Note: This book was written in 1999 and last updated in 2003. Since then technologies have changed so the non-conceptual and more technical parts of the book may be out of date.

Why Yet Another Textbook (WYAT)?

There are many excellent introductory information systems (IS) texts on the market. Why then produce our own text? Interestingly enough, when we sat down to critically review the first year Information Systems curriculum, the very last thing that we wanted was to get involved in writing yet another text. But after we had set the broad educational goals, the curriculum content and educational approach, we found that no textbook fitted our objectives or approach. Briefly, the following considerations forced us to fire up our word processor and compile the text you find in front of you.

Technology Bias. A frequent criticism of the introductory information systems curricula is that many have a very strong technological bias: many courses are an in-depth treatment of hardware and software concepts with an avalanche of buzzwords, often reflecting some computer science origins. Although a sound understanding of the technology that underlies information systems is critical, this technology is subject to significant change and seems to receive a disproportionately large amount of attention. This is particularly prevalent in many of the American textbooks that we considered for this course: they all seem to be an "Introduction to Computers" rather than an "Introduction to Information Systems". We wondered where the broader scientific contexts are in these, admittedly very well illustrated but quickly out-dated, documentaries of computer technologies. This is in sharp contrast to a number of European and Australasian texts, some of which relegate all the technology concepts to a single chapter or even a mere appendix at the end of the book! We needed something of a balance between these two extremes. We hope that the three roughly equal sections (scientific, technological and organisational contexts) in this will provide a sufficiently balanced approach to the study of information systems. We wish to provide students with a sound technical understanding but also let them take into account the more philosophical, scientific and organisational aspects of information systems.

Depth of Treatment. We needed a text where the conceptual or theoretical component would be equivalent to roughly half of a one-semester course. Most textbooks on the market are intended for full or half-year courses. A frequent comment, even of the newer "trimmed-down editions", is that there is just too much material. Students with little or no previous exposure to computer jargon especially despair when confronted with the many new terms and acronyms. In addition, many of these technologies may be outdated by the time the students have completed their studies. By limiting ourselves to twelve chapters and setting strict limits to the length of each chapter, we hope to stem the "information overload" without compromising the academic standard. We carefully considered "need to know" versus "nice to know". A good example of the latter are the typical detailed historical notes on historical devices such as the abacus, Babbage or ENIAC.

Educational Approach. Contrary to our expectations, past student evaluations showed that the textbook previously use, a well-written American one with excellent colour photographs and illustrations, was not well received and lectures based on the textbook were judged to be "boring". It is clear that a different educational approach was needed, perhaps due to our unique South African circumstances. Based on our experiences, we hope that a participatory learning approach will make the "theoretical" section come more alive and replace the rote learning with genuine understanding. The integral part of this text is therefore in the supporting materials: readings, case studies, class assignments and group exercises.

Cost. Although not a decisive factor, we also considered the fact that many students face financial constraints. By producing a local textbook, we hope to beat the exchange rate fluctuations.

This text consist of twelve chapters, which can be grouped roughly into the following three sections.

The scientific context: a review of the fundamental scientific concepts on which IS builds: what is information, what is a system and what are information systems.

The technological context: an overview of relevant technology: hardware, software and communications technology.

The organisational context: the development and deployment of information systems as well as some wider societal concerns.

It is important that this text not be seen separate from the practical worksheets, case studies, videos and group work, which will be provided in the lectures. The intention of these additional materials is to enhance the educational process through participatory learning units: you learn best when doing.

It is also our conviction that university students need to be introduced from the first year to academic pluralism: too often undergraduate students get the impression that there is a single correct approach or, even worse, that most problems have only one correct solution or answer. This text is therefor supplemented with additional readings, culled from the world-wide web, in which we hope to expose students to different views of the material presented in the concepts part.

This module defines basic concepts related to the ethics of data use, compares the ethics of using clinical and research data, and reviews key ethical guidelines and regulations. The module explains why U.S. regulations are relevant for data managers outside the U.S. The module outlines how key ethics concepts affect data retention, sharing, security, ownership, and analysis as well as publication of research results.

This textbook will teach students how to exploit IS in a technology-rich environment. It will emphasize why, no matter what their major, information and communications technologies (ICT) are, and increasingly will be, a critical element in their personal success and the success of their organizations. PDF file.

Information Systems: A Manager’s Guide to Harnessing Technology V1.2 is intended for use in undergraduate and/or graduate courses in Management Information Systems and Information Technology.

Version 1.2 of John's book retains the same structure and theory of version 1.1, but refreshes key statistics, examples, and brings case material up to date (vital when covering firms that move as fast as Facebook, Google, and Netflix). Adopting version 1.2 guarantees your students will have the most current text on the market, drawing real and applicable lessons from material that will keep your class offerings current and accessible.

One of BusinessWeek’s "Professors of the Year", John Gallaugher of Boston College, brings you a brand new Management Information Systems textbook that teaches students how he or she will experience IS from a Managers perspective first hand through interesting coverage and bleeding-edge cases.

Get involved with John's community by visiting and subscribing to his blog, The Week In Geek, where courseware, technology and strategy intersect and joining his Ning IT Community site where you can get more resources to teach Information Systems.

Shockingly, at a time when technology regularly appears on the cover of every major business publication, students find IS among the least appealing of management disciplines.

