ISOM 2010 SYLLABUS

Introduction to Information Systems and E-Commerce

Spring 2016

Instructor Information
Professor:

Prof. Michael Zhang (zhang@ust.hk, Tel: 2358-7644, Room: LSK 4061)

Office Hour

By appointment through email or telephone

Time and Venue

Lecture
Section 7
Section 8
Section 9

Time
12:00nn 1:20pm, Mon and Wed
9:00am 10:20am, Mon and Wed
10:30am 11:50am, Mon and Wed

Venue
Rm 2465
Rm 2465
Rm 2465

Teaching Assistant:
Questions related to course
administration:
Questions related to lab content:

Timture Choi (timture@ust.hk)

Lead TA of your lab section

Text Book (Optional)

Essentials of Management Information Systems (9th edition) Laudon & Laudon
(This book is on reserve in the library.)
Supplementary materials (slides, guidance, additional reading) will be posted on the
course LMES Website.
Course Description
In virtually every industry and every firm, information technology is driving change,
creating opportunities and challenges. Leaders who dont understand the fundamentals of
information systems (IS) will be at a strategic disadvantage. IS have moved beyond the
automation of back office functions, into the foreground of business strategy. IS play
critical roles in competitive positioning and business process design.
This course provides broad coverage of technology concepts and social and economic
trends underlying current and future developments in information technology (IT), and
fundamental principles for the effective use of computer-based information systems in
businesses and other organizations. There will be a special emphasis on e-commerce,
business integration and managing of IT. Other topics include: hardware/software,
networking, the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW), databases, security, and
enterprise applications. In additional to the fundamental conceptual and propositions in
the IS area, a number of business applications and cases will be discussed; the newest
trend in todays technology domain (like Web 2.0) will also be discussed.

Learning Outcomes
The goal of this course is to provide you with an introduction to IT-enabled approaches to
information management in business contexts.
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to
1. Describe how a business organizations choice of strategy and process (what the firm
does and how the firm does it) and their resulting effectiveness are closely related to
the firms information management and communications capabilities (OBE Goals 3,
4).
2. Develop a foundation to develop quantitative and analytical techniques to solve
business problems with innovative perspectives that extends beyond this course (Goals
1, 9).
3. Analyze the core technological and business issues and identify critical factors for
business decision-making (Goals 1, 4).
4. Evaluate information systems; examine their relations with business strategy, process,
and organization (Goal 3).
This course will also provide students with:
1. Skills in producing professional quality business documents, delivering professional
quality presentations and communicating ideas persuasively (Goal 2).
2. Ability to lead and work effectively in a team (Goal 5).
3. Proficiency in using IT applications in business and management; tools for searching,
organizing and processing information using appropriate information technology and
systems (Goal 7).
4. Preparation for future careers in business and social environments that are deeply
permeated with and dependent upon IT (Goals 3, 9).
We believe that an understanding of the topics covered in this course will pay subtle and
unexpected dividends throughout your careers (Goal 9).
Detailed Learning Goals
Digital Economy
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Explain data, information, and information systems.

Know the meaning of Moores law, Metcalfs law and their implications.
Understand the implications of globalization.
Discuss the use of information systems in organizations.
Describe the newer aspects of working in the digital world.
Define ethics and describe the major ethical problems posed by the digital world.

Ecommerce
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Describe the nature of e-business.

Understand how auction works
Discuss the Long Tail theory
Define the e-business value chain and disintermediation.
Describe the basic e-business models.
Examine the major online marketing methods.
Discuss the technologies behind e-business, including the factors that drive Web site
success, electronic payment mechanisms, and encryption.
8. Discuss the major issues that are created by and affect e-business.
Web 2.0
1. Describe the key component of Web 2.0 (participation).
2. Explain the 3 features of Web 2.0 authoring.
3. Understand the meaning of Tagging.
4. Explain the differences between Web 1.0 and 2.0.
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Hardware/Software
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Identify the major components of modern personal computers.

Identify the types of computers.
Describe Moores law.
Identify the different types of systems software.
Explain the main functions of operating systems.
Describe the various types of application software and how they are used.
Describe the software development process.
Explain the main considerations for upgrading software and preventing piracy.

