INFS5731 Information Systems Strategy and Management - 2021

Subject Code
INFS5731
Study Level
Postgraduate
Commencing Term
Term 3
Total Units of Credit (UOC)
6
Delivery Mode
On Campus and Online
School
Info Systems & Tech Mgmt
The course outline is not available for current term. To view outlines from other year and/or terms visit the archives

1. Course Details

Given the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions in NSW, all Term 3 courses will be delivered online until at least Friday 22nd October and all assessment will be online throughout the term. The University remains hopeful that the situation will improve to allow for some on-campus activities later in Term 3 such as lab, practical and studio classes. UNSW will continue to review the situation regularly and keep students updated. For further information on how your study may be affected this term, please see FAQs here. See tab 8. Policies and Support in this course outline for tips on online study and assessment.

Summary of Course

This course focuses on the key concepts, practices and issues in the strategic management of IT. It begins with a discussion of the strategic value of IT, including the role of business-IT alignment in realising that value. Second, the course looks at strategic IT decision processes, including planned and emergent strategy-making and IT governance. Third, the course considers strategy implementation issues, including the role of IT leadership, project and portfolio management, and sourcing decisions. The course closes with a discussion of the strategic role of IT-enabled innovation and current trends in strategy and IT.

We will analyse cases and industry examples, and examine strategic IT issues in practice. Our classes will involve discussion of selected readings. Students are also encouraged to draw from and reflect on their own experiences.

Teaching Times and Locations

Please note that teaching times and locations are subject to change. Students are strongly advised to refer to the Class Timetable website for the most up-to-date teaching times and locations.

View course timetable

Course Policies & Support

Course Aims and Relationship to Other Courses

This course aims to familiarise you with the key concepts, practices and issues in the strategic management of IT and provide you with sufficient practical and theoretical knowledge of the area so that you will be able to meaningfully participate in, or interact with, this aspect of IT management. In addition to providing these domain skills we will also be looking to enhance your communication, presentation, problem solving and critical thinking skills through class work and assignments.

This course will be of benefit to all those students intent on pursuing a career in IS/IT, business consulting or management. The course would also be useful for those who envisage, or perhaps already have, launched their own business ventures.


2. Staff Contact Details

Position Title Name Email Location Phone Consultation Times
Lecturer-in-chargeMsChona RyanQuad2107A+61 (2) 9385 5409Mondays 11am-12pm or scheduled appointment

Due to social distancing requirements, no 'in person' face to face consultations will available in Term 3, 2021 until the relevant authorities indicate that such meetings are safe to go ahead. A time for a virtual meeting for consultations will be arranged in Week 1 and details of how to drop into this meeting will be provided on the course website on Moodle.

The best way to contact your Lecturer is via email or see then during their consultation times (being held as virtual meeting in T3, 2021 _ see Moodle for details). Please note that only your UNSW email account should be used for formal notices and correspondence regarding the course. All students are expected to use email responsibly and respectfully. Moodle will to be used for all course communication i.e. notices, questions regarding assignments and course content.

If you need to contact the school urgently, email istm@unsw.edu.au.

3. Learning and Teaching Activities

Approach to Learning and Teaching in the Course

In this course we take an active learning approach that stresses interactive and problem-centred teaching and learning. Our aim is to create a cooperative learning and teaching environment in which we all are valuable and competent contributors to knowledge creation and sharing. Your prior knowledge and your work experience are highly important and we should all benefit from it. In addition all reading materials – the textbook and articles – are an integral part of the knowledge development process, helping you grasp new knowledge and linking it to your prior knowledge and experience.

We foster this approach through a range of strategies throughout the session. Our in class or online workshops and seminars will be interactive and you will be expected to actively contribute to the class via your involvement in discussions. Your contribution to class activities and discussions will reflect your readings and your ability to acquire new concepts and models and connect them to your experience and problems investigated. Our seminars are also designed to improve your communication, problems solving, teamwork and critical thinking skills.

