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Monash University

FIT5102 IT strategy and governance - Semester 2, 2014

This unit develops understanding of information technology and information and knowledge management governance frameworks and strategy perspectives, with particular emphasis on the regulatory environment, legislative and organisational controls, audits, standards, professional certifications, and issues associated with measuring performance, demonstrating value and minimising risk. The unit builds on intellectual capital theory, augmented by insights from social capital and emotional capital. It draws on case studies to differentiate strategies focused primarily on people, business processes, and content, and considers the supporting technologies that can facilitate each approach.

Mode of Delivery

  • Caulfield (Day)
  • Caulfield (Off-campus)

Workload Requirements

Minimum total expected workload equals 12 hours per week comprising:

(a.) Contact hours for on-campus students:

  • 2 hours of lectures
  • One 2-hour laboratory

(b.) Study schedule for off-campus students:

  • Off-campus students generally do not attend lecture and tutorial sessions, however should plan to spend equivalent time working through the relevant resources and participating in discussion groups each week.

(c.) Additional requirements (all students):

  • A minimum of 8 hours independent study per week for completing lab and project work, private study and revision.

Unit Relationships

Prerequisites

FIT9006 or completion of 24 points of graduate units from FIT

Chief Examiner

Campus Lecturer

Caulfield

Dr Dora Constantinidis

Consultation hours: TBA

Tutors

Caulfield

Hamidreza Pousti (Hamid)

Consultation hours: TBA

Dora Constantinidis

Consultation hours: TBA

Your feedback to Us

Monash is committed to excellence in education and regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through the Student Evaluation of Teaching and Units (SETU) survey. The University’s student evaluation policy requires that every unit is evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys. The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.

For more information on Monash’s educational strategy, see:

www.monash.edu.au/about/monash-directions/ and on student evaluations, see: www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/quality/student-evaluation-policy.html

Previous Student Evaluations of this Unit

Previous feedback has highlighted the usefulness of analysing case studies to apply theory to practice. Where possible case studies and reference to practical applications of theory will continue to be highlighted to students. A process of peer learning will be established during the semester for the opportunity of students to share their practical experience in organisations for the purposes of learning about the theory in practice.

If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to
https://emuapps.monash.edu.au/unitevaluations/index.jsp

Academic Overview

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:
  • describe the characteristics and limitations of different IT and IKM governance frameworks and strategy perspectives, and how competing perspectives can be reconciled in practice;
  • evaluate the concepts underpinning the dominant intellectual capital perspective on IT and IKM strategy, the strengths and limitations of this approach, and how social capital and emotional capital insights can augment this view of strategy;
  • analyse the distinct features, the functional/disciplinary origins, and the key drivers of IT and IKM strategies focused primarily on
    1. people,
    2. business processes, and
    3. content and technology, and the supporting technologies that can facilitate each approach;
  • analyse links between strategy, performance and measurement, and the issues associated with demonstrating the value and benefits of IT and IKM;
  • describe the nature of the IT and IKM regulatory environment and approaches to controlling risk;
  • evaluate the importance of marketing, leading and championing IT and IKM within the organisation, and of reflective practice.

Unit Schedule

Week Activities Assessment
0   No formal assessment or activities are undertaken in week 0
1 Overview of FIT5102. Introducing key concepts: Corporate governance and IT/ information governance; Strategy and strategic management frameworks; Aligning business strategy and IT/information strategy; Delivering business value and measuring performance; The regulatory environment and risk minimisation  
2 Strategic assets and value realisation; IT, information and knowledge as strategic assets  
3 What decisions must be made to ensure the strategic use and effective management of IT/information resources? [Weill & Ross's 5 key IT decision domains]  
4 Who should make decisions relating to IT/information resources? How should these decisions be made? [Governance archetypes, roles and responsibilities, structures and mechanisms for implementing IT/ information governance]  
5 IT governance in practice [Case studies of particular organisations and how they link strategy, IT/information governance and performance]  
6 IT governance review. IT and human capital: a framework for understanding information, knowledge and IT strategy and strategic change initiatives Assignment 1 (Part 1): Covering Weeks 1-5 due Week 6 tutorial
7 IKM strategies I: Strategies with a primary focus on people, and supporting technologies  
8 IKM strategies II: Strategies with a primary focus on business processes, and supporting technologies  
9 IKM strategies III: Strategies with a primary focus on content, and supporting technologies  
10 Controlling risk in IT and IKM [Legislative and organisational barriers and controls; audits; standards (de jure, de facto); professional certifications] Assignment 2: Research Paper due Week 10 tutorial
11 Demonstrating the value/ benefits of IT and IKM: performance measurement approaches and issues  
12 IT strategy: Sourcing, outsourcing and offshoring AND: Review session. Exam preparation Assignment 1 (Part 2): Covering Weeks 6-10 due Week 12 tutorial
  SWOT VAC No formal assessment is undertaken in SWOT VAC
  Examination period LINK to Assessment Policy: http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/
academic/education/assessment/
assessment-in-coursework-policy.html

*Unit Schedule details will be maintained and communicated to you via your learning system.

Teaching Approach

Lecture and tutorials or problem classes
This teaching and learning approach provides facilitated learning, practical exploration and peer learning.

Assessment Summary

Examination (3 hours): 50%; In-semester assessment: 50%

Assessment Task Value Due Date
Assignment 1: Case studies and weekly reflections 20% Part 1 due Week 6 tutorial. Part 2 due Week 12 tutorial
Assignment 2: Research paper 30% Week 10 tutorial
Examination 1 50% To be advised

Assessment Requirements

Assessment Policy

Assessment Tasks

Participation

  • Assessment task 1
    Title:
    Assignment 1: Case studies and weekly reflections
    Description:
    Assignment 1 requires you to complete 5 out of 10 weekly exercises in the form of case studies or reflections related to the week's tutorial topic.