Database
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Explain how organizations use data and information.

Explain the basic concepts of data management.
Describe file systems and identify their problems.
Define database management systems (DBMS) and describe their various functions.
Explain how the relational database model works.
Describe how databases are developed.
Explain how organizations can use data warehousing and data mining for decision
making.
8. Describe advanced database models and when their use is appropriate.

Decision Making
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Discuss the problems associated with management decision-making.

Explain the decision-making process.
Describe decision support systems.
Explain how group decision support systems work.
Describe executive information systems.
Discuss artificial intelligence technologies and their applications.

WWW/Internet
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Describe the Internets current architecture.

Identify and describe the major Internet applications.
Define the World Wide Web and its structure.
Understand how Internet and World Wide Web searches work.
Define intranets and extranets and explain how companies use them.

Networking
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Describe the components of a telecommunications system.

Compare and contrast the various types of transmission media.
Identify and explain the various types of computer networks.
Identify and describe the role of the major hardware items used in networks.
Describe the importance of networking protocols and identify the major ones used in
business.

Course Logistics
In-class Exercises
There will be exercises in class. The purpose of these exercises is to help you understand
the key content of the lectures. These exercises will NOT be graded. Nonetheless, you
need to pay special attention to them, because in the two exams (see below and also the
schedule), you will see some questions with similar format or covering the same
concepts and phenomena. Please consider the exercises as opportunities that help you
firmly grasp what is discussed in lectures, and also help you achieve an excellent final
grade.
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Term Project
You are expected to finish a term project. The term project is a teamwork, which means
you need to first form teams. Each team includes about 4 students. More details about the
term project will be provided.
Quiz I & II
This course will have two closed-book quizzes. The first one will test issues covered in the
first half of the course. The second one will cover the classes in the second half of the
course. To help you prepare for these exams, review sessions will be offered.
Final Exam
A final exam will be conducted in the final period. You are expected to write a short essay
about materials covered in this course.
Make-up Policy
If unexpected circumstances arise immediately before or during the exams, a student is
allowed to take a make-up exam. Compared to the majority of multiple-choice questions
in regular exams, questions in the make-up exams are essay-based.
Seminar/Guest Speakers
We will invite top managers to share insights on IT management from the financial
services industry. Why is IT critical in this industry? How do they use IT to enhance
their business processes and support new strategies for competitive advantage? How
important are IT professionals for their firms? How to be a successful individual in
general? The insights you learn from the seminar will be helpful for your career planning.
Class Participation
Class participation is a critical link in your learning process. Active participation is highly
valued. Participation helps you clarify questions, and also will add value to the whole
class.
Labs
This course contains both a lecture and a lab component. The lab sections are designed to
introduce fundamental technical skills related to the materials covered in the lectures. Labs
are meant to prepare you to efficiently and effectively use IT to manage business
information and solve business problems and to facilitate business innovation.
Each lab section meets once a week for 50 minutes and is taught by one of the courses
teaching assistants. Weekly attendance in labs is required in order to pass this course.
Should extenuating circumstances cause you to have to miss a lab or change your assigned
session, you must contact your lab section lead TA ahead of time so that you can arrange
to make up the materials in a different lab section that same week. Your TA will not give
you participation credit if you miss or switch a lab without prior approval from the
professor.
Grading
Quiz I & II:
Final Exam:
Participation
Passive:
Active:
Project:
Lab:

40% (20% each)

