INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND ORGANIZATIONAL MODELS
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Bibliography
- Delivery method
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
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The evaluation will be based on an oral test (of approximately 30 minutes) aimed at ascertaining the students' knowledge on the topics of the course and their capability of establishing appropriate links between them. There is also the possibility (to be discussed during the course) of a final multiple-choice test.
The result of the evaluation will be determined by the correctness and accuracy of the answers (70%); the capability of motivating appropriately the analysis and the claims (20%); and the communication capability (10%).
The aim of this course is to provide an introduction to information systems for business and management and, more generally, to the use of ICTs to innovate and improve the competitiveness of organizations. The students will be provided with conceptual tools allowing the evaluation, from both a theoretical and a managerial point of view, of different strategies for the implementation of information systems and of the impacts that different ICT systems can have on organizational systems.
1. Knowledge and understanding capabilities.
• Knowledge of the most common organizational models
• Knowledge of the role of information systems to support business processes
• Knowledge of the typology and the classification of different information systems
• Knowledge of the different architectures for information systems
• Knowledge of the costs for the implementation and management of information systems
• Knowledge of the reasons for an organization to establish cooperation relationships within an inter-organizational network
• Knowledge of the problems (at both the technological and the organizational level) an organization has to cope with to establish inter-organizational relationships
2. Capability of applying the acquired knowledge
• Capability of identifying and describing the components of organizational systems
• Capability of identifying the most appropriate organizational systems to implement in specific business contexts
• Capability of designing and managing innovation processes based on ICT
• Capability of identifying the most appropriate technological tools to support business processes
• Capability of evaluating the impacts of the adoption of different ICT systems on the organization.
3. Judgement autonomy
• Capability of comparing and evaluating different solutions for complex problems, such as the management of the information assets of organizations and the definition strategies for innovation.
4. Communication skills
• Capability of communicating effectively, both in written and spoken form, and capability of explaining ICT based solutions to possible clients.
5. Learning capability
• Capability of understanding, classifying and elaborating on what has been learned during the course.
The lectures of the course concern the following topics:
1. Organizations as open systems (12 h; objectives: 1a, 2a, 2b, 3, 4, 5)
• organizations as open systems
• stakeholder theory
• efficiency, effectiveness, adequacy
2. Organizations as decision-making systems, transactions, market and networks as governance models (12 h; objectives: 1a, 2a, 2b, 3, 4, 5)
• Bounded rationality
• Hierarchical organizations
• Organizational charts
• Transaction costs approach (market)
• Contracts theory
3. The problem of coordination (8 h; objectives: 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3,4, 5)
• Definition of coordination
• Coordination mechanisms
• Coordination and access to resources
4. Business processes (8 h; objectives: 1c, 1d, 2b, 2d, 3, 4, 5)
• Process-oriented organizations
• Porter’s value chain
5. Information systems (8 h; objectives: 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 2c, 2d, 3, 4, 5)
• IT infrastructure and its evolution
• cloud computing models
6. ICT and organizational performances (8 h; objectives: 2c, 2d, 2e,3, 4, 5)
• Technological and organizational innovation
Slides of the lectures (made available through the e-Learning platform of the University of Insubria)
Essential reading (limited to the chapters that will be indicated during the course):
- Bracchi, Francalanci, Motta, Sistemi Informativi e aziende in rete, McGraw-Hill, 2001
- Laudon, Laudon, Morabito, Pennarola, Management dei sistemi informativi, Parsons Paravia Bruno Mondadori, 2010.
- Daft, Organizzazione Aziendale, Maggioli 2021
3. Further papers (in English) made available through the e-Learning platform of the University of Insubria.
On site lectures (56 h) devoted to the illustration of the course topics, integrating the presentation of the concepts with examples and case studies. Due to the course conceptual nature, during the classes the students’ active participation will be encouraged to foster the critical appraisal of the delivered contents. To this end, papers from scientific journals will be suggested to the students to deepen the knowledge of some particularly relevant topics.
Course hours: 56
Office hours: Upon appointment