students are required to achieve at least 35/70 on the combined Midterm/Final examination total, irrespective of their score on the assignments.

Midterm Exam

Final Exam

Students are reminded to take note of the midterm exam date. If, for extraneous circumstances (e.g.: medical or religious reasons, or exam conflicts), students need to write the alternate exam, they must receive permission from their instructors by submitting appropriate supporting documentation at least three weeks prior to the exam date. Under no circumstances will casual requests be considered – this includes work conflicts, since students will have 6 weeks to make appropriate arrangements with their employers.

The final exam is not cumulative. Therefore it is imperative that students write the midterm exam, or else
they will receive 0 as their grade.

NOTE: 5 marks will be deducted from exam grades for any of the following reasons:

1. Writing an exam in the wrong examination room
2. Incorrectly identifying oneself on their exam paper
3. Not using the required pencils when answering on the multiple-choice answer sheets.

Important Note: In accordance with the DSMIS Department policy, your average on both exams together must be at least 50% to pass the course.

Make-up policy

Midterm and final exam: Only students who miss an exam for university-approved and verifiable reasons will be allowed to take a make-up exam. Even then, except in the most extreme circumstances, no student may miss a scheduled exam without receiving permission before the administration of the exam. Make-up exams might be significantly different in format from the regular tests, and will be administered at a time of my own convenience.

Quizzes: There will be no make-ups for missed quizzes.

Attendance policy

Attendance is required for this class. You are expected to arrive and depart this class promptly at the scheduled time.

Academic honesty

The Code of Conduct (Academic) at Concordia University states that the "integrity of University academic life and of the degrees, diplomas and certificates the University confers is dependent upon the honesty and soundness of the instructor-student learning relationship and, in particular, that of the evaluation process. Therefore, for their part, all students are expected to be honest in all of their academic endeavours and relationships with the University." (Article 1)

All students enrolled at Concordia are expected to familiarize themselves with the contents of this Code. You are required to read Concordia University's website on Academic Integrity, which provides useful information about proper academic conduct.

In addition, for all my classes, I require you to sign and submit an Academic Honour Pledge. I will not return any graded work to you in this class until I have received your signed Honour Pledge.

All course work must be done individually. You are encouraged to refer to outside resources, but you are not permitted to copy-and-paste, and all sources used must be properly cited.

Any violation of the Academic Code of Conduct will constitute academic dishonesty and will be handled through the appropriate university channels. If you have any question about what might be a violation of the Code, ask me directly and I will gladly clarify you. Thus, claiming to misunderstand is not an acceptable excuse.

Miscellaneous

• It is the responsibility of the student who misses a class period to remain informed of the material covered in that period and to catch up and stay up-to-date.
• Any changes to the tentative schedule will be announced in class. It is the responsibility of the student to remain informed of such changes.