The assessment tasks used in this course have been designed for you to apply your knowledge to practical problems in managing strategic deployment of IS/IT. The assessment tasks reinforce the development of knowledge and skills and their integration with your prior knowledge and experience.

The role of the lecturers in this course is to facilitate knowledge co-creation processes by leading and stimulating the class discussions and activities and will assist you with problems you may encounter through the seminars and consultations.

It is however your responsibility to make a concerted effort in your studies. Being prepared, keeping up to date with readings and tasks are very important for your comprehension, advancement of knowledge and development of new skills. Each week builds on the prior weeks so it is important that you get your study regime organized early. Being prepared enables you to actively participate in the seminar and make most of it.

Learning Activities and Teaching Strategies

Our course consists of 9 Modules to be covered over the 10 weeks of the course. Each week will cover a new topic, except Week 6.

This course follows a blended format with some classes delivered online and some classes conducted on campus. 4 of the 9 modules will be conducted in person on campus and the remaining 5 will be conducted online. Details on the schedule will be published on Moodle during O-Week.

Each week will require you to undertake a set of activities:
•    Read the required readings
•    Access pre-recorded lecture material
•    Answer question in the discussion forums
•    Prepare for the weekly workshop / seminar
•    Attend and participate in the weekly workshop / seminar
•    Undertake your own private study

A detailed weekly study guide will help you work though each of these activities. The study guide will be available at least 1 week before the relevant topic

Each week will have a set of required readings. For the most part the required readings will be one or two chapters from our text (see Resources section of the course outline for details). The required readings are a foundational element of the course and it is essential that your read them. Each week will also have some ‘additional readings’ which are recommended should you wish to investigate that weeks topic further. A series of voiced over slides about various aspects of the week’s topic will be available for you to stream. The slides on which the videos are based will also be available to download.

Discussion forums are a key element of this course and are the place where we will outline relevant world examples of the topic at hand, describe and discuss real world applications of our frameworks and theories, discuss the more difficult aspects of our topics and contemplate future development in that areas under consideration. Each week a question will be posted on the discussion forum and it is expected that everyone will post answers, follow ups and comments during the week. The forums will be moderated by the lecturer. Your involvement in the discussion forums is important and will determine a major part of your participation mark. The study required to answer the forum questions, along with the preparation for the virtual workshop / seminar (as discussed below) will form the major part of your private study each week. Further details about the discussion forums will be provide in Moodle.

An in person class or  ‘live’ virtual workshop / seminar will be held each week (4 weeks will be in person class, 5 weeks online). It is envisaged that it will be two hours long and will involve a range of activities (such as Q&A, small group discussions and presentations and the like). We will use Zoom for the live virtual sessions and the agenda and invite to the meeting will be set out on Moodle each week. The workshop / seminar will be very interactive, and your involvement will be very important and will determine a major part of your participation mark. You will need to prepare for the seminar / workshop and this preparation, along with the study required to answer the discussion forums (discussed above) will form a major component of your weekly private study.


Your own study, in form of reading the required readings, preparation of answers to discussion forum questions, preparation for the virtual workshops / seminars, writing of your own topic notes and summaries and reflecting on summaries and notes for the key element of this course – your own private study. It is expected that this work will take at least 8 hours per week.

5. Course Resources

The website for this course is hosted on UNSW Moodle. The course website will be used to provide access to the weekly seminar slides, study guides, announcements and other materials as required. The website is also used for assignment submissions.

Course Textbook

The textbook for the course is:

Peppard, J., and Ward, J. 2016. The Strategic Management of Information Systems: Building a Digital Strategy (4th Edition), Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, ISBN: 978-0-470-03467-5.

You will need unrestricted access to the textbook throughout the session. You will need to bring the textbook to the seminar each week.

