CLASS / COURSE: IT

QUESTION DESCRIPTION:

Individual Assignment: Evaluating a System, Technology or Contemporary IS Issue.

This individual assignment requires you to critically evaluate an Information System (IS), Technology or contemporary IS issue that:

• is based on one of the chapter topics in the module text SISM (see Annex One)
• is currently used in an organisation, which could be where you have worked or currently work
• is being considered by an organisation
• is a topic that you wish to investigate for personal reasons.

 

You will need to consider what qualifies as a benefit (e.g. distinguish between tangible and intangible benefits), at what level (e.g. organisational, departmental, individual), from whose perspective (i.e. consider the relevant stakeholders; users, managers, developers or consultants) and any features of the particular culture/environment.

The short IS Evaluation Reading List (see Annex Two) should provide you with guidance on possible research approaches that you may adopt. There is no one right approach, so you may select, with clear justification, any approach that you feel is appropriate for the problem under examination.

Deliverable

A 2500 (except cover, table, executive summary, references and appendix etc) word report, which should focus on business benefits for an organisation, and may contain supporting material as Appendices.

The report should be written to the standard of a professional management report and include:

·     a one page Executive Summary (indicating report aims, approach and findings). This is a standalone and concise summary of the whole paper, which is understandable without reference to the rest of the paper.

·     abrief review of the current situation/background regarding the topic

·     a clear methodology section outlining project aims/objectives and how the study was undertaken (with justification)

·     acritical evaluation of the system, technology or contemporary issue taking a management rather than technical perspective

·     clear statement of findings

·     use of figures or tables to summarise points and aid readability

·     a clear and comprehensive set of appropriate references (produced to academic journal standard using Harvard Referencing style)

 

Marking Criteria are shown in Annex Three, but you should also include:

·        a clear and logical document structure

·        acritical rather than descriptive stance

·        justification for statements made e.g. logical reasoning rather than unsupported statements, such as ‘this will be a good thing’

·        professional standards of presentation e.g. page numbering, spell checking, correct grammatical sentence construction, proof reading, clear list of references and neat page layout, with appropriate use of figures and tables. You should not use the first person in preparing the report.

Example Scenario

Two years ago, your company implemented a knowledge management system, but it is unclear whether it is successful or not. Therefore you select Knowledge Management (chapter 8) as your topic.

You will then need to review the literature on knowledge management (KM) and decide on a suitable framework/model on which to base your evaluation.  Remember that there is no one right approach, so you may select, with clear justification, any approach that you feel is appropriate for the situation).

Annex One

Module Core Text

Grant, K., Hackney R., and Edgar D. (2010) Strategic Information Systems ManagementCengage Learning EMEA, Andover, UK.

Chapters

1.   Business Strategy for the Digital World
2.   Business Exploitation of Information and Communication Technology Systems
3.Information Systems Development Approaches
4.   Disruptive Technologies and Applications
5.   Business IT/IS Alignment
6.Strategic IS/IM in Context
7.Global Issues in Information Management
8.Strategic Knowledge Management
9.   Organizational Change, Culture and Strategic IS/IT Led Change
10. IS/IT Benefits Management and Realization
11. Strategic IT/IS Leadership and IT Governance
12. IT/IS Professionalism, Ethics and Security

Annex Two

Information Systems Evaluation: Reading List

(** = Strongly recommended)

DeLone, W. H., and McLean, E. R. (2003) The DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems Success: A Ten-Year Update. Journal of MIS.19. 4. 9-30. **

Skok, W., and Kalmanovitch, C. (2005) Evaluating the Role and Effectiveness of an Intranet in facilitating Knowledge Management.Information & Management. 42. 5. 731-744.

Skok, W., and Legge, M. (2002) Evaluating Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems using an Interpretive Approach.Knowledge and Process Management. 9. 2. 72-82.  

Skok, W., Kophamel, A., and Richardson, I. (2001) Diagnosing Information Systems Success: Importance-Performance Maps in the Health Club Industry. Information and Management.38. 7. 409-419.

Ward, J., and Daniel, E. (2006) Benefits Management: Delivering Value from IS and IT Investments. Wiley. Chichester. **

Willcocks, L. P., and Lester, S. (eds) (1999) Beyond the IT Productivity Paradox. Wiley. Chichester. **

SOLUTION DESCRIPTION: The business world has been one of the major areas that have been greatly affected by the changes in the digital or......

SUBJECTS / CATEGORIES:
1. Information Technology System