module specification

CC6052 Management Support Systems 15 weeks: This module enables students to build on their existing knowledge of databases to understand the application of computer-based information systems used in business for the support of management decision-making, e.g. Management Information Systems, Decision Support Systems, Expert Systems, Executive Information Systems, etc

The major topics of study on this module are:
• Management decision-making: LO1,LO2
- functions of management
- levels of management decision-making
- information needs of managers
- the relationship between business strategy and information systems strategy
• Information systems that support management decision-making: LO2,LO3
- Management Information Systems (MIS)
- Information reporting systems
- Content Management Systems
- Decision Support Systems (DSS)
- Expert Systems (ES)
- Executive Information Systems (EIS)
- Business Intelligence (BI)
- Manpower planning simulation models
- Knowledge management
• Techniques and methods: LO4
- developing management support systems
- elementary models used in computer-based decision support
- evaluation of support offered by management support systems

Formal lectures (1 hour per week) will cover theoretical aspects relating to different management support systems and the support they provide for management decision-making.
This module develops practical knowledge of management support systems with weekly workshop sessions (2 hours) that ensure that all students receive hands-on experience of design and development of a management support system linked to a case study.  Students will spend time on directed, unsupervised learning for which an indication of relevant material (book chapters, journals and other publications) will be given. Students are expected to identify and refer to a relevant publication in their coursework report.
Learning materials are made available in the university’s VLE, and use is also made of video snippets and YouTube videos.
Students will be expected and encouraged to produce reflective commentaries and an action plan for personal development on the learning activities and tasks that they carry out to complete their work, e.g. in the form of an assessed section of their coursework report/essay

On completion of this module, students will be able to:
LO 1. Demonstrate a critical appreciation of the key processes involved in management decision-making at all levels within a business organisation
LO 2. Show an awareness of the ways in which information and information systems support management decision-making.
LO 3. Prove a detailed understanding of the structure and function of computer-based information system that have a role in supporting managers in their decision-making activities.
LO 4. Produce, in teams, a computer-based information system that would provide significant support to management in the decision-making associated with a given business scenario, along with supporting design and implementation documentation.
 

The assessment for this module is based on an individual coursework as follows:

Coursework (100%): involves production of a computer-based management support system intended to provide significant support to management in the decision-making process associated with a given business scenario provided in a case study, along with relevant supporting documentation.

The coursework assignment is designed to enhance learning by enabling students to design and develop their own management support system, based on an underlying database, to support decisions made by management, rather than to make the management decisions themselves.

The coursework is devised and deployed so that it is done incrementally with ongoing feedback sessions spread right throughout the semester. Students complete a part of the case study and show it to the tutor and also discuss amongst themselves at particular milestones. This is a 15 credit single semester module for experienced 3rd year students with whom this developmental approach works well and trains them for employment practice where there is a single final project deadline to be met.

The final report and software is submitted in week 12, and relates to LO1 – LO4.

Opportunities for formative feedback:
- students can discuss their evolving system design and implementation ideas in the workshop sessions
Timing of assessment:
The final report (1400 words + software) is submitted in week 12.

Textbooks:

Core Text:

Turban, E., Sharda, R., Delen, D., 2010, Decision Support and Business Intelligence Systems, 9th edition, Pearson, ISBN-10  0132453231, ISBN-13 978-0132453233 [CORE]

Other Texts:

Cadle J. & Yeates D., 2007, Project Management for Information Systems, 5th edition, FT Prentice Hall, ISBN-10: 0132068583, ISBN-13: 978-0132068581
Chaffey, D., and Wood, S., 2011, Business Information Management: Improving Performance Using Information Systems, Financial Times Management, ISBN-10: 0273711792, ISBN-13: 978-0273711797

Journals: Taylor and Francis online Journals

Websites: Lynda.com

Electronic Databases: ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore/IET Digital Library