Essay: MIS MBA technical briefs

MIS MBA Technical Briefs � Fall 2009

The purpose of the Technical Briefs is to provide you with the opportunity to:

1. gain experience researching an information technology issue,
2. gain experience explaining a technical topic to a non-technical audience, and
3. gain an understanding of a large number of IT-related issues.

The topics and assignments will be listed on the link below. These topics should help the class understand technologies important to eCommerce and other business applications as well as other major applications and technologies that are the core of business strategies designed to leverage the electronic assets of a company.

Each topic will be prepared individually. The final report will be submitted to turnitin.com and posted to the Technical Brief discussion topic (this topic). These reports are expected to demonstrate a sufficient depth of analysis as opposed to a superficial definition of terms. You are expected to describe concepts in your own words and in a manner that is understandable to a non-technical managerial audience. This should include your own personal analysis and conclusions regarding the topic. Consider addressing your analysis to a group of managers that want to know what the technology means to them and why they should be concerned about it.

On the day that your report is due you will present the topic to the class. Presentation materials should be posted to the forum discussion as a response to your paper posting. You must also submit four or five potential assessment questions on your topic (again, as a response to the original paper posting). Some of the questions, or variations on them, will appear on the final assessment.

In addition to simply describing the technology, you should consider areas like (note that not all points will apply to all topics):

Report format is summarized below for your reference (typically having 10 sections):

1. Executive summary (1-2 pages): what is the IS/IT technology, its usefulness to business/organization, what the IS/IT technology means to business managers and why they should know about it.
2. Define the IS/IT technology first using the reference source (e.g., from textbook or website, etc.), and then describe the concept in your own words and in a manner that is understandable to a non-technical managerial audience.
3. Pros and cons of the IS/IT technology
4. Comparisons and contrasts of existing products
5. Vendors and market share
6. Forecasts and trends for the technology
7. Impact of the technology on business
8. Examples of business implementation of the technology (successes and/or failures)
9. Suggestions to a group of managers that want to know what the IS/IT technology means to them and why they should be concerned about it.
10. Provide 5 key questions regarding your research topic, as well as answers.

You are expected to conform to the standards for citation of references (both in the body and in a bibliography) used in the MBA program. Also see the Alden Library style sheet reference page (http://www.library.ohiou.edu/find/style.html) for how to do proper citation of electronic references (simple URL’s are not acceptable). Reports lacking proper references, using Wikipedia as the primary source or scoring too high on turnitin.com’s similarity scale will be returned to the student one time to be reworked for a maximum possible grade of B. Papers lacking proper references or scoring too high on turnitin.com’s similarity scale a second time will receive a grade of F.

Topics

The following list is not final and is not in the order that the topics will be presented but will give you some idea about what is covered. (note: deadline means “by class time”)

Note: ppt format (main things being covered, for class presentation, <= 10 minutes):

1. Title page: title, your name, metric number, and email

2. Define the IS/IT technology: 1) official definition; 2) in your own words to describe it; & 3) give a short example to illustrate

3. Usefulness/implications of this tech. to business, giving a short example of its application to reality

4. Consulting suggestions to business managers: what should be known about this technology (how to take the advantages of it but reduce related risks)

5. Provide 5 key questions regarding your research topic, as well as answers.

Technical Brief Grading Rubric

• A level – Puts technical descriptions in understandable, non technical terms. Complete and detailed coverage in all required content areas: definition of terms, technologies and/or features involved appropriate managerial issues (pros and cons, product comparisons, vendors, trends, business issues, or successes/failures). Includes and references all sources. Well-written with good original analysis.
• B level – Describes technology but not in own words. Incomplete or less detailed coverage in some required content areas: definition of terms, technologies and/or features involved, appropriate managerial issues (pros and cons, product comparisons, vendors, trends, business issues, or successes/failures). Includes and references most sources. Some grammar or spelling problems but clearly written.
• C level – Simple definitions of terms. Incomplete or less detailed coverage in many required content areas: definition of terms, technologies and/or features involved appropriate managerial issues (pros and cons, product comparisons, vendors, trends, business issues, or successes/failures). Does not include or reference many (or any) sources. Many grammar or spelling problems – not clearly written.
• Lower level – not original work, many errors, uncited references, etc.