Page 46 - Using MIS

14 Chapter 1 The Importance of MIS

So
What? What’s Your Number?

Put on your skeptical hat. Assume a doubting attitude. Be a critic
and not necessarily fair. For some of you, that will be easy; for
others, it will be more difficult. Regardless, just do it: Once per
chapter, ask, “So what?”
Begin with an important calculation; do it now if you haven’t
already. Sum the costs of your education this term. Start with the
cost of tuition and textbooks. Now add the cost of your dorm or
rent. Add in the cost of food and entertainment. Add in other fees
as well as the cost of transportation to and from your university.
Add some portion of the cost of your computing equipment as
well as the cost of supplies, even furniture if you had to buy it.
Now, divide that total cost by the number of credit hours, yielding
cost per credit hour. Multiply that cost per hour by the number
of hours in your MIS class, and then divide that product by the Source: Stoupa/Fotolia
number of times your class meets, not including test periods. The
result is the cost you’re paying for each session of your MIS class.
That result is likely somewhere in the range of $100 to $250 for a
typical student’s situation.
Suppose your number is $150. You just paid $150 for the
right to attend class, to read this chapter, and to discuss the
chapter’s contents with your professor and fellow students. Is it 2. We (authors of this text) claim MIS is the most important class
worth it? in the business school. But we’re selling MIS books. Do you
Let’s say that you learned the following: agree? How do we justify that statement? Do you agree with
a. Professionals need to assess, evaluate, and apply emerging us? What other courses might be more important? Why? Take
information systems technology to business. a stand!
b. Marketable skills are: abstraction, systems thinking, 3. Suppose you manage the credit department for a parts
collaboration, and experimentation. distributor. As a business professional, do you need to concern
yourself with the integration of information systems technology
c. Information systems have five components: hardware,
into your business? Justify your answer.
software, data, procedures, and people.
4. Suppose zulily Corporation (see Case Study 1, page 31)
So what? hired you in 2010. In 3 years, revenue grew from $18 million
to $695 million. As a business professional, do you need to
Take a Stand concern yourself with the integration of information systems
technology in your business? Does your answer to this
Working in a group of three to five students or as instructed
by your professor, take a stand on the following questions. question differ from your answer to question 3? Should it?
Remember your skeptical attitude; there are no extra points for 5. Suppose you manage the credit department for a parts
agreeing with your group. Just be polite. distributor. Do you need to learn abstraction, systems
thinking, collaboration, and experimentation? First define
Questions what those terms mean; then answer this question.
6. Suppose zulily hired you in 2010. Do you need to learn
1. Compute the cost per MIS session for you. Compare that abstraction, systems thinking, collaboration, and
calculation with those of others in your group. Ensure that you experimentation? Does your answer to this question differ
didn’t forget any major costs. from your answer to question 5? Should it?