COMM 326

Business Information Systems

Spring 1999

Course Description | Resources | Course Grading | Class Schedule | Tasks & Deliverables

INSTRUCTOR:	Ryan Nelson
OFFICE:	339 Monroe Hall
OFFICE HOURS:	MW 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. and by appointment
PHONE NUMBER:	924-7587
E-MAIL:	RNELSON @ VIRGINIA.EDU
WEB SITE:	http://www.commerce.virginia.edu/rrn2n

I. Course Description

Business Information Systems takes a systems (or process-oriented) approach to understanding how a business operates. More specifically, business processes are analyzed with respect to how they transform inputs (data and raw materials) into outputs (information, products and services). To this end, the course provides an overview of the information processing systems and cycles for the most commonly performed business activities: strategic planning, operations planning and control, accounting, human resource management, marketing and sales planning, and financial control. This context provides an opportunity to introduce students to important IS concepts/skills (e.g., process modeling, data base management, value/supply chain management, ERP systems, and electronic commerce), as well as describe how all the major functions are integrated via the information resources of the firm.

Prerequisites: COMM 325 or equivalent

II. Resources

Alter, Steven, Information Systems: A Management Perspective, 3rd ed., custom (Ch. 1-6 only), Benjamin/Cummings, 1999.
Scharpf, C. and Ewen, G., Computers in Context, 2nd ed., Addison-Wesley.
Koneman, P., Projects for Microsoft Access 97, Addison-Wesley.
Handouts and other course materials-distributed in class or via MS Exchange
In addition, students are expected to "surf the Net" for information relevant to COMM 326 on a weekly basis.

Web-based resources:

On-line magazines

Computerworld

Information Week

ERP links

Web Development

ITC Web Documentation

Introduction to HTML

HTML Goodies (HTML and Java helpful hints)

III. Course Grading

Final grade will be computed as follows:

	Percentages
a. Participation	10%
b. Exams I & II	40%
c. Assignments	50%

Notes:

Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning Objectives will be applied in the grading of course assignments.
Final letter grade will be assigned on a +/- basis.
A penalty of 10% per day will be applied to all late assignments/projects.

IV. Class Schedule (Date last modified: April 18, 1999 ... recent changes in red)

Week	Topic(s)	Reading	Deliverable(s)
1/20	Introduction to Course
1/25	Information Technology (IT)	Computers in Context
2/1	The Impact of IT	Alter: Ch. 1	Case Writing Assignment (2/3)
2/8	Business Systems	Alter: Ch. 2
2/15	Business Processes	Alter: Ch. 3	Optional Labs Wed & Thur 5-6 in Rm. 111
2/22	Business Information & Databases	Alter: Ch. 4 & ACC 1-20	Ford Assignment (2/22)
3/1	Types of Information Systems (IS)	Alter: Ch. 5	MS Access Tutorial (3/3)
3/8	Exam I
3/15	Spring Break
3/22	IS and Competitive Advantage	Alter: Ch. 6 (pp. 185-203)	Create Unix Account 3/24
3/29	IS and the Value Chain & ERP	http://www.ana.org.uk/mtscwsac/mtsc.htm	ERP Assignment (3/31)
4/5	ERP & JIT Manufacturing - PWC/Gillette
4/12	Project Management - GE-Fanuc (4/14)	Gantt & PERT Charts
4/19	Special Topics - Home Depot (4/19)	Supply Chains	Student Health Assignment (4/23)
4/26	Electronic Commerce - Value America and Crutchfield (4/28)	Alter: Ch. 6 (pp. 204-224)
5/3	Course Wrap-Up
5/7	Exam II (9-12:00)

V. Description of Tasks and Deliverables

a. Participation

Participation will be evaluated based on the quality of verbal contributions made to each class. Grades will range from 0-100.

b. Exams I and II

The primary objective of the two exams is to evaluate individual student comprehension of course content, including reading material, class discussion, and guest lecturers. While Exam I will be primarily objective in nature, Exam II will be more subjective and comprehensive by design.

c. Assignments

Students will complete a number of assignments during the course of the semester. All assignments are to be completed on an individual basis unless explicitly stated otherwise. Authorized aid typically includes help with syntax-related questions (e.g., How do I access the report wizard within MS Access?). Please ask the instructor if you have any questions regarding authorized aid. Note: be sure to attach a cover sheet, staple, pledge and sign your work before turning it in.

Case Writing Assignment (5%)

Write a one-page, single-spaced case (in business memo format) describing how a company/industry is currently making (or recently made) use of IT to achieve the benefits described in Chapter 1. For example,

increase efficiency and/or effectiveness of internal operations;
help compete through selling, pricing, and/or product differentiation;
dramatically transform a companies operations or perhaps an entire industry; or
manage the value/supply chain.

