Business Systems B, in combination with Business Systems A, serves as an introduction to Business Systems and hence forms both a solid base and framework from which to view the discipline.
The unit introduces students to the fundamentals of systems dynamics and business process modelling. Students are also introduced to the fundamental techniques for quantitative analysis of business data presented in the context of the business processes they have already studied in this unit. The application of techniques such as descriptive statistics, basic time series analysis, forecasting, regression and financial analysis are presented as a means of more precisely analysing and understanding business processes and strategic management of the organisation.
Objectives
Upon completion of this unit students should have acquired:
An understanding of the interaction between these processes and hence an overview of how they integrate to serve enterprise wide goals.
Skills in using common diagrammatic techniques for representing business processes.
A working knowledge of the most common, fundamental techniques for quantitative business data analysis.
Prerequisites
Before attempting this unit you must entry to the Masters of Business Systems or equivalent Masters program.
Unit relationships
BUS9530 is a core unit in the Master of Business Systems and Master of Business Systems Professional degrees. It is a prerequisite/corequisite for a number of Post Graduate courses. You may not study this unit and BUS5530, BUS9001, BUS9002, BUS9003, BUS9004 in your degree.
Texts and software
Required text(s)
Kent Sandoe, Gail Corbitt and Raymond Boykin, Enterprise Integration, John Wiley & Sons Inc, 2001, ISBN: 0-471-35993-9.
Textbook availability
Text books are available from the Monash Gippsland Bookshop, email Ros.Gaunt@general.monash.edu.au, phone (03) 5122 1771, fax (03) 5122 1211.
Software requirements
Microsoft Excel 2003
Vensim PLE
Microsoft Visio or SmartDraw 7
Software may be:
downloaded from http://www.smartdraw.com/exp/sof/home/; http://www.vensim.com; http://www.microsoft.com/office/visio/prodinfo/trial.mspx
Hardware requirements
On-campus students may use the facilities available in the computing labs. Information about computer use for students is available from the ITS Student Resource Guide in the Monash University Handbook.
Recommended reading
Hans G. Daelenbach, “Systems and Decision making, A management Science Approach” , John Wiley & Sons 1994.
Robert, Clemen, “Making Hard Decisions, with Decision Tools”, Duxbury/Thomson Learning 2001.
R. Davis, "Business Process Modelling with ARIS: a Practical Guide", Springer, 2001.
A.-W. Scheer, “Business Process Engineering: Reference Models for Industrial Enterprises”, Springer-Verlag, 1998.
U. Gelinas, S. G.Sutton, A. E. Oram “Accounting Information Systems”, fourth edition, Nelson ITP, 1999.
Library access
You may need to access the Monash library either personally to be able to satisfactorily complete the subject. Be sure to obtain a copy of the Library Guide, and if necessary, the instructions for remote access from the library website.
Study resources
Study resources for BUS9530 are:
A printed Unit Book/Reader containing Study Guides from 6 related chapters sent from CeLTS
This Unit Information outlining the administrative information for the unit
Required software online download web sites
The BUS9530 web site, where lecture slides, weekly tutorial requirements, assignment specifications and sample solutions will be posted
Newsgroups that can be linked to from the Unit Homepage
Role of Business IT: Business Integration and Business Engineering
Chapter 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 in Sandoe's
24 July
3
Systems Thinking and Systems Concepts
Chapter 2&3 of Daelenbach's
31 July
4
Business Systems and Business Objectives Modelling
Chapter 3 of Clemen's
7 August
5
Business Systems Dynamics - Part 1
Chapter 1&5 of Sterman's
14 August
6
Business Systems Dynamics - Part 2
Chapter 6 of Sterman's
26 August (A1 Due)
7
Business Process Modelling - Part 1
Chapter 7 of Davis's “Business Modelling with ARIS” and Building Simulation Models With Vensim
28 August
8
Business Process Modelling - Part 2 - EPCs
Chapter 7 of Davis's “Business Modelling with ARIS” and ARIS 6.1 Introduction
4 September
9
Logistics, Accounting and HR Systems
Chapter 12 and 13 of Sandoe's
11 September
10
Process Measurement: Presenting Data in Tables and Charts
Chap 2 of Levine's
18 September
Non teaching week
11
Process Measurement: Summarising and Describing Numerical Data
Chapter 4 of G. Keller's
3 October (A2 Due)
12
Process Measurement: Statistical Forecasting Methods
Forecasting.pdf
9 October
13
Time Value of Money
Financial Modeling in study guide 6
16 October
Timetable
The timetable for on-campus classes for this unit can be viewed in Allocate+
Assessment
Assessment weighting
Assessment for the unit consists of 2 assignments with a weighting of 15% each and an examination with a weighting of 70%.
Assessment Policy
To pass this unit you must:
To pass this unit you must:
attempt all assignments and the examination
score at least 50% of the possible marks for the unit
achieve no less than 40% of the total available marks for the assignments overall, and the examination
Your score for the unit will be calculated by:
Your score for the unit will be calculated by.
Final grade (%) = min (A + 10, E + 10, E * R + A * (1 - R))
Where A = Overall assignment percentage E = Examination percentage R = Exam weighting
Assessment Requirements
Assessment
Due Date
Weighting
Assignment 1
26/08/2006
15%
Assignment 2
03/10/2006
15 %
Assignment specifications will be made available MUSO and http://www.gscit.monash.edu.au/units/2006/sem2/bus9530/assignments/index.html.
