MGT 620 Managing Information, Technology and Projects – Summer 2021

Mount St. Joseph University School of Business

Course Number: MGT 620

Level: Graduate, Required for MSOL
Credit Hours: 3
Course Meets:
Due to COVID-19, this course meets in the In*Sync format.
Class will meet by Zoom 1:00pm-4:30pm on 5/15, 6/5, 6/26, 7/17, 8/7.
Instructor Name: Alexei Nakonechnyi, PhD
Office Location: Virtual office via Zoom
Office Hours: By Appointment
Telephone: cell 585-469-7468
E-mail address: alex.nakonechnyi@msj.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course addresses significant concepts and issues related to managing information,
technology, and projects from both strategic and tactical perspectives. Emphasis is given to
addressing challenges associated with the evaluation, section, implementation, and
management of information and technology related systems that serve to increase an
organization’s efficiency and competitive advantage. This course has a significant emphasis
on effective project management practices.

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

- At the end of this course, students will be able to do the following:
- 1. Discuss the importance of integrating Information Technology strategies with the
enterprise business strategic planning process.
- 2. Recognize opportunities for using technology for innovative support of day-to-day
operations, generation of information to support management decision-making, and
strategic applications in a variety of business environments.
- 3. Relate innovative Information Technology strategies to competitive advantages in the
area of cost, product differentiation, and innovation.
- 4. Develop strategies for effective management of information and technology projects.
- 5. Assess the complexity of managing information technology amidst security and ethical
challenges.

REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS

Textbook:
Managing and Using Information Systems: A Strategic Approach (Seventh Edition)
Pearlson, Saunders and Galleta (2020), Wiley Publishers, ISBN 978-1-119-56056-2

MGT 620 S5 Course Syllabus 1

LEARNING STRATEGIES
Type % of Course
Lecture/Traditional Classroom (ZOOM) 50%
Other:
Case discussions 25%
Projects 25%

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
Grading Scale

Graduate
Description Letter Grade GPA Scale Range
Excellent A 4.0 90% - 100%
Good B 3.0 80% - < 90%
Poor C 2.0 70% - < 80%
Fail F 0 < 70%

GRADING
The grade a student receives in class will be determined as follows:
Individual Work (Individual Cases and Pre- 20%
Assignment)
Group Case Analysis 20%
Team Application Project 15%
Quizzes 20%
Final Exam 25%
Total 100%

Individual Cases (20%)

Students will read cases and submit their analyses. This is work to be done individually.

Group Case Analysis (20%)

Group discussion and learning will begin in class; groups will submit their write ups before the
next class. Each member of the group should submit a copy of the group’s discussion.

Final Exam (25%)

A cumulative exam consisting of multiple choice type and essay questions.

Quizzes (20%)
Five quizzes

Team Application Project (15%)

Students will develop and present an IT strategy for an entrepreneurial enterprise.

POLICIES
ATTENDANCE POLICY

MGT 620 S5 Course Syllabus 2

It is particularly important to attend all Zoom class meetings due to the accelerated format of
graduate business courses. If you will miss one class meeting for an unavoidable reason,
please contact the instructor as soon as possible in order to discuss alternative ways of meeting
the learning outcomes that will be covered in the class meeting. If you will miss more than one
class meeting for a particular course, please contact both the instructor and the Assistant Dean
as soon as possible to discuss whether it is advisable to take the course this semester. Each
unexcused absence will lower your final grade by one letter.

In order to attend class meetings, you will need to use a device that allows you to attend a
Zoom meeting and appear on screen, such as a laptop computer or tablet with a webcam, or
smartphone with a camera. Students and instructors are expected to have their cameras on
during class meetings. Please make a note of the Zoom phone number and meeting
identification number so that you can call into the class meeting if you experience a technical
issues. It is also helpful to have the phone numbers of fellow students or the instructor so that
you can text a class participant if you have a technical issue.

ZOOM RECORDING POLICY

Any classroom recording is to be used only for the personal academic use of the individual
student, where personal academic use is restricted to the personal study use of the individual.
Mount St. Joseph University prohibits sharing, distributing, or publishing classroom recordings in
any manner.

ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY

Please use the following link to access Mount St. Joseph University’s Academic Honesty Policy.
The policy will be enforced in this class.

