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MIS students win big at the National AIS Student Leadership Conference and Competition

AIS Competition 2017

Two MIS student teams won big at the Eighth Annual Association for Information Systems (AIS), Student Chapter Leadership Conference and Competition, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, April 13-15, 2017.

1st Place – AmerisourceBergen Analytics Challenge (Analysis Track)

2nd Place – Security Case Study

The above two competitions included two phases. In the first phase, student teams submitted entries virtually. The finalists were chosen from the virtual entries and invited to present their work for another round of judging at the above conference. Other finalists included University of Georgia, Roger Williams University, University of Cincinnati, University of Michigan, Florida International University, Brigham Young University, and others.

Alumnus exceling in digital marketing industry

Lauren MorenoLauren Moreno’s undergraduate education spanned fine arts, journalism, and art history. In search of a graduate program that would enhance her sales and marketing career, Moreno chose Temple University’s Fox School of Business.

In February, Moreno earned a Master of Science degree in Digital Innovation in Marketing (DIM), as part of the online program’s first graduating class. “I wanted a graduate program that offered the business school background that I didn’t get from my undergraduate degree, while complimenting my work experience,” said the 31-year-old Moreno. “I decided the DIM program was what I was really passionate about and thought that should be where I’d put my energy.”

Moreno co-founded Team 624 Communications, a digital branding, social media, and content marketing firm for which she serves as creative director. The Digital Innovation in Marketing program, which can be completed in 16 months, enables students like Moreno to flourish in a collaborative environment that fosters an understanding of the digital marketing industry.

It’s always changing,” said Moreno. “As professionals, we need to keep learning and challenge the practices we’re using. If you’re not paying attention to where your engagement is coming from and what type of content is working, it won’t take long before marketing efforts are diminished.”

With the help of an advisory council comprised of digital innovators who are currently in the industry, students in the DIM program are offered a curriculum that coincides with what is part of the professional landscape.

The overall mission of our program is to create the next generation of digital marketers,” said Amy Lavin, director of the Digital Innovation in Marketing program. “In today’s digital economy, it’s not enough to just be a marketer. It’s not enough to just be technical on the marketing side. We give the students in our program the ability to understand both sides.”

The MS in Digital Innovation in Marketing is offered jointly by the Fox School’s Management Information Systems (MIS) and Marketing and Supply Chain Management departments. In January, the MIS department’s graduate programs earned a No. 16 ranking in the country from U.S. News & World Report — a feat that Lavin said validated what the program has to offer.

You can complete any kind of Google search right now, and you know this market is hot,” said Lavin. “In this program, we’ll give students the skills they need in order to be successful. As the marketplace opens up and people realize that they need this skill set, we’re going to continue to grow our MS in Digital Innovation in Marketing.”

Currently, Moreno remains focused on utilizing the tools she has taken from the program to grow Team 624, alongside her business partner, Kaitlin Cleary. “We want to meet our next goals by identifying potential revenue streams,” Moreno said. “We’re looking at offering trainings, workshops, online courses, and like we learned in the program, really using technology to our advantage to reach more people.”

Professor Doyle receives Fox School Musser award

Mart DoyleProfessor Martin Doyle received the 2016 Fox School Musser Excellence in Leadership Award for Faculty Service. The award was presented at the 20th annual Musser Award reception and dinner Nov. 16, 2016, in Mitten Hall, on Temple University’s Main Campus.

Professor Doyle was recognized for his leadership and service to the Department of Management Information Systems, especially in managing the BBA in MIS and for leading the effort to add more rigor to the MIS curriculum. The Musser Award for Faculty Service is presented annually to one person among all the faculty at the Fox School of Business.

 

Advisory board member endows $100,000 scholarship

Andrea and Jim StewartAndrea Anania, who retired from CIGNA as Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer ten years ago, only had one option for her undergraduate degree: the City of New York system because it was free. Her parents simply lacked the funds to support her.

In honor of that formative experience, she and her husband, James G. Stewart, decided to endow a $50,000 scholarship for one student in the MIS program each year (matched by the Fox School for a total endowment of $100,000), beginning fall 2017. Anania, who went on to have a successful career in information technology, and her husband believe very strongly in the value of an education.

“I had to work my entire way through college, and I hope this scholarship relieves some financial pressure for the recipients so they can focus on their studies,” said Anania, who ended up receiving an excellent free undergraduate education from the City of New York system. “In addition, it would be wonderful if it also helped some students make the decision to come to Temple rather than go elsewhere.”

As a Fox IT advisory board member, Anania feels particularly passionate about the Management Information Systems program at Temple because she has seen it blossom under the leadership of Munir Mandviwalla, Ph.D., who has created vibrant partnerships with industry to help shape the program’s curriculum, provide input into research topics, and educate a pool of qualified candidates.

Mandviwalla has also used the program’s advisory board to remain responsive to changing demands in the marketplace, enhancing the curriculum’s focus on software development and project management. Anania noted she feels that the students coming out of Temple’s program are highly qualified to enter the workforce.

“I have formed a deep relationship with Temple over the years and wanted to continue to strengthen the field where I had a very meaningful and challenging career,” said Anania, explaining why she chose to endow the scholarship at Temple.