This assingment is due Wed., 2/3 one hour before class. Please submit your case electronically via the MS Exchange public folder for Commerce Classes2 | COMM 326 | Nelson | Cases using either of the following methods:

in MS Exchange/Outlook, go to the appropriate folder (326 | Nelson | Cases) and click on "New Post in this Folder" under the Compose menu ... you should then enter your text and click post (note: this is the preferred method).
in MS Word, click on the Send To (MS Exchange Folder) option under the File menu.

Be sure to use a descriptive subject (e.g., Frito-Lay) and do not replicate existing cases from the book; i.e., find something "new and exciting!" Each student should pick an application of IT that is relevant to their primary concentration. References (articles or web sites) should be included in a footnote.

Grading Table

Deliverable	Points
Content	/4
Presentation	/1
Total:	/5

Microsoft Access Tutorial (5%)

Each student should demonstrate mastery of the material in Projects for Microsoft Access 97. Printed output deliverable is a series of screen captures
for the database you create.

Ford Assignment (10%)

Each student should prepare:

DFDs (using BPwin) for both the AS-IS and TO-BE models of Ford's reengineering of their purchasing system. Note: Your AS-IS model should have three levels of decomposition and consist of four diagrams (the Context Diagram, a Diagram 0, and Diagrams 1 & 3). Your TO-BE model should be a modified copy of your AS-IS model (an additional four diagrams) representing only the changes tht Ford implemented as part of their original reengineering effort, as described in the book and my PowerPoint presentation slides. OPTIONAL: an additional set of diagrams representing your recommendations for Ford to further reengineer their purchasing system. All diagrams should use "IDEF0 kits" (i.e., the diagram information box on the outside of the page with author, title, number, etc.). Authorized aid on this assignment is limited to help with syntax-related questions (e.g., How do I print out my diagrams?).
A systems flowcart (using any drawing tool) for the reengineered (TO-BE) receive shipment activity.
Cover memo (two-page, single-spaced) describing contents of deliverable and analysis of what Ford could do to further reengineer their processes.

Grading Table

Deliverable	Points
AS-IS Model	/3
TO-BE Model	/3
Systems Flowchart	/1
Cover Memo	/3
Total:	/10

ERP Assignment (10%)

Each student should create a Web-based report entitled ERP.htm (the equivalent of two hardcopy pages) comparing/contrasting the SAP, Peoplesoft, Baan, and Oracle ERP packages using the following criteria:

Criteria	ERP Packages
Criteria
Vendor name & location	SAP AG, Waldorf, Germany
History (brief)
Cost (product only)
Installed customer base (# of organizations using system and/or marketshare)

Implementation Issues
Bullet list of implementation issues common to ERP systems.

Emerging Trends
Bullet list of emerging trends in ERP systems (e.g., ERP "bolt-ons" and "rental" options).

Grading Table

Deliverable	Points
Comparison Table	/4
Implementation Issues	/3
Emerging Trends	/2
Web Presentation	/1
Total:	/10

Note: Be sure to provide references for your source material at the bottom of your Web page.

Steps 1-4 should be done by Monday, March 29th.

Steps 5-7 should be done by Wednesday, March 31st.

Steps

1. Conduct research on ERP systems.

2. Create Unix account.

3. Set up your account for Web pages. Next 2 steps on http://www.itc.virginia.edu/itcweb/networks/web/web-guide.html

4. Read through on-line HTML helpsheets I and IIa via http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/helpsheets/helpsheets.html

5. Create ERP.htm file (containing content from Step 1 and HTML tags from Step 4 above) using Notepad. Be sure to save your file to a floppy disk or your R: account using quotes " " around the file name (to prevent the .txt extension from being added to your filename). You can copy the table from the Web syllabus and add your text if you want to.

6. Upload your ERP.htm file to your Unix account (specifically the public_html subdirectory) using WS_FTP. I will show you how to do this in class on Monday.

7. View your handiwork via a Web browser: http://www.people.virginia.edu/~youruserid/ERP.htm

Student Health Assignment (20%)

Students, working individually or in two-person teams, should assume the role of a business analyst and document the existing process of providing student health services (using the traditional, paper-based medical record system) at the UVa Student Health Center. Then each individual/team should redesign the process using an On-Line Patient Record (OLPR) system and generate a working prototype of the OLPR database using MS Access. Students electing to work together on this assignment may turn in one set of deliverables. Note: You should not attempt to research the processes/practices of the UVa Student Health Center. Assignments will be graded based on completeness, quality of presentation, and level of difficulty. Student Health Center Case

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Date last modified: April 18, 1999