Link to University Graduate Academic Honesty Policy

DISABILITY POLICY
In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Mount St. Joseph University
provides academic adjustments and auxiliary aids for students with physical or mental
impairments that substantially limit or restrict one or more major life activities such as walking,
seeing, hearing, or learning. Students with disabilities should contact the Director of Learning
Center & Disability Services to present documentation and develop individualized
accommodation plans. Students who have already registered with MSJ Disability Services are
encouraged to discuss their accommodations with their course faculty at the beginning of each
semester. Additional information can be found at Link to University Disability Services.

TEMPORARY ILLNESS POLICY

Please use the following link to access Mount St. Joseph University’s Temporary Illness Policy.
Link to Temporary Illness Policy

COVID - 19 INFORMATION
The Mount St. Joseph University (University or Mount) COVID-19 Safety Guidelines
(Guidelines) are a temporary University policy that applies to all students, employees, and
visitors and to all aspects of campus operations. The Guidelines are intended to reduce the
spread of COVID-19 in the University community and beyond. They are predicated on the
individual responsibility all persons have to monitor their health and to take precautions in the

MGT 620 S5 Course Syllabus 3

time of COVID-19. The current version of the Guidelines are available on myMount under the
Policies tab. All students are encouraged to read the Guidelines in their entirety.
https://mymount.msj.edu/ICS/icsfs/Mount_St._Joseph_University_COVID-
19_Safety_Guidel.pdf?target=2fd2987d-fb90-41bc-b29c-0bf71c3a64f4

POLICY ON INCOMPLETES
Please use the following link to access Mount St. Joseph University’s policy on incompletes.

Link to Graduate Incomplete Policy

DROP DATES FOR THE CURRENT SEMESTER

Please use the following link to access information regarding drop dates for this semester.
Link to Semester Policies and Procedures

MGT 620 S5 Course Syllabus 4

 TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE

NOTE: All class preparation, assignments, and quizzes are due at 1pm on the day of the
corresponding class session.

Date &
Learning
Outcomes Topics Class Preparation & Assignments
5/15  The case for participating in Materials to prepare:
ZOOM CLASS information systems  Purchase textbook.
 The information systems strategy  Read Introduction and Chapter 1
triangle  Watch video on What’s in store: The
Future of retail
 Pre-Assignment: Flipgrid Speech
(please visit
https://flipgrid.com/b2124379) and
submit your up-to-date CV/resume
(email instructor at
alex.nakonechnyi@msj.edu)
6/5  Strategic use of information Materials to prepare:
ZOOM CLASS resources  Read Chapters 3 through 6
 Organization strategy  Watch video on The Turing test: Can a
computer pass for a human?
 The future of work
 Assignments:
o Submit group case analysis 1
o Chose one (1) case from chapters 1
through 6 to analyze individually.
 Quiz 1
6/26  Security Materials to prepare:
ZOOM CLASS  Business of IT  Read Chapters 7 through 9
 Governance of IS  Watch video on All your devices can be
hacked
 Assignments:
o Submit group case analysis 2
o Chose one (1) case from chapters 7
through 9 to analyze individually
 Quiz 2
7/17  Information systems sourcing Materials to prepare:
ZOOM CLASS  Managing IT projects  Read Chapters 10 and 11
 Watch video on Outsourcing
 Assignments:
o Submit group case analysis 3
o Chose one (1) case from chapters 10
and 11 to analyze individually
 Quiz 3

MGT 620 S5 Course Syllabus 5

Date &
Learning
Outcomes Topics Class Preparation & Assignments
8/7  Business intelligence Materials to prepare:
ZOOM CLASS  Privacy and ethical considerations  Read Chapters 12 and 13
 Team project presentations (live)  Watch video on The ethical dilemma of
self-driving cars
 Assignment
o Submit group case analysis 4
o Chose one (1) case from chapters 12
and 13 to analyze individually
 Quiz 4
Final Exam: TBA, will be online on Blackboard

Dates and assignments are subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. It is the
intention to follow the course schedule above; however, circumstances beyond the control of the
instructor may make it necessary to alter the schedule or assignments. Every effort will be made
to provide any changes in writing, such as through an announcement on Blackboard. Verbal
notification at a class meeting, however, will constitute sufficient notice of a change.

MGT 620 S5 Course Syllabus 6