Additional Readings

This course will make regular use of additional readings such as journal articles, business reports and the like. These additional readings will be listed in the weekly notes. It is your responsibility to obtain a copy of the readings.

6. Course Evaluation & Development

Feedback is regularly sought from students and continual improvements are made based on this feedback. At the end of this course, you will be asked to complete the myExperience survey, which provides a key source of student evaluative feedback. Your input into this quality enhancement process is extremely valuable in assisting us to meet the needs of our students and provide an effective and enriching learning experience. The results of all surveys are carefully considered and do lead to action towards enhancing educational quality.

In this course, we will seek your feedback through end of semester myExperience responses. You are also encouraged and very welcome to provide feedback and suggestions you might have about the course directly to the lecturers at any time throughout the semester.

7. Course Schedule

Note: for more information on the UNSW academic calendar and key dates including study period, exam, supplementary exam and result release, please visit: https://student.unsw.edu.au/new-calendar-dates
Week Activity Topic Assessment/Other
Week 1: 13 SeptemberLecture & Seminar

Module 1: Role of IS in Organizations

Participation ongoing

Week 2: 20 SeptemberLecture & seminar

Module 2: Overview of Strategic Management

Participation ongoing

Week 3: 27 SeptemberLecture & seminar

Module 3: IS/IT Strategic Analysis

Participation ongoing

Week 4: 4 OctoberLecture & seminar

Module 4: Innovating with IT

Participation ongoing

Week 5: 11 OctoberLecture & seminar

Module 5: Exploiting IS for Strategic Advantage

Participation ongoing

Week 6: 18 OctoberSelf Study

Mid-term Revision Week

Participation ongoing

Week 7: 25 OctoberLecture & seminar

Module 6: Determining and Managing the Business IS Strategy

Participation ongoing

Week 8: 1 NovemberLecture & seminar

Module 7: Justifying Investments

Participation ongoing

Week 9: 8 NovemberLecture & seminar

Module 8: IT Governance

Group Project Due

Participation ongoing

Week 10: 15 NovemberLecture & seminar

Module 9: IT Services & Sourcing

Participation ongoing

8. Policies and Support

Information about UNSW Business School program learning outcomes, academic integrity, student responsibilities and student support services. For information regarding special consideration and viewing final exam scripts, please go to the key policies and support page.

Program Learning Outcomes

The Business School places knowledge and capabilities at the core of its curriculum via seven Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs). These PLOs are systematically embedded and developed across the duration of all coursework programs in the Business School.

PLOs embody the knowledge, skills and capabilities that are taught, practised and assessed within each Business School program. They articulate what you should know and be able to do upon successful completion of your degree.

Upon graduation, you should have a high level of specialised business knowledge and capacity for responsible business thinking, underpinned by ethical professional practice. You should be able to harness, manage and communicate business information effectively and work collaboratively with others. You should be an experienced problem-solver and critical thinker, with a global perspective, cultural competence and the potential for innovative leadership.

All UNSW programs and courses are designed to assess the attainment of program and/or course level learning outcomes, as required by the UNSW Assessment Design Procedure. It is important that you become familiar with the Business School PLOs, as they constitute the framework which informs and shapes the components and assessments of the courses within your program of study.

PLO 1: Business knowledge

Students will make informed and effective selection and application of knowledge in a discipline or profession, in the contexts of local and global business.

PLO 2: Problem solving

Students will define and address business problems, and propose effective evidence-based solutions, through the application of rigorous analysis and critical thinking.

PLO 3: Business communication

Students will harness, manage and communicate business information effectively using multiple forms of communication across different channels.

PLO 4: Teamwork

Students will interact and collaborate effectively with others to achieve a common business purpose or fulfil a common business project, and reflect critically on the process and the outcomes.

PLO 5: Responsible business practice

Students will develop and be committed to responsible business thinking and approaches, which are underpinned by ethical professional practice and sustainability considerations.

