IS3000 IS for Global Work Teams and Virtual Organizations

Part I

Course Duration: One Semester

Credit Units: 3

Level: B3

Medium of Instruction: English

Prerequisites: Nil

Precursors: FB2501 Management Information Systems II

Equivalent Courses: Nil

Exclusive Courses: Nil

Part II      

Course Aims

This course aims to:

Prepare students for future career in organizations where a significant part of the operations are carried out virtually without the physical presence at all. Therefore,

  • Students will be able to understand the design principles of virtual work.
  • Students will be able to set up a virtual organization by comparing the benefits and difficulties of creating virtual work environments, selecting hardware and software, planning to reorganise the global flows of information, resource, peoples, and product.

Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs)
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

No.

CILOs

Weighting (if applicable)

1.

Explain the evolution of virtual organization, and how IT enables such evolution

2

2.

Set up a virtual organization by assessing and addressing the driving factors to the transformation

3

3.

Integrate supply chain concept with the business transformation (transforming from a pure physical to a pure/hybrid virtual organization) to further enhance the success of such transformation

2

4.

Explain the social, economic, regulatory, political, and ethical aspects in the development, implementation, and use of information systems in a virtual working environment

3

5.

Work productively as part of a team, to complete project tasks in a collaborative virtual working environment

3

(3: relatively most focused ILOs; 2: moderately focused ILOs; 1: least focused

Teaching and learning Activities (TLAs)
(Indicative of likely activities and tasks designed to facilitate students’ achievement of the CILOs. Final details will be provided to students in their first week of attendance in this course)

TLA1 Lecture

The following concepts of virtual work and virtual organizations are explained:

  • virtual organization principles
  • virtual organization strategy
  • technologies enabling virtual work and virtual organization
  • knowledge management in diversified working sections
  • team work in virtual organization
  • global supply chain
  • eGovernment

TLA2 Case studies

Selected real virtual organization cases about various aspects of the design, development, implementation, and usage of technologies are studied and discussed.

TLA3 Class Discussion

Students are required to

  • form virtual working team with overseas university students to complete a group project
  • evaluate and propose existing and emerging technologies to support their virtual cooperation
  • arrange the coordination between different involved parties of their virtual cooperation

TLA4: Practical exercises - in-class and off-class participation

In addition to in-class small group discussions and participation, collaborative technologies (such as wiki or blog) will be used for new discussions as well as the continuance of the in-class discussions.

ILO No

TLA1

TLA2

TLA3

TLA4

Hours/week (if applicable)

CILO 1

2

1

1

1

---

CILO 2

2

1

1

1

---

CILO 3

2

1

2

1

---

CILO 4

1

1

2

1

---

CILO 5

 

1

2

 

---

 (1: Indirectly Supporting ILO; 2: Directly Supporting ILO)

Assessment Tasks/Activities
(Indicative of likely activities and tasks designed to assess how well the students achieve the CILOs. Final details will be provided to students in their first week of attendance in this course)

AT1: Participation (20%)

Two components:

  • In-class: small group discussions, self reflection, raise and answer questions, etc. are used to assess students' understanding of the topics and their abilities to apply their skills.
  • Off-class: discussions of current virtual organization issues (such as emerging technologies and new policies) with collaborative technologies (such as wiki and blog)

AT2: Group Project - Virtual Cooperation (35%)

A group project, which includes a project report and presentation, will be allocated to let students set up a virtual team to accomplished assigned tasks.

AT3: Case studies presentations - in group (10%)

Case studies presentations will be assessed.

AT4: Final Examination (35%)

A written examination is developed to assess students' competence level of the taught subjects.

** Students must pass BOTH coursework and examination in order to get an overall pass in this course. **

ILO No

AT1 (20%)

AT2 (35%)

AT3 (10%)

AT4 (35%)

CILO 1

1

1

2

2

CILO 2

1

2

2

2

CILO 3

1

2

2

2

CILO 4

1

2

2

1

CILO 5

 

2

2

1

        (1: Indirectly Supporting ILO; 2: Directly Supporting ILO)

Grading of Student Achievement: Refer to Grading of Courses in the Academic Regulations

ILO

Excellent

Good

Adequate

Marginal

CILO1

Accurately describe all key virtual organization (VO) concepts; demonstrate profound understanding of the importance of IT in the current VO environment

Accurately describe all VO key concepts; great understanding of the importance of IT in the current VO environment;

Accurately describe most VO concepts; reasonable understanding of the importance of IT in the current VO environment;

Accurately describe some key VO concepts; minimal understanding of the importance of IT in the current VO environment;

CILO2

Accurately evaluate all the driving factors, both organizational and technological, to the setup of a VO;

Appropriately evaluate most of the driving factors, both organizational and technological, to the setup of a VO;

Appropriately evaluate some of the driving factors, either from organizational or technological perspective, to the setup of a VO.

Evaluate a few of the basic driving factors in a VO setup.

CILO3

Creatively propose innovative, relevant and rigorous integration of supply chain concept in the VO design;

Propose solutions to integrate all supply chain activities, with most important ones emphasized, in the VO design;

Successfully integrate the major supply chain activities in the VO design;

Successfully integrate some supply chain activities in the VO design;

CILO4

Demonstrate ability to explain the impact of IS from various perspectives, and how this determines the use of IS in setting up and working in a VO;

Demonstrate ability to explain the impact of IS from various perspectives, with well rounded knowledge of VO;

Demonstrate ability to explain the impact of IS from some perspectives, with adequate knowledge in VO;

Demonstrate ability to explain some important impacts of IS, with limited knowledge in VO;

CILO5

Successfully complete all of the assigned group project tasks, effectively use the most appropriate technologies for communication, and demonstrate their excellent abilities to work in team;

Successfully complete most of the assigned group tasks with appropriate technologies for interaction and communication. Collaboration between members is observed;

Complete some of the required group tasks with reasonable use of technologies for interaction and communication.

Complete the required assigned tasks with limited use of technologies for interaction and communication.

Part III     

Keyword Syllabus

  • virtual organization overview
  • virtual office
  • virtuality
  • organizational transformation
  • virtual organization principles
  • virtual organization strategy
  • virtual organization technology
  • knowledge management
  • virtual communities
  • global virtual team in virtual organizations
  • supply chains
  • eGovernment
  • ethics

Related Links
Department of Information Systems