Monthly Archives: January 2015
Grading Otis reading brief completed
Online discussion questions – Jan 16
- When would buyers have a strong bargaining power vis-a-vis sellers (except the number of buyers, price-sensitivity, and switching costs)?
- What are the examples of switching costs (other than mobile contracts, network effects)?
In-class discussion questions for Jan 16
- What does it mean by a bargaining power of buyers? When would buyers have a strong bargaining power?
- Any example of switching costs for buyers?
- Suppose you’ve got $300 millions from winning a lottery. You want to start a new airline company. What does it takes for you to make the first flight take off?
- What would be substitutes for a travel by flight? Wha would be substitutes for grocery stores?
- According to the Otis case, which business is more profitable? Elevator manufacturing or service?
- In the Otis case, “The service market attracted many participants because of its steady demand, low barriers of entry, and high profitability.” (p. 3) Doesn’t it mean that the service market is not profitable for Otis?
We will discuss these questions in-class on Friday, Jan 16. Do not post comments on this.
Friday, Jan 16 – Sign up for presentation!
For next class, we need two volunteers to present one of these two articles for five minutes.
- Harvard Business Case – “Otis Elevator: Accelerating Business Transformation with IT”
- Harvard Business Review – “The Five Forces That Shape Strategy” by M.E. Porter
One reading brief will be waived, and participation credits will be also given. I will send the Five Forces article to the presenter. Email to minspang@temple.edu or leave a comment to volunteer.
How was the first week? – Survey
How were the first week’s classes? Let me know if you liked it or want me to improve by answering this survey!
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2JH66VH
Your responses would be very helpful for me to make this course better.
Week 1 – Introduction – class slides and videos
Week 01 – Introduction (color).pdf
Week 01 – Introduction (bw).pdf
Todd Park and Steven Van Roekel – TechCrunch (http://on.aol.com/video/todd-park-and-steven-vanroekel-talk-about-the-new-government-technology-initiatives—-disrupt-517377234)
IS in Action – Wal-Mart Supply Chain – CNBC (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUe-tSabKag)
Keynote Address, Rob Carter, CIO Fedex – PointThink (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2UhvZleXN8)
Harrah’s Entertainment CIO – ZDNet (http://www.zdnet.com/videos/cio/harrahs-entertainment-cio-tim-stanley/334830?tag=content;selector-videos)
Online discussion questions – Jan 15
- What should be qualifications for a position of a Chief Information Officer?
- Why do Mr. Carl Williams and the board of directors at IVK choose Mr. Jim Barton for a new CIO?
- Should a CIO be chosen among technically-trained managers or business-background managers?
- Which skill is easier to learn? IT or Management? Why?
What do you think? Leave your thoughts that you couldn’t share in-class.
First Weekly Reading Brief guidelines – Otis Elevator
Read Otis Elevator case from the Harvard Business School coursepack and explain the following three points.
- What’s the direction of Otis’s strategic move?
- Why is Otis trying to shift its strategic focus?
- How do Otis’s IT projects (OtisLine, e*Lostistics) support such a move?
Instructions
- Submit via Blackboard (http://blackboard.temple.edu/).
- Up to 200 words.
- Due by 10:00am on Friday, Jan 16. A late submission will not be graded.
- For your brief to be considered for a best brief with extra credits, you need to submit by 6pm on Thursday, Jan 15.
- DO NOT COPY AND PASTE from the case. Use your own words. Plagiarized work will be graded at 0.
The first day on Jan 12 – please bring the textbook
On the first day of MIS 3534 at Monday, Jan 12 (10 am at Speakman Hall 211), please bring the textbook (The Adventures of an IT Leader).