• Discussion of Course Policies ( Handout #1)
• Why do managers need to understand information technology (IT)?
• Assigned Reading: Another Trip to Hell (business and technology errors that cause Information System projects to fail)

• Information Technology (IT) systems (versus the technologies used to develop those systems)
• Phases in the system development lifecycle (SDLC) and the role of the business person in that process

• Discussion of the reading assigned on August 20
• Assigned Reading: The Management Information Systems Organization (on electronic reserve at the UNCA library)

• Labor Day (no class)

• Discussion of the reading assigned on August 27
• (Reminder: You will need your "bulldog" account and password in class on September 8)

• Bring your "bulldog" account and password to class today
• UNIX operating system commands
• Assigned Exercise: UNIX (due September 10)

• UNIX exercise due
• Topic of the Week due
• Building a web page: HTML commands
• Assigned Exercise: HTML (due September 15)

• HTML exercise due
• Types of software

• Topic of the Week due
• Types of software, continued

• View student web pages (Items 1 and 2 due on Items to put on your Mgmt 386 web page)
• Databases
• Assigned Readings (on electronic reserve at UNCA library):
  • Database Management: Managing Data Resources
  • What's in it for me?

• Topic of the Week due
• Databases & Data warehouses
• Assigned Reading: Data Warehouse

• Exam I

• Creating data files in a database (with MS-Access)
• Assigned Exercise: Create a database file (due October 6)

• Creating report files in a database (with MS-Access)
• Handout #2: Database assignment (due October 20)
• Putting files (such as images, documents, or slides) on a web page

October 13

• View student web pages (Item 5 due on Items to put on your Mgmt 386 web page)
• Artificial Intelligence

• Topic of the Week due
• Artificial Intelligence, continued
  • Readings:
    • (neural networks) Neural Nets Spot Credit Risks
    • (software agents) Undercover Agents
      • Bots Knowledge (shown in class)
    • Computerizing Common Sense
    • (expert systems) Software Lets Users Evaluate Sales Strategy
      • Whale Demo Expert System (shown in class)
• For more information and/or clarification on the "Fields of A.I." class lectures, you may wish to see pgs. 310-329 in the Introduction to Information Systems text on reserve at the UNCA library

• Database assignment due
• More Examples of 4th Generation Software Tools
  • Geographical Information System (G.I.S.)
    • A Mappable Feast
  • Enterprise Resource Planning (E.R.P.)
    • Easier People Tracking
    • Also see:
      • ERP
      • "That Darn Cultural Thing" (the last case in the Another Trip to Hell reading earlier this semester)
  • Customer Relationship Management (the strategy & the software)
    • What is CRM?
  • Business Intelligence Software
    • Business Intelligence Gets Smart(er)

• Topic of the Week due
• IT spending .. Should it increase or decrease?
  • An airline example (must read before class):
    • IT investments grounded at US Air, other carriers
    • Despite Economy, IT Projects Take Off at American West
    • USAir-EDS Deal Remains on Course, for Now
  • CFOs cite poor alignment between IT, business

October 27

• No class: study time for the exam

• Exam II

• View student web pages (Item 6 due on Items to put on your Mgmt 386 web page)
• "intelligence integration"
  • Congressman: 9-11 attacks could have been detected, stopped
  • Plans emerging for national data sharing

• Topic of the Week due
• Continuation of "IT Spending .. should it increase or decrease?"

• Knowledge Management
  • The ABCs of Knowledge Management
  • Frequently Asked Questions about Knowledge Management

• Topic of the Week due
• Knowledge Management, continued:
  • Underwriting Knowledge
  • He Drills for Knowledge

• Introducing Innovation into Organizations
• Change Agent: Transforming People, Processes and Attitudes

• Topic of the Week due
• Introducing Innovation into Organizations, continued
• Handout #3
• Reading: Fear Less and other patterns for introducing new ideas into organizations

• FINAL version of web page due
• Exercise on Handout #3 due
• Introducing Innovation into Organizations, continued
  • Plan for Furnish It Again
• Discussion of in class simulation and case (to be held in class on December 1)

• In class simulation (and case)
• Handout #4: Requirements for simulation/case report

• Follow-up and discussion of simulation