The teaching approach in Information Systems: A Manager’s Guide to Harnessing Technology V 1.2 can change this. The text offers a proven approach that has garnered student praise, increased IS enrollment, and engaged students to think deeper and more practically about the space where business and technology meet. Every topic is related to specific business examples, so students gain an immediate appreciation of its importance. Rather than lead with technical topics, the book starts with strategic thinking, focusing on big-picture issues that have confounded experts but will engage students. And while chapters introduce concepts, cases on approachable, exciting firms across industries further challenge students to apply what they've learned, asking questions like:

Why was NetFlix able to repel Blockbuster and WalMart? How did Harrah's Casino's become twice as profitable as comparably-sized Caesar's, enabling the former to acquire the latter? How does Spain's fashion giant Zara, a firm that shuns the sort of offshore manufacturing used by every other popular clothing chain, offer cheap fashions that fly off the shelves, all while achieving growth rates and profit margins that put Gap to shame? Why do technology markets often evolve into winner-take-all or winner take-most scenarios? And how can managers compete when these dynamics are present? Why is Google more profitable than Disney? How much is Facebook really worth

The Information Systems course and discipline have never seemed more relevant, more interesting, and more exciting. Gallaugher's textbook can help teachers make students understand why.

This page contains a table of contents that gives an overview of each session and links to its associated web page, a list of text books that are suitable for this course and a note about how to obtain data and articles for the course. It also contains a link to further information on the assignment.

Focus on the key role that information technology plays in enabling organizational change and integration, especially in manufacturing. Topics include: trends in core technologies, including computer hardware, software, communications, and networks; the development and evolution of the internet and web; business models for electronic commerce; reinventing business processes and supply chain management; evaluating and managing the use of advanced information technologies in manufacturing; and new technology-enabled forms of working and organizing. In virtually every industry and every firm, information technology is driving change, creating opportunities and challenges. Leaders who don't understand at least the fundamentals of information systems will be at a strategic disadvantage. This course provides broad coverage of technology concepts and trends underlying current and future developments in information technology, and fundamental principles for the effective use of computer-based information systems. There will be a special emphasis on manufacturing. Information Systems topics that will be covered include networks and distributed computing, including the World Wide Web, hardware and operating systems, software development tools and processes, relational databases, security and cryptography, enterprise applications, B2B, the semantic web and electronic commerce. Sloan LFM students with an interest in Information Systems are encouraged to register for this course.

This textbook focuses on a specific internet marketing tools, including the basics of internet marketing, websites as effective foundation for holistic marketing, writing effective online copy, successful email marketing campaigns, online advertising, search engine optimisation, social media, measurability and performance indicators, mobile marketing, and developing a holistic plan for success.

Get ahead of the game by making optimal use of the internet and its tools. Become more effective, more efficient and work smarter: become an internet superuser. The Internet Super-User Textbook empowers you to make maximum use of the resources available on the internet, including the advanced use of search engines, how to research online, different ways of online communication (from online forums, instant messaging to VOIP), personal information management, online safety and security, mobile internet, social networking, and publishing your own online content.

This resource provides a useful backdrop on political communication, journalism and national development issues as priority areas for collaborative action in Africa and the Middle East. This course provides a business perspective of information systems and stresses how information systems can be used to improve their planning and operation. The nature and value of information, as well as the impact of Internet technology on organisations and society are also considered.

Management Information Systems (MIS) is a formal discipline within business education that bridges the gap between computer science and the well-known business disciplines of finance, marketing, and management. In its most general terms, information systems encompass any interactions between organized data and people. MIS can be the means by which information is transmitted (such as the Internet), the software that displays the information (such as Microsoft Excel), or the systems that manage the data. In this course, the student will learn about the various components of information systems and how to leverage them in business. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: Describe the use and function of Management Information Systems; Describe and evaluate Information Systems Development processes and techniques; Identify and evaluate hardware and software requirements for Information Systems; Evaluate Data Management technologies; Explain the security risks associated with Management Information Systems. (Business Administration 206)

Detailed specification for Managing Change in Healthcare IT Implementations module.This article introduces health care managers to the theories and philosophies of John Kotter and William Bridges, 2 leaders in the evolving field of change management. For Kotter, change has both an emotional and situational component, and methods for managing each are expressed in his 8-step model (developing urgency, building a guiding team, creating a vision, communicating for buy-in, enabling action, creating short-term wins, don't let up, and making it stick). Bridges deals with change at a more granular, individual level, suggesting that change within a health care organization means that individuals must transition from one identity to a new identity when they are involved in a process of change. According to Bridges, transitions occur in 3 steps: endings, the neutral zone, and beginnings. The major steps and important concepts within the models of each are addressed, and examples are provided to demonstrate how health care managers can actualize the models within their health care organizations.

This article introduces health care managers to the theories and philosophies of John Kotter and William Bridges, 2 leaders in the evolving field of change management. For Kotter, change has both an emotional and situational component, and methods for managing each are expressed in his 8-step model (developing urgency, building a guiding team, creating a vision, communicating for buy-in, enabling action, creating short-term wins, don't let up, and making it stick). Bridges deals with change at a more granular, individual level, suggesting that change within a health care organization means that individuals must transition from one identity to a new identity when they are involved in a process of change. According to Bridges, transitions occur in 3 steps: endings, the neutral zone, and beginnings. The major steps and important concepts within the models of each are addressed, and examples are provided to demonstrate how health care managers can actualize the models within their health care organizations.

Managing Change in Healthcare Implementations: an Introduction was created for managers preparing to implement health information and communication technology (HICT) systems in their organizationsŃhospitals, clinics, or government departments. The module presents a framework for understanding how HICT implementations affect organizations and individual workers and shares basic information on how to manage change to an organization so as to promote a positive outcome, and how to avoid the pitfalls that occur.