Management Information Systems

• GSM IS 706: System Design for Business Networks
  Provides a comprehensive review of the theory and practice of Information Systems Analysis and Design. Students explore the tools and techniques associated with a process, a data-oriented, and an object-oriented view of systems design and evaluate the implications of the emerging technologies of computer-aided software design.
• GSM IS 710: IT Strategies for a Networked Economy
  This case-based course demonstrates the role that information technology plays in shaping business strategy and business models. It provides an overview of the key technologies that are important in today's business environment and introduces organization and management concepts relating to the information technology function. The course also illustrates the relationships between organizational performance and the ability to leverage knowledge assets.
• GSM IS 711: IT Strategies for a Networked Economy
  This case-based course demonstrates the role that information technology plays in shaping business strategy and business models. It provides an overview of the key technologies that are important in today's business environment and introduces organization and management concepts relating to the information technology function. The course also illustrates the relationships between organizational performance and the ability to leverage knowledge assets.
• GSM IS 714: Mastering IT Strategy
  This is a capstone course to integrate the key concepts and approaches to managing IT in modern corporations. Using a set of leading-edge case examples, frameworks, the students will have an opportunity to understand how IT strategy supports current business models while shaping tomorrow's business models. Students will master the intricate challenges of placing IT at the core of modern enterprises. They will have an opportunity to apply their learnings to a company of their choice through a course project.
• GSM IS 717: IT Applications in Management
  The objective of this course is to provide an introduction to IT/IS technologies and to provide a hands-on, tutorial-driven, application development experience. The course will be divided into two sessions on each day. For three days, the first session will offer a strategic application of a technology, and the second session, will provide an overview of the technological components that enable this technology. Technologies to be discussed include enterprise systems applications such as ERP systems, SCM systems, and CRM systems. The other two days of the course will focus on using a programming environment to develop one or two simple applications. The "instructional" half of the day will cover the key constructs and components of the programming environment and the second half will be a hand-on tutorial on the application of the concepts covered.
• GSM IS 827: Platforms and Information Markets
  To thrive in modern economies, managers, entrepreneurs and investors need a thorough understanding of business platforms. Thousands of firms, from Facebook to Salesforce, now operate as open ecosystems that match buyers and sellers, gain value and market share from network effects, and harness their users to innovate. Drawing on cases from social media, entrepreneurship, enterprise software, mobile services, healthcare, and consumer products, students will analyze and learn to negotiate platform startup, convert existing businesses, and make vital decisions on issues of openness, cannibalization, and competition. Students will interact with execs of major firms such as Cisco and SAP and with startups. They will learn to apply concepts from two sided networks, industrial organization, information asymmetry, pricing, intellectual property, and game theory to real problems. Known worldwide for his work on network business models, Professor Van Alstyne provides students with the tools to leverage key principles into hands-on creation and management of real-world platforms.
• GSM IS 828: Managing Information Security
  This MBA elective (also open to undergraduates) will combine a technical and business approach to the management of information. It will address technical issues such as cryptography, intrusion detection and firewalls along with managerial ideas such as overall security policies, managing uncertainty and risk and organization factors. We will examine different aspects of computer security such as passwords, virus protection and managing computer security in dynamic environments. Topics will also include network security and how to secure wireless application and services. These technical details will be placed in a business context. The class will have a practical focus as we examine current best practices. There well be several guest speakers in the security area. This will be a project oriented class and students will present their research projects during the last several classes.
• GSM IS 829: Business Transformation
  Every business sector is undergoing profound changes partly due to the recent financial crisis but also due to the impact of information technology. This course allows MBA students a chance to engage with how IT impacts business operations in a strategic way. The distinctive feature of this course is that we will have real-life cases from companies and the students will have an opportunity to present their analysis and recommendations to corporate executives. We will use latest cases and articles as well as review and work with leading-edge practice from companies. Reserved for MBA students only.
• GSM IS 832: Networks and Social Media
  As the penetration of online and mobile technologies continues to advance, instant messaging, mobile phone communication, micro-blogs, and online social networks are shaping how we interact with the world and each other. The explosion of data surrounding these interactions is a powerful microscope that permits research into behaviors and their social and economic outcomes at an unprecedented scale and level of detail orders of magnitude greater than what was previously possible. The emerging field of network science describes these interconnections and gives us tools to understand their importance to our natural, social and business environments. This course will introduce the theory and practice of network science and cover numerous applications in the realms of business, health and politics. We will explore questions such as: How can firms and policy makers harness the power of social media? How can we promote or discourage population level change? How do behavioral contagions form and become viral? What is the value of a tweet? Topics may include: network structure and dynamics; social network analysis; weak and strong ties; structural holes; homophily; community structure; information propagation and cascades in networks; the dynamics of influence; social and behavioral contagions; word of mouth; viral product design; strategic competition; crowdsourcing; incentives and gamification; and others.
