Introduction To Management Information Systems (Mis) : A Survival Guide

INTRODUCTION TO MANAGEMENT
INFORMATION SYSTEMS (MIS)
A Survival Guide
LENGTH:
EFFORT:
SUBJECT:
LEVEL:
LANGUAGE:
VIDEO TRANSCRIPTS:
6 weeks
3 - 4 hours per week
Business & Management
Introductory
English
English, Espaol
SYLLABUS
INTRODUCTION
Management Information Systems (MIS) are all around us. A well-grounded familiarity
with MISs enables better understanding of the hows and whys of our professional life it
can also be quite helpful in actually starting a professional life, since potential employers
consider it a valuable skill. It can also allow us to make better sense out of an increasingly
connected and systems-enabled personal and social life.
The goal of the course Introduction to Management Information Systems (MIS): A
Survival Guide is to help learners become familiar with MISs in the business world by
focusing on the fundamentals of information systems, what they are, how they are built
and how they affect organizations and consequently how do they influence our current or
prospective jobs. Understanding these concepts will help you to acquire necessary skills to
survive in a MIS dominated world/ jungle; course graduates will also be able to use that
knowledge to their advantage in recruitment or promotion processes.
Grasping the key concepts in MIS does not need to be a daunting endeavor. We will use
several analogies to illustrate key concepts, use frequent examples to illuminate the
explanations and strive to strike a proper balance between clarity / amenity and conceptual
soundness. Programming knowledge is not required.
Course materials are under the Course tab at the top of the page.
If this is your first course on edX, do not hesitate to enroll in the Demo course to get to
know the courseware: https://www.edx.org/course/demox-edx-demox-1.
OBJECTIVES
The learners should learn from this course to:
Understand Management Information Systems (MIS) and their role in todays
organizations.
Identify how MIS shapes and controls current (or prospective) jobs and how to use
this insight to improve your own job performance and satisfaction and enhance
your career prospects.
Become familiar with the major trends in MISs and MIS infrastructures (Cloud, Big
Data, ERPs, outsourcing) and how these evolutions might affect workplaces and
business strategies.
Bridge the MIS-related second digital gap that exists, after basic computer
literacy, in most professional jobs.
This introductory course will generally adopt a light-touch and a managerial, rather than
technological, focus. The emphasis will be on examining concepts and an overview of
common commercial IT/IS applications, rather than on the details of the underlying
technology.
COURSE STAFF
ALFONSO DURN HERAS: Full professor at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.

Video narration, content creation and general supervision of the MOOC.
IVN GARCA MIRANDA: Associate professor at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
Content and structure creation.
JORGE SOLERA CAMINO: PhD student at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
Audiovisual Production, evaluation, student support.
JUAN A. BARATAS MORENO: Postgraduate student at Universidad Carlos III de
Madrid. Audiovisual Production, student support.
COURSE STRUCTURE
Week 1.- MISs. Importance. Procurement
We will examine how modern information and communication technologies (ICTs)
are transforming our world, and analyze what Management Information Systems
(MISs) are and how do they fit within the overall ICTs environment. We shall then
discuss how companies obtain their MISs, by either purchasing ready-made
packages or by bespoke development, and explore the alternative offered by open
systems.
1.1.- The Management Information Systems Invasion
1.2.- MIS Procurement
1.3.- MIS Development
1.4.- Open systems. Open source
Week 2.- The Communications revolution Distributed Information Systems
We will discuss how the trend towards globalization and continuous connectivity
drives the need for distributed MISs supported by Telecommunication Networks.
We will explore the various types of networks and distributed MISs architectures.
2.1.- Introduction: Distributed Systems and Distributed Infrastructures
2.2.- Distributed IS. Client-Server.
2.3.- Distributed Infrastructures. Telecommunications networks
2.4.- The Cloud
Week 3.- Data, Databases, Big Data
Data is the raw material upon which information is built. We will discuss the role
played by data (and, particularly, data structure) in MISs, and analyze the Database
Management Systems used to manage data. We shall then explore the fast-evolving
landscape of Big Data.
3.1.- Data: a key ingredient in an MIS
3.2.- Databases, Database structure and Database Management Systems
(DBMS)
3.3.- Data modelling. Relational Databases
3.4.- Normalization. SQL. DBMS choice.
3.5.- Big Data
Week 4.- Integrated Information Systems (ERP) and Integrated Business Processes
Integrated Information Systems are the top predators at the apex of the MIS
world. We will introduce participants to the concept of Enterprise Resource
Planning (ERP) systems, and their relationship with Integrated Business Processes.
A key ingredient in this week will be a hands-on assignment in which participants
2
will access a real ERP. They must then create from scratch a customer order and
make it flow through the various functions and departments, undergoing
operations such as acceptance, inventory check, triggered purchasing, delivery,
invoicing and accounting.
4.1.- Introduction to Integrated Information Systems (ERP)
4.2.- Integrated Business processes and integrated IS
4.3.- ERP structure: Modules, common Database
4.4.- Pros and Cons of the ERP approach
4.5.- ERP hands-on session
Week 5.- Implementing and customizing ERPs and other major MISs. Who adapts
to whom?
Implementing an ERP is a major project. It generally requires either modifying
current business practices (through Business Process Reengineering) or
customizing the ERP system. We shall discuss the challenges this implies.
5.1.- Challenges in the implementation and customization of MISs
5.2.- Adapting the current practice. Business Process Reengineering (BPR)
5.3.- Adapting the ERP
5.4.- ERP Implementation
5.5.- ERP Post-implementation
Week 6.- MISs in decision-making
In this last week we will turn our attention from the day-to-day operation of the
business to the role played by MISs in information-driven decision-making. After
discussing Decision Support Systems (DSSs) and the analytics used in Big Data
environments, we shall conclude with a word about the future and a heartfelt
farewell.
6.1.- Decision-making
6.2.- Transactional systems vs. Decision Support Systems
6.3.- Decision Support Systems challenges
6.4.- DSS, non-structured data and Big Data
6.5.- A word about the future
6.6.- Farewell
COURSE METHODOLOGY
The core content of the course is the thoroughly illustrated videos that will be released
each week, explaining key concepts and examples, as well as week fours hands-on
assignment, described above. After viewing each video, students will be asked to carry out a
self-assessment quiz (these quizzes do not count towards the final grade). Each week will
conclude with a test, which does count towards the final grade, as described below.
Besides, each week will encompass recommended readings, an annotated list of suggested
URLs, links to actual examples and a set of relevant definitions.
The estimated time learners need to complete each week is from 3 to 4 hours.
COMMUNICATION WITH LEARNERS