PLO 6: Global and cultural competence

Students will be aware of business systems in the wider world and actively committed to recognise and respect the cultural norms, beliefs and values of others, and will apply this knowledge to interact, communicate and work effectively in diverse environments.

PLO 7: Leadership development

Students will develop the capacity to take initiative, encourage forward thinking and bring about innovation, while effectively influencing others to achieve desired results.


These PLOs relate to undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs.  For PG Research PLOs, including Master of Pre-Doctoral Business Studies, please refer to the UNSW HDR Learning Outcomes

Business School course outlines provide detailed information for students on how the course learning outcomes, learning activities, and assessment/s contribute to the development of Program Learning Outcomes.

UNSW Graduate Capabilities

The Business School PLOs also incorporate UNSW graduate capabilities, a set of generic abilities and skills that all students are expected to achieve by graduation. These capabilities articulate the University’s institutional values, as well as future employer expectations.

UNSW Graduate CapabilitiesBusiness School PLOs
Scholars capable of independent and collaborative enquiry, rigorous in their analysis, critique and reflection, and able to innovate by applying their knowledge and skills to the solution of novel as well as routine problems.
  • PLO 1: Business knowledge
  • PLO 2: Problem solving
  • PLO 3: Business communication
  • PLO 4: Teamwork
  • PLO 7: Leadership development

Entrepreneurial leaders capable of initiating and embracing innovation and change, as well as engaging and enabling others to contribute to change
  • PLO 1: Business knowledge
  • PLO 2: Problem solving
  • PLO 3: Business communication
  • PLO 4: Teamwork
  • PLO 6: Global and cultural competence
  • PLO 7: Leadership development

Professionals capable of ethical, self-directed practice and independent lifelong learning
  • PLO 1: Business knowledge
  • PLO 2: Problem solving
  • PLO 3: Business communication
  • PLO 5: Responsible business practice

Global citizens who are culturally adept and capable of respecting diversity and acting in a socially just and responsible way.
  • PLO 1: Business knowledge
  • PLO 2: Problem solving
  • PLO 3: Business communication
  • PLO 4: Teamwork
  • PLO 5: Responsible business practice
  • PLO 6: Global and cultural competence

While our programs are designed to provide coverage of all PLOs and graduate capabilities, they also provide you with a great deal of choice and flexibility.  The Business School strongly advises you to choose a range of courses that assist your development against the seven PLOs and four graduate capabilities, and to keep a record of your achievements as part of your portfolio. You can use a portfolio as evidence in employment applications as well as a reference for work or further study. For support with selecting your courses contact the UNSW Business School Student Services team.





Academic Integrity and Plagiarism

Academic Integrity is honest and responsible scholarship. This form of ethical scholarship is highly valued at UNSW. Terms like Academic Integrity, misconduct, referencing, conventions, plagiarism, academic practices, citations and evidence based learning are all considered basic concepts that successful university students understand. Learning how to communicate original ideas, refer sources, work independently, and report results accurately and honestly are skills that you will be able to carry beyond your studies.

The definition of academic misconduct is broad. It covers practices such as cheating, copying and using another person’s work without appropriate acknowledgement. Incidents of academic misconduct may have serious consequences for students.

Plagiarism

UNSW regards plagiarism as a form of academic misconduct. UNSW has very strict rules regarding plagiarism. Plagiarism at UNSW is using the words or ideas of others and passing them off as your own. All Schools in the Business School have a Student Ethics Officer who will investigate incidents of plagiarism and may result in a student’s name being placed on the Plagiarism and Student Misconduct Registers.

Below are examples of plagiarism including self-plagiarism:

Copying: Using the same or very similar words to the original text or idea without acknowledging the source or using quotation marks. This includes copying materials, ideas or concepts from a book, article, report or other written document, presentation, composition, artwork, design, drawing, circuitry, computer program or software, website, internet, other electronic resource, or another person's assignment, without appropriate acknowledgement of authorship.

