MIS 411 Offered for Spring 2013

MIS 411 Management and Control of Information Systems – Spring 2013
Thursday, 7:20 – 10:00 PM, Planet Hall 224

Instructor

• Dr. Min-Seok Pang, Assistant Professor of ISOM
• Enterprise Hall 154
• mpang2@gmu.edu, 703-993-1874

Course Description

Using the Industry Standard COBIT 5 framework for IT Governance and Management, the course will use a combination of lectures, oral and written case analysis to cover conceptual tools and frameworks that are used to ensure effective and efficient use of Information Technology (IT) in business and public sector organizations.   In addition to covering the conceptual foundations of the link between IT and organizational performance, the course also covers direct practice oriented content that prepares students for IT management related certifications such as the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA, http://www.isaca.org/cisa).  These certifications are of value around the Washington D.C. area.

Course Topics

• IT management driven by competitive strategies
• IT-driven competitive strategies
• IT investments and business value
• IT governance
• Enterprise architecture
• IT portfolio management
• Enterprise resource planning
• Strategic IT outsourcing
• IT risk management

Course Purposes
After taking this course, students will be able to explain:

• How IT management should be aligned with competitive strategies
• How IT enables firms to create business opportunities and to formulate sustainable competitive strategies
• How IT resources contribute to value creation in the business and government sectors
• What the roles of board of directors and senior management are with respect to IT management
• How to lead organizational transformation and innovation with IT
• How to deal with risks borne out by IT resources and secure organizations from them
• How to manage strategic IT outsourcing

Prerequisite

The only prerequisite is MIS 301 (C or higher) and have degree status within the School of Management.  Any major within the School of Management with interests in strategic management topics and careers in consulting industries would be welcomed.

Textbook

• Austin, R.D., Nolan, R.L., and O’Donnell, S., The Adventures of an IT Leader, Harvard Business Publishing, 2009
• http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-IT-Leader-Robert-Austin/dp/142214660X/
• Hardcover $18.37 from Amazon.com
• Kindle $16.47, Apple iBooks $18.99

This book depicts a fictional story of a newly-appointed Chief Information Officer (CIO), Jim Barton, who faces a variety of challenges in IT management at a growing financial service company, IVK Corporation. It showcases how he copes with these challenges with his superb management skills and leads his IT organization for overall business success. It presents a broad range of serious issues and topics in IT management that many business/government organizations actually experience, which will be discussed throughout the semester.

Harvard Business Cases (draft, subject to change)

* This course is not about an IT industry, but how a variety of industries utilize IT for strategic management.

Evaluation (subject to change)