Information Technology

The organization is examined as a system, and the roles of information and computers are explored to facilitate the specification, development, implementation and maintenance of information technology for supporting organization decision-making and strategic planning in today's information age. Topics include: the role of information within organizations; overview of modern hardware and software platforms; systems development architectures; planning, developing and managing IT systems; introduction to databases and data warehouses; decision support and artificial intelligence; owner and user roles in systems development life cycles; technology impacts on corporate competitiveness, structure and control; networks and client/server issues. In response to today?s societal concerns, the course addresses protecting people and information as well as computer crime and forensics. Substantial use of real-world projects, case studies and hands-on assignments are employed. Upon completion of the course students are expected to have gained an appreciation of the important contribution information technology makes to the success of organizations and how it helps the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the firm achieve a competitive advantage. More specifically, they will have learned: the strategic role of IT in organizations, typical contributions IT makes to the organization, major issues in IT management, and recent advances and current trends in IT.