Particularly, Anania and Stewart are interested in helping smart students with good work ethics succeed.

“Temple attracts that type of student,” she said. “It is tremendously gratifying to know this scholarship could help diligent, intelligent students who only need some financial assistance to make their dreams come true.” 

– Elizabeth Hillaker Downs

Fox IT awards 2016

Fox IT awards 2016

513 attendees are expected at 16th annual Fox IT awards on Tuesday April 16, 2016, beating the 2015 record of 435. The awards will recognize Linda Dillman, CIO, QVC, Robert Moore, Co-founder, RJMetrics, and Rich Brennen, Partner, Spencer Stuart. In addition, the most accomplished members of the 1000+ MIS community of 900+ students, 22 full-time faculty and administrators, 33 adjuncts, 14 Fox IT advisory board, 13 ITACS and 15 DIM advisory council members will be honored:

  • Student Leadership Award: Ciara Murphy
  • Professional and Academic Achievement Award (Senior): Artemid Leskaj, Julia Knable
  • Professional and Academic Achievement Award (Junior): Samantha Talarico, David Yastremsky
  • Professional and Academic Achievement Award (Sophomore): Matt Oberst, Ari Abramson
  • Professional and Academic Achievement Award (Freshman): Drew Holt, Kellen O’Connor
  • AIS Outstanding Officer: Rhea Prabhu
  • AIS Outstanding Member: Bridget Silk
  • Faculty Teaching Award (full-time): David Schuff
  • Faculty Teaching Award (part-time): Wade Mackey
  • MIS Researcher of the Year: Brad Greenwood
  • Faculty Leadership Award: Jeremy Shafer
  • Administrative Leadership Award: Jackie Van Orden

Click here to learn how the awardees are selected. The following scholarships are to be awarded:

  • Niraj And Cara Patel Scholarship: Jacquelyn Kausch
  • IBIT Alexion Scholarship: Ian Usher
  • IBIT AmerisourceBergen Scholarship: Nicole Bilder
  • IBIT Campbell Soup Company Scholarship: Zoe Weiner
  • IBIT Emtec Scholarship: Prince Patel
  • IBIT LiquidHub Scholarship: Ngoc -Tran Tran
  • IBIT Lockheed Martin Scholarship: Kyle Haberman
  • IBIT Merck Scholarship: Ngoc Pham
  • IBIT NBCUniversal Scholarship: Matthew Funk
  • IBIT Pfizer Scholarship: Gabrielle Finley
  • IBIT QVC Scholarship: Kasey Brown
  • IBIT Walmart Scholarship: Emily Jaques
  • Fox IT Advisory Board Scholarship: Quyt to Thi Van

The $100,000 James and Andrea Stewart scholarship will be announced. Endowed by Andrea Stewart, retired CIO, Cigna, and 2003 Fox IT award leader, and member of the Fox IT advisory board. Alexion, AmerisourceBergen, Emtec, and Pfizer will be welcomed as new IBIT members.

Four new faculty join the MIS department

The Fox School’s Department of Management Information Systems is pleased to welcome four new full-time faculty members in fall 2015.

Detmar Straub  Detmar Straub is Professor and IBIT Distinguished Visiting Professor of MIS. He recently retired from Georgia State University after 23 years. He is a hiker on trails all over America and turns wood for a hobby. 
 Laurel Miller Laurel Miller, Assistant Professor, received her MS in Education from the Temple University. She also is the Director of the Institute for Business and Information Technology and manages the corporate membership program.
 Jing Gong Jing Gong, Assistant Professor, will soon to receive her doctorate at Carnegie Mellon University. She enjoys studying consumer and firm behavior in technology-mediated markets. Jing likes to cook and go hiking, and is always eager to learn new technologies and methods.
 Amy Lavin Amy Lavin, Assistant Professor, received her MBA from the Fox School of Business, Temple University, where she was most recently responsible for the implementation of Salesforce as the Technical Training Manager. Aside from teaching, her other passions include spending time with family, cooking and reading.

 

Peter Hwang steps up and wins

Peter HwangIt came as a complete surprise to Peter Hwang to learn that he’d won the 2015 Student Leadership Award given by Fox School‘s Management Information Systems Department and Institute for Business and Information Technology.

But win he did, and he, along with several other honorees, received his award at the 15th annual Information Technology Awards event on April 14, 2015.

Hwang is a Junior, majoring in Management Information Systems. The award is given annually to a full time undergraduate, or part or full time graduate student, who’s made a significant contribution to the students and extended community of the MIS department.

It’s unusual for such a young student to get the award, but Hwang has been stepping up as a leader since his sophomore year when he first joined Temple AIS (the founding student chapter of the Association of Information Systems.)

The organization offers students a chance to hone a variety of skills directly and indirectly related to MIS, through workshops, resume critiques and forums with speakers.  It also gives students a chance to promote their current field of study, MIS.

“I tried to be active as possible. I would go to all the events and participate in their mentorship program.” Hwang says about his sophomore year with AIS.