Inappropriate Paraphrasing: Changing a few words and phrases while mostly retaining the original structure and/or progression of ideas of the original, and information without acknowledgement. This also applies in presentations where someone paraphrases another’s ideas or words without credit and to piecing together quotes and paraphrases into a new whole, without appropriate referencing.

Collusion: Presenting work as independent work when it has been produced in whole or part in collusion with other people. Collusion includes:

  • Students providing their work to another student before the due date, or for the purpose of them plagiarising at any time
  • Paying another person to perform an academic task and passing it off as your own
  • Stealing or acquiring another person’s academic work and copying it
  • Offering to complete another person’s work or seeking payment for completing academic work

Collusion should not be confused with academic collaboration (i.e., shared contribution towards a group task).

Inappropriate Citation: Citing sources which have not been read, without acknowledging the 'secondary' source from which knowledge of them has been obtained.

Self-Plagiarism: ‘Self-plagiarism’ occurs where an author republishes their own previously written work and presents it as new findings without referencing the earlier work, either in its entirety or partially. Self-plagiarism is also referred to as 'recycling', 'duplication', or 'multiple submissions of research findings' without disclosure. In the student context, self-plagiarism includes re-using parts of, or all of, a body of work that has already been submitted for assessment without proper citation.

To see if you understand plagiarism, do this short quiz: https://student.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism-quiz

Cheating

The University also regards cheating as a form of academic misconduct. Cheating is knowingly submitting the work of others as their own and includes contract cheating (work produced by an external agent or third party that is submitted under the pretences of being a student’s original piece of work). Cheating is not acceptable at UNSW.

If you need to revise or clarify any terms associated with academic integrity you should explore the 'Working with Academic Integrity' self-paced lessons available at: https://student.unsw.edu.au/aim.

For UNSW policies, penalties, and information to help you avoid plagiarism see: https://student.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism as well as the guidelines in the online ELISE tutorials for all new UNSW students: http://subjectguides.library.unsw.edu.au/elise. For information on student conduct see: https://student.unsw.edu.au/conduct.

For information on how to acknowledge your sources and reference correctly, see: https://student.unsw.edu.au/referencing. If you are unsure what referencing style to use in this course, you should ask the lecturer in charge.



Student Responsibilities and Conduct

​Students are expected to be familiar with and adhere to university policies in relation to class attendance and general conduct and behaviour, including maintaining a safe, respectful environment; and to understand their obligations in relation to workload, assessment and keeping informed.

Information and policies on these topics can be found on the 'Managing your Program' website.

Workload

It is expected that you will spend at least ten to twelve hours per week studying for a course except for Summer Term courses which have a minimum weekly workload of twenty to twenty four hours. This time should be made up of reading, research, working on exercises and problems, online activities and attending classes. In periods where you need to complete assignments or prepare for examinations, the workload may be greater. Over-commitment has been a cause of failure for many students. You should take the required workload into account when planning how to balance study with employment and other activities.

We strongly encourage you to connect with your Moodle course websites in the first week of semester. Local and international research indicates that students who engage early and often with their course website are more likely to pass their course.

View more information on expected workload

Attendance and Engagement

Your regular attendance and active engagement in all scheduled classes and online learning activities is expected in this course. Failure to attend / engage in assessment tasks that are integrated into learning activities (e.g. class discussion, presentations) will be reflected in the marks for these assessable activities. The Business School may refuse final assessment to those students who attend less than 80% of scheduled classes where attendance and participation is required as part of the learning process (e.g. tutorials, flipped classroom sessions, seminars, labs, etc.). If you are not able to regularly attend classes, you should consult the relevant Course Authority.

View more information on attendance

General Conduct and Behaviour

You are expected to conduct yourself with consideration and respect for the needs of your fellow students and teaching staff. Conduct which unduly disrupts or interferes with a class, such as ringing or talking on mobile phones, is not acceptable and students may be asked to leave the class.