EMAIL and the COURSE INFO PAGE will be used by the instructors to keep learners up-todate on the evolution of the course. The FORUM will be used to encourage the engagement
and interaction with students.
Follow us on TWITTER (@MISintroedx) and use the hashtag #MISintroedx.
EVALUATION
At the end of each week there will be a TEST about its contents. Each weekly test
carries a weight of 15%, except the first week whose weight is 10%. Therefore, the
total weight of the tests is 85% of the total grade: (1*10%) + (5*15%).
The first week includes a short PRACTICAL
through a test whose weight is 5%.
ASSIGNMENT.
It will be evaluated
Week fours HANDS-ON ASSIGNMENT will have a weight of 10%. It will be graded
through peer review.
To PASS THE COURSE requires attaining at least 60% of the final grade.
CALENDAR
The course Introduction to Management Information Systems (MIS) starts on
February 23 and is 6 weeks long; the time of the course is always UTC (Coordinated
Universal Time). Each week, all the material (videos, quizzes, assignments, test, additional
material) will be released on Tuesday (00:00 UTC) and the due date for weekly tests will be
3 weeks after the release date, 23.59 UTC on Monday. Pay attention to the special schedule
of the hands-on assignment in week 4.
WEEK
RELEASE
DATES
CONTENTS
MISs. Importance. Procurement
23 February
Test (graded) due on 14 March (23:59 UTC).

Practical assignment and test (graded) due on 14 March 23:59
UTC).
The Communications revolution Distributed Information Systems
1 March
8 March

Data, Databases, Big Data
Integrated Information Systems (ERP) and Integrated Business Processes

Test (graded) due on 4 April (23:59 UTC).
4
15 March
22 March
Hands-on assignment (graded)

Submission due on 11 April (23:59 UTC)
Peer review due on 25 April (23:59 UTC).
Implementing and customizing ERPs and other major MISs. Who adapts
to whom?
MISs in decision-making
29 March
The course will finish on April 25 (23:59 UTC), but the last weekly test is due on 18 April
(23:59 UTC). Certificates will be issued after this date.

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INTRODUCTION TO MANAGEMENT

INFORMATION SYSTEMS (MIS)

ALFONSO DURN HERAS: Full professor at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.

COMMUNICATION WITH LEARNERS

Test (graded) due on 14 March (23:59 UTC).

Test (graded) due on 21 March (23:59 UTC).

Integrated Information Systems (ERP) and Integrated Business Processes

Hands-on assignment (graded)

Test (graded) due on 18 April (23:59 UTC).

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