“I applied to be the Director of IT my junior year. After the first semester, the VP of Operations stepped down. I was offered the position and gladly accepted.”  Hwang says he had a strong desire to help out. By taking on the dual role, Hwang was effectively doing twice the standard level of volunteer work, which was seen by fellow students as well as faculty as much more than “helping out.”

Plus, he did it with a positive attitude.

Since arriving at Temple, a choice he made because it was close to home and he was interested in business, Hwang says he’s transformed.  In high school, he was not as involved in academics. Now, he is “able to give back, to give workshops.”

One thing that hasn’t changed during his college career– his love of tennis.  Hwang was the captain of his tennis team at Marple Newtown High School, and continues to play club tennis.  It is, he says, for balance in his life. “It’s important to be physically active.”

Other people honored for making a significant contribution to the students and extended community of the MIS department include:

  • Faculty Leadership Award – James Moustafellos
  • Administrative Leadership Award – Debbie Riley
  • Administrative Achievement Award – Jillian Reilly
  • Faculty Teaching Award (full-time) – David Schuff
  • Faculty Teaching Award (part-time) – Amy Lavin
  • MIS Researcher of the Year – Paul Pavlou

Language influences the emergence of online community leadership

What you say and how you say it may be just as important in online interactions as it is in face-to-face conversations. Especially, if you want to be thought of as a leader. Assistant Professor of MIS, Steven L. Johnson and colleagues recently analyzed the language used by members of threaded discussion boards to determine who was a leader, and who was perceived to be a leader.

The key finding? “Emergent leaders — those viewed as most influential by other participants — tend to use language differently than other participants.” Johnson says.

The research was conducted by asking members of the boards who they thought were influential. A method Johnson describes as similar to a nomination process.

After “controlling for the obvious: formal role, boundary spanning and centrality” the team came up with about 3,000 potential leaders. They then looked at the written texts posted by the 59 nominees and compared them to the 3,000.

What you say onlineThey found that people who are thought of as leaders:

  • are among most frequent posters,
  • use positive language,
  • have concise posts (fewer words per post),
  • use simpler language (higher readability scores)
  • use language that is more prototypical of the community (language in their posts looks more like the typical language of all other participants).

These findings superseded whether or not the emergent leader had a formal title or position, although having one (such as administrator or moderator) did sometimes help a person get nominated.

The research was conducted by looking at all the posts in a one-year period of three online communities—all of which had a computer technology focus.

Johnson says that he was surprised, when they began the work, that there weren’t more studies done “that looked at how we wrote.”

The new findings provide, he says, empirical evidence that supports what most people in leadership theory believe. “To be a leader, you have to have good communication skills.”

S. L. Johnson, Hani Safadi, and Samer Faraj (forthcoming). “The Emergence of Online Community Leadership,” Information Systems Research.

Studying the evolution of digital artifacts with ‘big data’

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a three-year grant totaling nearly $900,000 to trace human behaviors through big data. This marks the fourth NSF-awarded grant in the last five years that an interdisciplinary team of Temple faculty members has received to study the evolution of digital artifacts using large-scale digital trace data. The collaboration joins researchers from the Fox School’s Management Information Systems Department and College of Science and Technology (CST).

“When humans interact with digital systems, we leave a trace. Every call we make, every website we visit, it’s stamped with time and space information,” said Dr. Youngjin Yoo, the Harry A. Cochran Professor of Management Information Systems at the Fox School, and the research grant’s primary investigator. “What we do is constantly changing, and the trace data can act as DNA. What we focus on through this research is the repeat behaviors in humans that can be captured through digital trace data.

“Using those evolutionary patterns, we believe we can predict future behaviors of individuals and organizations. For example, by detecting the changes of commute patterns of individuals, we can predict overall public-transit systems’ performance in the future. Similarly, we want to be able to predict the changes in individual behaviors based on environmental changes. 

Yoo said he and the grant’s co-principal investigators will study digitally enabled processes in complex digital systems, which “are like a living ecosystem, in that they constantly evolve,” he said. If patterns in the trace data represent what they call “behavioral genes,” Yoo said, alterations to those behavioral routines are “gene mutations.” Eventually, he said, the research team envisions developing software that will better predict the changes to those behavioral genes.

The benefits in doing so, according to Yoo, “are endless.” In a healthcare application, trace data could develop a pattern by which a patient sees a doctor or produce an average cost of care per patient. In an industry sense, such “gene mutations” could impact performance and cost.

“On the surface,” Yoo said, “all smart phones, for example, look the same. But everybody’s phone is different because of apps. It used to be that the product’s designer would make the product, and that was the end of the story. Now, it’s only the beginning. Millions of apps are downloaded. They’re changing constantly.

“Our argument is that, particularly in digital space, innovation never remains the same. It constantly changes and takes different forms.”

The research team includes: Yoo; Dr. Sunil Wattal, Associate Professor of Management Information Systems at the Fox School; Dr. Zoran Obradovic, Laura H. Carnell Professor of Data Analytics at CST; and Dr. Rob Kulathinal, Assistant Professor of Biology at the College of Science and Technology.

The NSF-awarded research grant runs through Jan. 31, 2018.

– Christopher A. VitoAdd New

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