ISM 158 Business Information Strategy Instructor: Pankaj Mehra Teaching Assistant: Raghav Gautam

ISM 158: Overview This class considers the role of information in business strategy. Information plays a key role in delivering business performance. We will examine how to define and measure information utility. We look at how information impacts industries, markets and countries, and leads to technology development. We will also examine the changing role of information, therefore the changing face of IT. We will use the framework of Information-Centric Enterprise to understand the new IT.

Overall Schedule MARCH APRIL MTWTFSS MTWTFSS Planning 2-5 Guest Lectures MAY JUNE MTWTFSS MTWTFSS Notes Mehra Guest Final Exam Final exam is June 8, Tuesday 8 AM to 11 AM Project Deadlines

Instructor Pankaj Mehra Office hours: –(by appointment only) Lectures: E2 room 194

Teaching Assistant Raghav Gautam (to be finalized)

Guest Talks Julie Ward, Edelman Award 2009 Kim Keeton, Renowned Storage Management researcher More in the works

Assessment ValueDue date News Presentation5%Throughout Quizzes10%Throughout Discussion Participation10%Throughout Project Proposal10%Thu, May 6 & Thu, May 13 Project Milestones5%, 5%, 30%Thu, April 15, Fri, April 30, & Thu, June 3 Final Exam25%Mon, June 8, 8-11am Policy Assignments are due at the start of class on the due date. Late assignments, missed presentations and quizzes will result in zero grade unless specific permission is given by instructor at least one week in advance.

News Presentation Each student will present one news story to the class during the quarter. –The story can be from any source, and describe an interesting recent development in the use of information for business strategy. The presentation should be professionally presented using powerpoint or similar technology. –8-10 minutes in length, –include both factual information (who is doing what and why?) and some commentary (your opinion – is this a good idea – why?!) on the story. –All news sources that have been used should be acknowledged with specific references on a final slide. The student is responsible for one of (a) bringing the slides on a laptop, (b) bringing slides on a USB drive that will work on instructor’s laptop, or (c) ing slides to the instructor the night before the presentation. A schedule of presentations will be posted at the end of the first week, and changes can only be made with permission of the instructor. – instructor to volunteer for an early slot!

Quizzes There will be 4 surprise quizzes over the quarter + Announced quiz on April 1. These will be fairly short and test knowledge of lecture material. Students who are absent the day of a quiz will receive a zero grade for that quiz I will drop the lowest quiz score

Discussion Participation Active participation in the discussions of the course material is expected and examined.

Project The major assignment in this class is a comprehensive project. The project can be completed in groups of two or three, as you select, and the company is chosen by the group. Plan your project group and project topic early

Solution Proposals You will be identify an information-centric business IT strategy scenario, and propose a solution, as the Chief Information Officer. Admissible proposal types 1.Case study: how a business is using information to drive their strategy OR 2.Technology trend study: how is an emerging information trend shaping IT strategy in a particular industry

Project Alternatives Some of you will analyze a major (at least 1000 employees) company, and quantify a particular use of information and information systems to achieve competitive advantage. Imagine you were the CIO, propose an IT solution and explain its anticipated benefits and costs. Some of you will conduct a detailed, data-driven study of a particular trend in growth and use of information in a particular industry, such as consumer/retail, financial services, or technology. Imagine you are the CIO of a company in that industry. Educate your executives and make strategic IT recommendations.

Final Exam The final examination will cover the topics from the whole quarter. You will not be allowed to bring notes into the exam room.

Prerequisites This course is for juniors and seniors ISM 50 or permission of instructor required Interest in technology and business

Reading Materials (under consideration) Selected chapters from Harvard Business Press books –Competing on Analytics –Thinking for a Living –Execution Book (HP Press) –Storage, Data and Information Systems

Reading Materials (cont.) Guest Lecturer reading materials –HP Transforms Product Portfolio Management with Operations Research by Julie Ward, et al –Automating Data Dependability by Kim Keeton

Suggested Trend Topics (TOPIC SELECTION MUST BE APPROVED BY INSTRUCTOR) Multi-tenancy and cloud data security Virtualized infrastructure management E-government Beyond search Information fabrics

360° view of customer Real-time business intelligence Linked Open Data for information forensics User interface engineering for retail portals Variable data printing for personalization Suggested Case Study Areas (TOPIC SELECTION MUST BE APPROVED BY INSTRUCTOR)

Feedback Please! The course is for you Don’t hesitate to ask questions, give suggestions As senior students, you know that you’ll get out what you put in

The Challenges of Managing in a Network Economy  IT is a source of opportunity and advantage but also uncertainty & risk  Chasm between viewpoints Business executives: View IT with apprehension Technical executives: Business leaders lack vision  What is undeniable is the rapidity of change In system architecture and interfaces In business In work and the workforce

The Embedding of IT IT now embedded in: –Definition and execution of strategy –Organization and leadership of businesses –Definitions of unique value propositions Every business definition is morphing before our eyes –Markets –Industries –Strategies –Firm designs Information is now a major economic good

Key Themes 1.Putting the “I” back in “IT” –No longer just people, process and infrastructure –Information-Centric Enterprises 2.Managing information by quality and by business value –Dimensions of IQ –Dimensions of BVI 3.How much information, and how much technology? –Taming the information explosion –Maturity model –iT vs It

Key Themes (cont.) 1.Information as an asset –Insights from data; analytics 2.Information as a liability –Governance, risk management and compliance (GRC) 3.Information aaS (as a service) –Information worth paying for –SOA and data services 4.Building information services –Understanding and delivering affordances

IT’s new jobs Information Architects, Enterprise Data Architects, CSOs, Compliance Officers Even as … –No librarians (physical libraries giving way to electronic collections) –Failing newspapers (will there be automated editorialization?)

IT’s old nemeses, all apply Technology Adoption –The time required for successful organization learning and assimilation of rapidly changing technologies limits practical speed of change Build vs Buy –External industry, internal organizational, and technological changes are increasing pressure on organizations to buy rather than to make IT applications and services Complexity –Proliferating information infrastructure

IT’s old nemeses Ability to ensure high levels of security, privacy, reliability, and availability is a core capability that determines organization’s ultimate success and survival

Assignment 1 (due April 1) Review Chapter 1 (The Importance of Information) from CapGemini’s The Information Opportunity report (2008) –Be ready for the quiz! Think about: –Do businesses view information as an asset? –Are all industry segments on board with this view? –What should a CRM system do?

Questions?