• GSM IS 841: Advanced Business Analytics: Data Mining
  The widespread proliferation of IT-influenced economic activity leaves behind a rich trail of micro-level data about consumer, supplier and competitor preferences. This has led to the emergence of a new form of competition based on the extensive use of analytics, experimentation, and fact-based decision making. In virtually every industry the competitive strategies organizations are employing today rely extensively on data analysis to predict the consequences of alternative courses of action, and to guide executive decision making. This course provides a hands-on introduction to the concepts, methods and processes of business analytics. We will learn how to obtain and draw business inferences from data by asking the right questions and using the appropriate tools. Topics to be covered include data preparation, data visualization, data mining, text mining, recommender systems as well as the overall process of using analytics to solve business problems, its organizational implications and pitfalls. Students will work with real world business data and analytics software. Where possible cases will used to motivate the topic being covered. Prior courses in data management and statistics will be helpful but not required.
• GSM IS 854: Practicing IT Strategy, Management and Delivery
  For future business leaders who want to understand, influence and leverage technology investments more effectively. The course provides effective strategies, pragmatic options, and leading practice alternatives for linking Business and Technology Strategies, defining effective governance and organization models, and successfully delivering new technology innovation. Students will master the complex methods and practices needed to frame a problem and propose an actionable solution that would be expected from future Business Executives and Technology Managers. Students will master the complex methods and practices to frame a problem and propose an actionable solution that would be expected from Business Executives (e.g., CEO, Marketing Executive, CIO, CFO) and Technology Executives (e.g., Product Manager, Consultant, Program Manager, Sales).
• GSM IS 855: Digital Transformation: Immersive Interactions and Insights at Silicon Valley
  This course will be a one week intensive held in Silicon Valley. The course is designed to achieve two objectives. First, to develop an appreciation for the role of Silicon Valley in Digital Innovation and, secondly, to examine how digital innovations are impacting key shifts in specific sectors. This year, the course will focus on three sectors; Healthcare, Energy and Digital Content/education/media. Students will be placed into teams and be expected to develop specific insights as the basis to engage in interactions with corporate executives, alumni and follow classmates. Teams will also visit leading companies involved in each sector and develop and present their team's perspective on key digital trends and leadership challenges for their sector.
• GSM IS 883: Designing Systems for Data Management
  The first objective is to introduce the student the concept of design in information systems. Although the design concepts covered largely focus on data management, it will include high level systems design concepts as well. The second objective of this course is to introduce the student to the practical applications of databases and database management systems. The students will learn the fundamentals of data management starting with the basics of data design. The students will learn querying and managing the data in a database, defining the structures for storing data, and implementing business rules in relational databases using the Structured Query Language (SQL). The two objectives will tie in together as the students will be expected to integrate systems design with data design to design a prototype information system. This exercise will walk the students through the process of eliciting requirements, defining the scope, designing a restricted set of functions, designing the database, implementing the database, and explaining how restricted set of functions will use the data. The programming requirements will be very minimal. Besides the basics of data management, this course will also cover relevant ?in? topics in data management such as database security, data quality management, and data auditing (if time permits).
• GSM IS 889: Telecommunications and Business Networks
  Examines the data communication hardware and software characteristics that are relevant to the applications software designer and presents a general overview of communications network design. Topics include issues in the design and use of both local area networks and wide area networks, the impact of communications technology on organizations and trends in the communications industry are studied.
• SMG IS 323: Introduction to Information Systems
  Junior requirement?component of SMG SM 323, The Cross Functional Core. An introduction to computer-based information systems. Surveys the hardware, software, and systems used to solve business-related problems. Overviews the role of information systems in new product development, innovation, and competitive performance in a global environment. Develops skills for managerial use of decision support systems and systems development. Team project.
• SMG IS 428: Managing Information Security
  Combines technical and business approaches to the management of information. It will address technical issues such as cryptography, intrusion detection, and firewalls along with managerial ideas such as overall security policies, managing uncertainty and risk, and organization factors. We will examine different aspects of computer security such as password, virus protection, and managing computer security in dynamic environments. Topics will also include network security and how to secure wireless application and services. These technical details will be placed in a business context. The class will have a practical focus as we examine current "best practices" in area. There will be several guest speakers in the security area. This will be a project-oriented class and students will present their research projects during the last several classes. 4 cr.
• SMG IS 465: Managing Data Resources
  Required for Management Information Systems concentrators. Provides a practical and theoretical introduction to data management focusing on the use of relational database technology and SQL to manage an organization's data and information. Introduces recent topics such as data warehouses and Web databases. Includes a project to design and implement a relational database to manage an organization's data. 4 cr.
• SMG IS 467: Networking and Data Communications
  Required for Management Information Systems concentrators. Introduces technologies, policies, and management and organizational concepts critical to understanding the role of data communications in a rapidly changing business and social environment. The materials focus on: the data communications industry; core technologies including mobile technology and the wireless Internet; management and use of communications technologies; policies; and organizational issues.
• SMG IS 469: Designing Information Systems
  Required for Management Information Systems concentrators. Studies the process of designing and implementing management information systems. Students will learn to analyze organizational information requirements, develop specifications for information systems, manage systems development projects, and understand implementation issues. Key implementation concepts that affect management decisions will be discussed, and reenforced with programming examples. Design support tools will be used to support the design process. Includes a project to design an information system.
• SMG IS 472: Electronic Commerce
  The Internet has brought about significant change in the way business is conducted. The rules and business models, however, for the new economy are still in their infancy. This course provides a grounding in the concepts of electronic commerce, and then moves to an examination of the emergent and emerging business models. The IT/IS infrastructure that supports these various business models is addressed, particularly architecting systems including privacy and security issues.

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