FIT2074 Technology, information and organisations - Semester 1, 2013

This unit examines the way in which information technology influences the structures and operations of organisations and organisational approaches to the management and use of information. The capabilities and limitations of technologies and the way they have been commoditised and standardised in the marketplace are fundamental determinants of what IT-based applications are capable of achieving. As technologies have evolved and been commoditised, they have shaped and in turn been shaped by what individuals and organisations want and expect from them. This unit applies this perspective as a basis for analysing the main technologies employed by organisations for the use and management of information.

Mode of Delivery

Contact Hours

2 hrs lectures/wk, 2 hrs tutorial/wk

Workload requirements

For all students workload commitments per week are:

• two hour lecture,
• two hour tutorial (requiring advance preparation)
• an expected 3 hours of personal study per one hour of contact time in order to satisfy the reading, assignment and exam expectations.

Unit Relationships

Prerequisites

FIT1036 or FIT1003

Chief Examiner

Campus Lecturer

Tutors

Academic Overview

Learning Outcomes

• know and understand the impacts of advances in information technologies on organisations, their structures and the way they use and manage information to support their operations;
• know and understand how the needs of organisations and the marketplace influence the path of technology evolution;
• know and understand some of the key factors which contribute to the success or failure of technology-based innovations in organisations;
• recognise the strengths and weaknesses of information technology for performing a variety of common information tasks;
• be able to evaluate the merits and disadvantages of a technology-based solution to an organisational information need or problem;
• be able to carry out a critical analysis of an area of technology and make an assessment of its likely future impacts on an organisation.

Unit Schedule

*Unit Schedule details will be maintained and communicated to you via your learning system.

Assessment Summary

Examination (3 hours): 60%; In-semester assessment: 40%

Teaching Approach

Assessment Requirements

Assessment Policy

Faculty Policy - Unit Assessment Hurdles (http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/staff/edgov/policies/assessment-examinations/unit-assessment-hurdles.html)

Academic Integrity - Please see the Demystifying Citing and Referencing tutorial at http://lib.monash.edu/tutorials/citing/

Assessment Tasks

Participation

• Assessment task 1

  Title:

  Assignment 1: Tutorial Quizzes

  Description:

  In weeks 3-12 you will complete an online quiz at the start of each tutorial which will test your knowledge of the lecture material and the readings for the topic. Your best five (5) results will make up your mark for this assessment task.

  Weighting:

  5%

  Criteria for assessment:

  Comprehension of key concepts relevant to the topic from lecture and reading material.

  Due date:

  Monday Tutorials - Weeks 3-12

• Assessment task 2

  Title:

  Assignment 2: IS/IT/IM Report

  Description:

  You are required to prepare a report on the current state of play and future prospects for an emerging IS/IT/IM trend in a given organisational context. It consists of 3 parts:

  1. a critical review of an assigned article
  2. a plan - incorporating a proposed outline for your final report, schedule of research, analysis and writing activities and review of key information resources
  3. a final report.

  Weighting:

  35% (10% for the Critical Review, 10% for the Plan, 15% for the Final Report)

  Criteria for assessment:

  Critical Review

  1. Synthesis - ability to summarise the key issues and arguments of a key source.
  2. Critical Analysis - ability to evaluate the author’s arguments with care and balance, demonstrating some knowledge of broader literature on the topic.
  3. Presentation - that you have presented your work in a suitably formatted style, with appropriate citing and referencing of all your sources.

  Plan

  1. Ability to scope your assigned topic.
  2. Ability to identify and evaluate key information sources.
  3. Ability to identify and prepare a schedule of research and writing activities, and professionally report on your progress.

  Final Report

  1. Understanding – ability to describe a class of information systems or technologies, highlighting salient issues regarding their use in organisations.
  2. Use of evidence and argument – explanation of your position regarding the current state of play and future prospects by using logical argument drawing on the concepts presented in the unit.
  3. Presentation - that you have presented your work in a suitably formatted report style, with appropriate citing and referencing of all your sources.

  Due date:

  Monday (Critical Review due 8 April 2013, Plan due 22 April 2013, Final Report due 20 May 2013)

Examinations

• Examination 1

  Weighting:

  60 %

  Length:

  3 hours

  Type (open/closed book):

  Closed book

  Electronic devices allowed in the exam:

  None

  Remarks:

  Students will be allowed up to 2 single-sided or 1 double-sided page of hand written or word processed notes. These may include text and diagrams.

Learning resources

Reading list

This will be provided in the supporting material for the lectures and tutorials. In addition to the prescribed and recommended texts lecture material may be sourced from:

• Pearlson, K. E., & Saunders, C. S. (2010). Managing and Using Information Systems: A Strategic Approach. (4th Edition) Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. 
• Boddy, D., Boonstra, A., & Kennedy, G. (2008). Managing Information Systems: Strategy and Organisation. (3rd Edition) Harlow, Essex, England: Pearson Education Limited.

Feedback to you

• Informal feedback on progress in labs/tutes
• Graded assignments with comments

Extensions and penalties

Returning assignments

Resubmission of assignments

Assignments must be submitted by the due date unless special consideration applies. There is no resubmission of assignments.

Referencing requirements

All Faculty of Information Technology masters coursework and undergraduate units should use the American Psychological Association (APA) Style Guide. For examples see http://www.lib.monash.edu.au/tutorials/citing/infotech.html.

Assignment submission

Online submission

If Electronic Submission has been approved for your unit, please submit your work via the learning system for this unit, which you can access via links in the my.monash portal.

Prescribed text(s)

David Kroenke, Deborah Bunker & David Wilson. (2012). Experiencing MIS. (2nd Edition) Pearson (ISBN: 978-1-4425-3314-1).

Recommended text(s)

Kenneth Laudon & Jane Laudon. (2012). Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm. (12th Global Edition) Pearson (ISBN: 9780273754534).

Other Information

Policies

Graduate Attributes Policy

Student services

Monash University Library

Disability Liaison Unit

Your feedback to Us

Previous Student Evaluations of this Unit

In line with student feedback and review of the unit by the teaching staff, the unit's assessments have been revised to better support the development of research and critical analysis skills. The prescribed text has also been updated.