10%
10%
10%
15%
15%

Participation score is composed of two parts, one for passive participation, and the other
for active participation. If you complete all in-class exercises, you will get a full score for
the passive part. You will accumulate active participation throughout the semester when
you participate in the discussion and contribute to the classroom. Students are also
expected to attend the invited speakers sessions in the Industry Week.
Learning Environment
School of business and management is a professional school. Consistent with its
environment, and your future career goals, professional standards of work and behavior
will be expected during the semester.
(1) Attendance at class is required.
(2) If you cannot participate in a lecture, obtain confirmation from the professor
BEFORE the lecture and present valid supporting documents afterwards.
(3) If you cannot participate in a lab, email the lead TA BEFORE the lab, and make
arrangements to make-up.
(4) Do NOT be late. If you are more than 5 minutes late to lectures or labs, please talk to
the professor or the TA after the session. Late attendance without a justifiable excuse
will affect your participation evaluation.
(5) While in class, you are expected to be considerate of others. The sound on your
laptop, cell phone, PDA, watch, and other personal appliances should be turned
off during class sessions and labs. If you have questions about the materials, please
raise your hand and ask, do NOT chat with your neighbors in the classroom.
(6) You need to submit project proposal and final report on time. For the due date, please
refer to the course schedule.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity entails absolute honesty in ones intellectual efforts. UST places a
strong emphasis on academic integrity and has introduced new regulations to back this up.
In addition to the course content related to business ethics related to IS/IT, special
attention will be put on academic integrity demonstrated when you take this course. You
should be especially aware of the policies on cheating and plagiarism. Cheating is any
action that violates University norms or an instructors guidelines for the preparation and
submission of assignments. Such actions may include using or providing unauthorized
assistance or materials on course assignments or possessing unauthorized materials during
an examination. Plagiarism involves the representation of anothers work as your own,
for example: (a) submitting as ones own any material that is copied from published or
unpublished sources such as the Internet, print, computer files, audio disks, video
programs or musical scores without proper acknowledgement that it is someone elses; (b)
paraphrasing anothers views, opinions or insights without proper acknowledgement or
copying of any source in whole or in part with only minor changes in wording or syntax
even with acknowledgement; (c) submitting as ones own work a report, examination,
paper, computer file, lab report or other assignment which has been prepared by someone
else. If you are unsure about what constitutes unauthorized help on an exam or
assignment, or what information requires citation and/or attribution, please ask your
professor. Violations may result in the failure of the assignment, failure of the course,
and/or additional disciplinary actions. For more information, please visit the website at
http://www.ust.hk/vpaao/integrity/student-1.html. Refer to this page
http://tl.ust.hk/integrity/student-4.html to avoid committing Plagiarism.
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Course Schedule
Week Date
1
2

Course Introduction: Paradigm Shift

Feb 3

Digital Economy I: Information, Internet

Bubble
No class (Holiday)

Feb 8
Feb 10
Feb 15
Feb 17

Feb 24
Feb 29

5
Mar 2
Mar 7
6
7

Mar 9
Mar 14
Mar 16
Mar 21
Mar 23

8
Mar 28
Mar 30

9
10
11

Apr 4
Apr 6
Apr 11
Apr 14
Apr 18
Apr 21
Apr 25

12
13

Lab

Feb 1

Feb 22
4

Topic

Apr 27
May 2
May 4

No class (Holiday)
TBA
Digital Economy II: Moores law,
Metcalfes law and the benefit of the
Internet Bubble
Digital Economy III: Globalization
(Note: Introduction to the Final Project)
Digital Economy IV: Digital Goods,
Working in the Digital World
E-Commerce I: Auctions, Digital Divide
(Deadline: submit team formation)
E-Commerce II: Benefits, Long Tail
E-Commerce III: Concerns, Value Chain,
E-Business Models
E-Commerce IV: E-Payments, MTurks
Half-term Review
Quiz I
Web 2.0 I: Definition, Authoring, API
Web 2.0 II: Tagging, Evolution, Remix
(Deadline: Proposal for Final Project due)
Hardware: Watson, Moores Law
Software, Game Changer
Networks and the Internet
No class (Holiday)
Online Advertising, Online Ratings, Social
Networks and Business Intelligence
What the Future Holds
(Note: Presentation schedule announced)
No class (Holiday)
Industry Exposure
Project Presentation I
Project Presentation II
Project Presentation III
Project Presentation IV
Project Presentation V
(Deadline: Final Report due)
Final Review
No class (Holiday)
Quiz 2

Google Search + Google

Site
No Labs

Excel

Apps I

Apps II

Ethical Hacking
Access

Big Data I

No Labs
Big Data II
VBA I
VBA II
No Labs