View more information on student conduct

Health and Safety

UNSW Policy requires each person to work safely and responsibly, in order to avoid personal injury and to protect the safety of others.

View more information on Health and Safety

Keeping Informed

You should take note of all announcements made in lectures, tutorials or on the course web site. From time to time, the University will send important announcements to your university e-mail address without providing you with a paper copy. You will be deemed to have received this information. It is also your responsibility to keep the University informed of all changes to your contact details.




Student Support and Resources

The University and the Business School provide a wide range of support services and resources for students, including:

Business School Learning Support Tools
Business School provides support a wide range of free resources and services to help students in-class and out-of-class, as well as online. These include:

  • Academic Communication Essentials – A range of academic communication workshops, modules and resources to assist you in developing your academic communication skills.
  • Learning consultations – Meet learning consultants who have expertise in business studies, literacy, numeracy and statistics, writing, referencing, and researching at university level.
  • PASS classes – Study sessions facilitated by students who have previously and successfully completed the course.
  • Educational Resource Access Scheme – To support the inclusion and success of students from equity groups enrolled at UNSW Sydney in first year undergraduate Business programs.

The Nucleus - Business School Student Services team
The Nucleus Student Services team provides advice and direction on all aspects of enrolment and graduation. Level 2, Main Library, Kensington 02 8936 7005 / https://nucleus.unsw.edu.au/en/contact-us

Business School Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
The Business School Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee strives to ensure that every student is empowered to have equal access to education. The Business School provides a vibrant, safe, and equitable environment for education, research, and engagement that embraces diversity and treats all people with dignity and respect. BUSEDI@unsw.edu.au

UNSW Academic Skills
Resources and support – including workshops, individual consultations and a range of online resources – to help you develop and refine your academic skills. See their website for details.
academicskills@unsw.edu.au

Student Support Advisors
Student Support Advisors work with all students to promote the development of skills needed to succeed at university, whilst also providing personal support throughout the process.
John Goodsell Building, Ground Floor.
advisors@unsw.edu.au
02 9385 4734

International Student Support
The International Student Experience Unit (ISEU) is the first point of contact for international students. ISEU staff are always here to help with personalised advice and information about all aspects of university life and life in Australia.
Advisors can support you with your student visa, health and wellbeing, making friends, accommodation and academic performance.
International.student@unsw.edu.au
02 9385 4734

Equitable Learning Services
Equitable Learning Services (formerly Disability Support Services) is a free and confidential service that provides practical support to ensure that your health condition doesn't adversely affect your studies. Register with the service to receive educational adjustments.
Ground Floor, John Goodsell Building.
els@unsw.edu.au
02 9385 4734

UNSW Counselling and Psychological Services
Provides support and services if you need help with your personal life, getting your academic life back on track or just want to know how to stay safe, including free, confidential counselling.
Level 2, East Wing, Quadrangle Building.
counselling@unsw.edu.au
02 9385 5418

Library services and facilities for students
The UNSW Library offers a range of collections, services and facilities both on-campus and online.
Main Library, F21.
02 9065 9444

Moodle eLearning Support
Moodle is the University’s learning management system. You should ensure that you log into Moodle regularly.
externalteltsupport@unsw.edu.au
02 9385 3331

UNSW IT
UNSW IT provides support and services for students such as password access, email services, wireless services and technical support.
UNSW Library Annexe (Ground floor).
02 9385 1333



Support for Studying Online

The Business School and UNSW provide a wide range of tools, support and advice to help students achieve their online learning goals. 

The UNSW Guide to Online Study page provides guidance for students on how to make the most of online study.

We recognise that completing quizzes and exams online can be challenging for a number of reasons, including the possibility of technical glitches or lack of reliable internet. We recommend you review the Online Exam Preparation Checklist of things to prepare when sitting an online exam.

INFS5731