Monthly Archives: October 2014
Day 10 – B&K Distributors – brief guidelines
- Who are B&K’s customers and how does it categorize them?
- What are the expected changes in the relationship with customers after implementation of the Web Portal?
- What are the cost components of the Web Portal?
Attendance and participation grade by 10/28 updated
available on Blackboard
Day 9 – Strategic IT Outsourcing (I) – online discussion questions
- Why is Google operating its own cafeterias with full-time chefs and cooks for its all employees, instead of outsourcing to external caterers?
- Why is it more difficult to control an external vendor than to control your own employees?
- Why is there a “non-disclosure agreement” in any contract?
- Any examples of “conflicts of interests” and “information asymmetry” between a client and a vendor (except the examples that were discussed in class)?
- What kind of “homework” or research would be needed in selecting an IT outsourcing vendor?
IT Adventures Ch 7 and 14 – brief grading completed
Day 9 – Strategic IT Outsourcing (I) – class slides
Updated schedule for the remainder of the semester
There has been a slight change in the course schedule for the remainder of the semester. On Nov. 3, we will have one more Do-Your-Homework day for Homework #2. Please find the attached syllabus with updated schedule.
Day 9 – Strategic IT Outsourcing (I) – in-class discussion questions
- Do you fix your car by yourself or have a mechanic do maintenance? Why?
- How do you choose your mechanic? Based on what? How often do you change your mechanic?
- Why do you think Google operates its own cafeterias for its entire employees, instead of outsourcing them to external caterers?
- Why would a company outsource IT operation and development to an external vendor? What would be the benefits to a client from IT outsourcing?
- What would be the reasons that Otis DID NOT outsource the development of e*Logistics?
- What’s a doctor-patient confidentiality? Why is this needed?
- Why did IVK select NetiFects for the IR project vendor? When selecting NetiFects, did IVK do enough homework?
- Do you think if your mechanic, contractor, or doctor is competent, trustworthy, and reliable? When you meet them for a service, do you think if they make as the best efforts as possible for you?
- Why should the IT group at IVK be involved in the IR project?
- Why is Mr. Barton trying to hire Mr. Ash Srinivasa, a NetiFects engineer who’s been working for the IR project
We will discuss these questions in-class next Monday. Do not leave a comment on this post.
IT Adventures Ch. 7 and 14 – brief guidelines
Chapter 7
- Why is the Infrastructure Replacement (IR) project failing?
Chapter 14
- What are the differences between three prospective vendors for the IR project?
- What are the differences between two contracting models that IVK is considering?
Your report does not need to include
- “Wednesday, April 28, 10:12 a.m.” (p. 107-109),
- the consultant’s report (p. 120-122),
- “the third major disagreement” (p. 226-228),
- “Monday, October 1, 11:00 a.m.” (p. 228-231), and
- vendor assessment matrices (p. 233).
But please DO NOT SKIP to read them.
Day 8 – Enterprise Architecture – online discussion questions
- What kind of standards do we enjoy in our daily life? (except language, currency, and electricity)
- Any other example like SmarTip or MetroCard in which customers can use a standard payment system to use different services?
- Why is flexibility in IT important for competitiveness?
- How does complexity in IT “kill” business flexibility?
- Any example in which IT complexity inhibits competitiveness?
- What would be valid, legitimate reasons that some business units are using Oracle database, while others are using Microsoft SQL?
- What does it mean by coupling in IT systems?
IT Adventures Ch 16 brief grading completed
Day 8 – Enterprise Architecture – class slides and video links
Day 8 – Enterprise Architecture – in-class discussion questions
- What kind of standards do we enjoy in our daily life? Why do we need them? What if we don’t have standards?
- Why do many European nations use Euro as a common currency? Why do the U.K. and some others refuse to adopt Euro?
- How is a USPS delivery truck different from a standard delivery van?
- What are the problems when employees have a freedom to use any kind of ITs they want?
- What are the problems when a company forces the employees to use the same IT (e.g. Blackberry for all employees)?
- What does it mean by coupling in IT systems?
These are questions that we’ll discuss in-class next Monday. Do not post comments on this.
Day 8 – IT Adventures Ch. 16 – brief guidelines
- What has made IVK IT systems so complex?
- Why is Mr. Barton considering to standardize IVK’s IT systems.
- What are his alternatives? What are the pros and cons of each option?
Unofficial Mid-Term LETTER GRADES on Blackboard
I have posted unofficial mid-term LETTER GRADES on Blackboard, which include the followings.
- Attendance by Oct 13 (5 max)
- Participation by Oct 13
- Reading Briefs by Oct 13 (top five briefs, 50 max)
- Executive Report #1
- Homework #1
Keep in mind that the grades are unofficial, and the final grade will depend on performance for the rest of the semester.
MIS 3534 Executive Report #2 Topics
Day 7 – IT Governance – online discussion questions
- What would be a case in which senior management does not serve the best interests of shareholders?
- How to make sure that the interests of senior management are aligned with those of shareholders?
- What would be a case in which a CIO does not serve the best interests of shareholders?
- What are the duties of an information systems auditor?
- As a CIO, what would you say to a member of the board of directors who is saying that he/she is so busy that he/she does not have time to hear your presentation?
Day 7 – IT Governance – class slides and video links
Reading materials for today’s class
Today, I will give you a time to read the following articles in-class.
Also please bring “Strategic IT Transformation at Accenture” case (in HBS case coursepack) today.
Homework #1 grading completed
The grades are available on Blackboard.
Looking a Volunteer for presentation
Next week, we will need one volunteer to present this BusinessWeek article. This is a great article for any MIS major to read.
“How Target Missed Warnings in Epic Hack of Credit Card Data” – Bloomberg BusinessWeek
Leave a comment or send an email to the Instructor to volunteer. A waiver for one reading brief and participation points will be given.