Unit Title: Information Systems for Strategic Management Unit Reference Number: T/601/3907 Guided Learning Hours: 210

Level: Level 6 Number of Credits: 25

Learning Outcome 1
The learner will: Understand the role of Information Systems (IS) in supporting the strategic management of an organisation.

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 1.1 Review the concept of strategic management and the functions of business information systems.

Indicative Content

1.1.1 Review the concept of strategic management and explain briefly how strategy may be developed in an organisation. 1.1.2 Name the main categories of business information systems and explain how each can support the information needs of management.

1.2 Identify commonly encountered problems when endeavouring to formulate an IS strategy.

1.2.1 Discuss the commonly encountered problems in information systems which have discouraged their use at the strategic level. 1.2.2 Assess the extent to which these problems can be overcome when seeking an alignment between business strategies and IS solutions. 1.3.1 Explain the term organisation and identify the major determining features of organisations. 1.3.2 Assess the likely significance of these features in determining the outcome of an IS strategy.

1.3 Explore the relationship between IS and organisation theory.

1.4 Appraise the roles of IS in strategic analysis, planning and project management.

1.4.1 Assess the contribution that an IS can make to strategic analysis and to the exploration of business opportunities. 1.4.2 Evaluate the role of strategic IS planning techniques for modelling the internal operations of an organisation. 1.4.3 Appraise the likely roles of IS as an organisation progresses through its life cycle stages. 1.4.4 Distinguish between the role of IS in project management and the strategic management of IS projects.

Learning Outcome 2
The learner will: Know how to apply strategic management principles to e-Commerce and business processes.

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 2.1 Explain how the internet provides opportunities to transform the competitive environment and business processes.

Indicative Content

2.1.1 Describe the primary functions of the internet which support both e-Commerce and e-Business activities. 2.1.2 Assess the extent to which core business processes can be integrated with different levels of internet use.

2.2 Critically assess the benefits, risks and limitations of e-Commerce to organisations, giving examples where appropriate.

2.2.1 Appraise the tangible and intangible benefits of e-Commerce with examples from current businesses. 2.2.2 Suggest risks to e-Commerce projects and account for the limited success or complete failure of well-documented eCommerce ventures.

2.3 Investigate new and emerging e-Commerce business models and assess the challenges they present.

2.3.1 Differentiate between the various e-Commerce business models, both established and emerging, by referring to wellknown applications. 2.3.2 Assess the relative importance in business-to-business (B2B) e-Commerce of challenges such as the value chain, competition, barriers to entry, and bargaining powers.

2.4 Critically compare a range of strategies for the application of internet technology within an organisation.

2.4.1 Critically evaluate the factors which influence the choice of strategy for an e-Commerce application.

Learning Outcome 3
The learner will: Understand the need for significant change within an organisation in order to exploit the benefits of new technology.

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 3.1 Account for the need both for internal change and for increased cooperation with other organisations.

Indicative Content

3.1.1 Account for the changes within organisations caused by developments in information and communications technology (ICT). 3.1.2 Explain, using case studies, how successful eBusinesses have increased co-operation with other

organisations.

3.2 Assess the impact of modern technology on applications such as supply chain management and customer relationship management, giving examples where appropriate.

3.2.1 Appraise the benefits of ICT on supply chain management, using examples drawn from multi-national companies. 3.2.2 Explain how ICT can enhance customer relationship management in comparison with traditional operational models.

3.3 Recommend how to introduce changes, taking into account the views and interests of all stakeholders.

3.3.1 Assess the issues, both at the organisational and the individual levels, which need consideration in the management of change. 3.3.2 Explain the importance of job enrichment models in facilitating internal change. 3.3.3 Explain how techniques such as field force analysis may assist the change management process. 3.3.4 Compare and contrast the various styles of managing change in terms of their overall effectiveness. 3.3.5 Assess the importance of involving stakeholders in the change process and propose appropriate steps in any ensuing stakeholder analysis process.

Learning Outcome 4
The learner will: Know about the increasing application of new technology at national and international levels.

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 4.1 Identify factors which are enlarging the digital economy at national and global levels.

Indicative Content

4.1.1 Assess the impact of the internet in developing and reshaping digital economies at the national and global levels. 4.1.2 Evaluate the importance of key drivers in the development of integrated digital economies.

4.2 Give reasons why some organisations have benefited more quickly than others from the absorption of digital technologies.

4.2.1 Consider the criteria which help to assess an organisations capacity to benefit from ICT applications. 4.2.2 Outline the benefits to individuals and communities which can accrue from commercial and governmental initiatives.

Learning Outcome 5
The learner will: Understand the need for regular reviews of strategic information systems and how a review would be carried out.

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 5.1 Describe the reasons for undertaking reviews of an IS and identify the points when such assessments should be made.

Indicative Content

5.1.1 Point out the reasons for conducting a strategic IS assessment. 5.1.2 Account for the frequent inaccuracies in IS project assessment.

5.2 Compare and contrast the preferred methods of assessing the value of an IS.

5.2.1 Analyse the impact that an organisations structure might exert on the evaluation process. 5.2.2 Critically compare formal and informal approaches to IS project assessment in terms of their suitability to particular organisational structures.

5.3 Distinguish between the pre-investment assessment and the postimplementation evaluation.

5.3.1 Distinguish between the pre-investment assessment and the post-implementation evaluation. 5.3.2 Plan the stages of a pre-investment assessment in order to include expected benefits, likely costs, risks and priorities. 5.3.3 Perform a post-implementation evaluation in order to compare anticipated and actual achievements.

5.4 Discriminate between tangible benefits and intangible benefits when reaching a conclusion on the overall assessment process.

5.4.1 Categorise IS cost elements under headings such as initial purchase costs, implementation and set-up costs, and maintenance and support costs. 5.4.2 Discriminate between tangible benefits and intangible benefits when reaching a conclusion on the overall benefits of the IS.

Learning Outcome 6
The learner will: Understand the possible reasons for the success or failure of IS projects.

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 6.1 Discuss the importance of risk assessment in a new IS project.

Indicative Content

6.1.1 Emphasise the importance of identifying the main areas of risk in a new IS project such as technical failure, data failure, user failure and organisational failure.

6.1.2 Rank the main risks and any additional risks in order to ascertain the likelihood of achieving a successful project outcome.

6.2 Identify common reasons for IS failures and propose preventative measures.

6.2.1 Account for the partial or complete failure of IS projects in terms of inadequacies at various stages of their development. 6.2.2 Recommend precautionary measures which may help to prevent IS failures.

6.3 Explain the importance of identifying critical success factors at an early stage in an IS project.

6.3.1 Explain the importance of identifying critical success factors at an early stage in an IS project as a means of promoting success and avoiding failure.

6.4 Compare techniques for the overall success rating of an IS project.

6.4.1 Compare the categories of IS project appraisal by considering the financial, benefits, and infrastructure aspects of evaluation. 6.4.2 Critically compare the techniques for determining the probable financial return of an IS project. 6.4.3 Propose a broad approach, such as one based on the balanced scorecard technique, for the strategic evaluation of IS projects.

Assessment: Assessment method: written examination (unless otherwise stated). Written examinations are of three hours duration. All learning outcomes will be assessed.

Recommended Reading: Please refer to the Tuition Resources section of the Members Area of the ABE website (www.abeuk.com) for the recommended reading for this subject.