Assignment Submission
BUS9530 in MUSO
Gippsland and off-campus students must submit to
http://wfsubmit.its.monash.edu.au/
Extensions and late submissions
Late submission of assignments
Late assignment will be accepted using the following sliding scale:
No of Days Late
Percentage of Grade
1
80%
2
60%
3
40%
4
20%
5
0%
This policy is strict because comments or guidance will be given on assignments as they are returned, and sample solutions may also be published and distributed, after assignment marking or with the returned assignment.
Extensions
It is your responsibility to structure your study program around assignment deadlines, family, work and other commitments. Factors such as normal work pressures, vacations, etc. are seldom regarded as appropriate reasons for granting extensions.
Requests for extensions must be made by email to the unit lecturer at least two days before the due date. You will be asked to forward original medical certificates in cases of illness, and may be asked to provide other forms of documentation where necessary. A copy of the email or other written communication of an extension must be attached to the assignment submission.
Grading of assessment
Assignments, and the unit, will be marked and allocated a grade according to the following scale:
Grade
Percentage/description
HD High Distinction -
very high levels of achievement, demonstrated knowledge and understanding, skills in application and high standards of work encompassing all aspects of the tasks.
In the 80+% range of marks for the assignment.
D Distinction -
high levels of achievement, but not of the same standards. May have a weakness in one particular aspect, or overall standards may not be quite as high.
In the 70-79% range.
C Credit -
sound pass displaying good knowledge or application skills, but some weaknesses in the quality, range or demonstration of understanding.
In the 60-69% range.
P Pass
acceptable standard, showing an adequate basic knowledge, understanding or skills, but with definite limitations on the extent of such understanding or application. Some parts may be incomplete.
In the 50-59% range.
N Not satisfactory
failure to meet the basic requirements of the assessment.
Below 50%.
Assignment return
We will aim to have assignment results made available to you within two weeks after assignment receipt.
Feedback
Feedback to you
You will receive feedback on your work and progress in this unit. This feedback may be provided through your participation in tutorials and class discussions, as well as through your assignment submissions. It may come in the form of individual advice, marks and comments, or it may be provided as comment or reflection targeted at the group. It may be provided through personal interactions, such as interviews and on-line forums, or through other mechanisms such as on-line self-tests and publication of grade distributions.
Feedback from you
You will be asked to provide feedback to the Faculty through a Unit Evaluation survey at the end of the semester. You may also be asked to complete surveys to help teaching staff improve the unit and unit delivery. Your input to such surveys is very important to the faculty and the teaching staff in maintaining relevant and high quality learning experiences for our students.
And if you are having problems
It is essential that you take action immediately if you realise that you have a problem with your study. The semester is short, so we can help you best if you let us know as soon as problems arise. Regardless of whether the problem is related directly to your progress in the unit, if it is likely to interfere with your progress you should discuss it with your lecturer or a Community Service counsellor as soon as possible.
Plagiarism and cheating
Plagiarism and cheating are regarded as very serious offences. In cases where cheating has been confirmed, students have been severely penalised, from losing all marks for an assignment, to facing disciplinary action at the Faculty level. While we would wish that all our students adhere to sound ethical conduct and honesty, I will ask you to acquaint yourself with Student Rights and Responsibilities and the Faculty regulations that apply to students detected cheating as these will be applied in all detected cases.
In this University, cheating means seeking to obtain an unfair advantage in any examination or any other written or practical work to be submitted or completed by a student for assessment. It includes the use, or attempted use, of any means to gain an unfair advantage for any assessable work in the unit, where the means is contrary to the instructions for such work.
When you submit an individual assessment item, such as a program, a report, an essay, assignment or other piece of work, under your name you are understood to be stating that this is your own work. If a submission is identical with, or similar to, someone else's work, an assumption of cheating may arise. If you are planning on working with another student, it is acceptable to undertake research together, and discuss problems, but it is not acceptable to jointly develop or share solutions unless this is specified by your lecturer.
Intentionally providing students with your solutions to assignments is classified as "assisting to cheat" and students who do this may be subject to disciplinary action. You should take reasonable care that your solution is not accidentally or deliberately obtained by other students. For example, do not leave copies of your work in progress on the hard drives of shared computers, and do not show your work to other students. If you believe this may have happened, please be sure to contact your lecturer as soon as possible.
Cheating also includes taking into an examination any material contrary to the regulations, including any bilingual dictionary, whether or not with the intention of using it to obtain an advantage.
Plagiarism involves the false representation of another person's ideas, or findings, as your own by either copying material or paraphrasing without citing sources. It is both professional and ethical to reference clearly the ideas and information that you have used from another writer. If the source is not identified, then you have plagiarised work of the other author. Plagiarism is a form of dishonesty that is insulting to the reader and grossly unfair to your student colleagues.
Communication
Communication methods
Contact (email) lecturer regarding all matters.
Notices
Notices related to the unit during the semester will be placed on the Notices Newsgroup in the Unit Website. Check this regularly. Failure to read the Notices newsgroup is not regarded as grounds for special consideration.
Consultation Times
Monday-Friday
If direct communication with your unit adviser/lecturer or tutor outside of consultation periods is needed you may contact the lecturer and/or tutors at:
Dr Damminda Alahakoon Lecturer Phone +61 3 990 59662
All email communication to you from your lecturer will occur through your Monash student email address. Please ensure that you read it regularly, or forward your email to your main address. Also check that your contact information registered with the University is up to date in My.Monash.
