Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Robert Winter

Description

The course "Management Information Systems" (MIS) is intended to enable students to understand the various types of information systems in corporations and administrations.

In contrast to the wide interpretation of the term MIS in America - incorporating hardware and software foundations, MIS development, societal impacts, cultural issues and more - a narrower interpretation of MIS is followed here: MIS is defined as the set of various types of information systems used by corporations and administrations. As a consequence, the MIS course presents two different views for classifying MIS and includes examples for every sub-type. In addition, analytical information systems are covered in more detail.

As a conceptual foundation, information integration is presented as a primary goal of corporate information management. An overview of the changing scope and role of MIS from stand-alone systems (decision support systems, executive information systems) to integrated components of information management and systems architecture is given.

As a first approach to classify MIS, the business view is presented: Various sub-types of MIS are identified, their roles and potentials are discussed, and application examples are given. The second approach to MIS classification is the systems architecture view: Again, various sub-types of MIS as well as types of middleware are derived, their roles and potentials are discussed, and application examples are given. Since analytical information systems have great significance for information management, important types of such systems are presented in detail using real-life examples from companies wherever possible.

In conclusion of this course, the most important management issues for information systems are presented, and future developments in the MIS field are outlined.

Outline

Lecture 1 : Introduction

• Data vs. information vs. knowledge
• Information systems
• Management information systems
• Information management
• Information integration

Lecture 2 : Changing scope and different views

• Information integration: directions, dimensions, techniques
• Changing role and scope of information systems
• Business view of information systems
• Systems architecture view of information systems
• Technical view of information systems
• Functional view of information systems

Case Study 1 : Information management and different views on ISs

Lecture 3 : The business view of information systems (1)

• Derivation of IS types from a business viewpoint
• Transaction processing systems
• Office automation systems
• Management information systems

Lecture 4 : The business view of information systems (2)

• Knowledge and information management systems
• Decision support systems
• Creativity support systems
• Executive information systems
• Inter-organizational systems

Case Study 2 : The business view of information systems

Lecture 5 : The systems architecture view of information systems (1)

• Systems architecture model
• Model dimensions and resulting integration dimensions
• Application types
• Interface system types and reference model
• IS types and interface types from a systems architecture viewpoint
• Vertical applications
• Information-centered applications
• Analytical applications

Lecture 6 : The systems architecture view of information systems (2)

• Data warehouse system(s)
• Horizontal applications
• Enterprise application integration system(s)
• Inter-company integration systems

Case Study 3 : The systems architecture view of information systems

Lecture 7 : Analytical applications (1)

• Types of analytical systems
• Reporting systems
• Managed query environments
• Decision support systems (DSS)

Lecture 8 : Analytical applications (2)

• Decision support systems using Artifical Intelligence techniques
• Data mining systems
• Group decision support systems
• Executive information systems
• Online analytical processing and data marts
• Support of process portals and packaged applications

Case Study 4 : Analytical applications

Lecture 9 : Management of integrated information logistics

• Views of information management
• Information systems management
• Data warehousing management

Lecture 10 : Trends in data warehousing and information logistics

• What has been achieved so far ...
• Current trends
• Inter-company information systems
• Consideration of privacy legislation and concerns
• Convergence of data warehousing and knowledge management
• Using the Web to create information
• 'Commodization' of data warehousing

Learning Objectives

After completing this course successfully, students can expect to:

1. understand integration as a primary goal of information management,
2. understand the changing scope and role of management information sytems from stand-alone systems to integrated components of corporate information management and corporate systems architecture,
3. understand the business view on information systems and the role of its components in supporting business functions,
4. know application examples, success factors and critical issues for major types of information systems and for major components of the corporate systems architecture,
5. understand the systems architecture view on information systems and the role of its components in integrated information logistics,
6. know examples of different types of analytical information systems,
7. understand the most important management issues for information systems,
8. have an idea about future developments of management information systems.

Method of teaching

This course is based on a combination of slides, case studies, textbooks, and additional reading. The main elements are:

• Ten lecture modules each comprising approximately 20-40 slides and one assignment for applying the contents of each lecture. In most cases an assignment consists of test questions related to an online case. Some exercises comprise questions related to interactive use of software tools.
• Four case study modules for applying the contents of the lectures and beyond.
• Links to online cases and/or research papers for extended reading (for most lessons).
• Links to software demos or software tools providing interactive experience with information systems or with analysis tools (for some lessons).

For communication, Moodle tools are used. Moodle provides an electronic bulletin board for instructions, assignments and news as well as an electronic discussion forum for students and lecturers.

Requirements

No formal prerequisites. The same system resources as for other VGU courses are needed.

If you take this course as an individual course, you will obtain a VGU certificate.

Credits

6.5 credit points