    Assignment 1 is worth 20% of your overall mark in the unit.
    • Part I covers Weeks 1-5, and
    • Part 2 covers Weeks 6-10. 
    Submission of five tutorial topics can be made from either both Parts or submitted entirely in one Part only.
    Weighting:
    20%
    Criteria for assessment:

    Level of analysis and further research will be assessed.
    Details of this assignment and its assessment criteria are provided in a separate handout.

    Due date:
    Part 1 due Week 6 tutorial. Part 2 due Week 12 tutorial
  • Assessment task 2
    Title:
    Assignment 2: Research paper
    Description:
    In this assignment you are required to study in-depth one topic of interest within the field of IT/IKM strategy and governance, and to present your findings as a research paper/research essay.
    Weighting:
    30%
    Criteria for assessment:

    Level of analysis and further research will be assessed.
    Details of this assignment and its assessment criteria are provided in a separate handout. 

    Due date:
    Week 10 tutorial

Examinations

  • Examination 1
    Weighting:
    50%
    Length:
    3 hours
    Type (open/closed book):
    Closed book
    Electronic devices allowed in the exam:
    None

Learning resources

Reading list

Reference will be made to a variety of sources, including the following:

  • Broadbent, Marianne & Kitzis, Ellen S. (2005). The new CIO leader: Setting the agenda and delivering results. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
  • Galliers, Robert D. & Leidner, Dorothy E. (2009). Strategic information management: Challenges and strategies in managing information systems. (4th ed.). New York: Routledge. [Previous 2003 edition is OK]
  • Gottschalk, Petter. (2006). E-business strategy, sourcing and governance. Hershey, PA: Idea Group. [Also available as an electronic resource via Monash Library].
  • Gottschalk, Petter. (2007). CIO and corporate strategic management: Changing role of CIO to CEO.  Hershey, PA: Idea Group. [Available as an electronic resource via Monash Library]
  • IT Governance Institute website (and linked resources):  http://www.itgi.org/
  • Ross, Jeanne W., Weill, Peter, & Robertson, David C. (2006). Enterprise architecture as strategy: Creating a foundation for business execution. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
  • Van Grembergen, Wim. (2004). Strategies for information technology governance. Hershey, PA: Idea Group. [Also available as an electronic resource via Monash Library].
  • Van Grembergen, Wim. (2001). Information technology evaluation methods and management. Hershey, PA: Idea Group. [Also available as an electronic resource via Monash Library].
  • Van Grembergen, Wim & De Haes, Steven. (2008). Implementing information technology governance: Models, practices and cases. Hershey, PA: IGI Pub. [Also available as an electronic resource via Monash Library].
  • Van Grembergen, Wim & De Haes, Steven. (2009). Enterprise governance of information technology: Achieving strategic alignment and value. New York; London: Springer. [Available as an electronic resource via Monash Library].
  • Weill, Peter, & Broadbent, Marianne. (1998). Leveraging the new infrastructure: How market leaders capitalize on information technology. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. [Also available as an electronic resource via Monash Library].

Monash Library Unit Reading List (if applicable to the unit)
http://readinglists.lib.monash.edu/index.html

Faculty of Information Technology Style Guide

Feedback to you

Examination/other end-of-semester assessment feedback may take the form of feedback classes, provision of sample answers or other group feedback after official results have been published. Please check with your lecturer on the feedback provided and take advantage of this prior to requesting individual consultations with staff. If your unit has an examination, you may request to view your examination script booklet, see http://intranet.monash.edu.au/infotech/resources/students/procedures/request-to-view-exam-scripts.html

Types of feedback you can expect to receive in this unit are:

  • Informal feedback on progress in labs/tutes
  • Graded assignments with comments
  • Graded assignments without comments

Extensions and penalties

Returning assignments

Assignment submission

It is a University requirement (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/conduct/student-academic-integrity-managing-plagiarism-collusion-procedures.html) for students to submit an assignment coversheet for each assessment item. Faculty Assignment coversheets can be found at http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/forms/. Please check with your Lecturer on the submission method for your assignment coversheet (e.g. attach a file to the online assignment submission, hand-in a hard copy, or use an online quiz). Please note that it is your responsibility to retain copies of your assessments.

Online submission

If Electronic Submission has been approved for your unit, please submit your work via the learning system for this unit, which you can access via links in the my.monash portal.

Required Resources

Please check with your lecturer before purchasing any Required Resources. Limited copies of prescribed texts are available for you to borrow in the library, and prescribed software is available in student labs.

Text books are available from the Monash University Book Shops. Availability from other suppliers cannot be assured. The Bookshop orders texts in specifically for this unit. You are advised to purchase your text book early.

Prescribed text(s)

Limited copies of prescribed texts are available for you to borrow in the library.

Weill, Peter, & Ross, Jeanne W. (2004). IT governance: How top performers manage IT decision rights for superior results. () Boston: Harvard Business School Press (ISBN: 978-1-59139-253-8).

Other Information

Policies

Monash has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and to provide advice on how they might uphold them. You can find Monash’s Education Policies at: www.policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/academic/education/index.html

Key educational policies include:

Faculty resources and policies

Important student resources including Faculty policies are located at http://intranet.monash.edu.au/infotech/resources/students/

Graduate Attributes Policy

Student Charter

Student services

Monash University Library

Disability Liaison Unit

Students who have a disability or medical condition are welcome to contact the Disability Liaison Unit to discuss academic support services. Disability Liaison Officers (DLOs) visit all Victorian campuses on a regular basis.

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