The Most Important Course in the Business School!

David M. Kroenke

MIS is incredibly important to business & commerce today

Almost no one (in academics) knows that!• Non-IS colleagues• Students• Administrators

Introduction to MIS is the most important class in the b-school

Argument rests on two pillars:

Data communications is essentially free

Data storage is essentially free

Snooze, yawn …so what???

YouTube iPhone Facebook Second Life HuLu Twitter LinkedIn

Do businesses have legitimate uses of social networking???

Of course…

But which???

And how???

B-school grads must be able to:

AssessEvaluateApply

Emerging information technology

B-school grads must be able to:

AssessEvaluateApply

Emerging information technology

Where will students learn to do that?

She was unable to perform non-routine cognitive skills

Abstract thinking

Systems thinking

Experimentation

Collaboration

Abstract thinking

Systems thinking

Experimentation

Collaboration

Where will students learn to do that?

Process Modeling (BPMN)

ER-Models

Five Components of IS

“If two employees have the exact same opinion, then we have no need for one of them” (Darwin John, world’s first CIO)

Iteration & Feedback Conflict – facing Collaboration IS:

• Google Docs & Spreadsheets• Microsoft SharePoint• Google Wave• Others…

Dealing with uncertainty & ambiguity Using realistic projects (Office, SP, other?)

Dealing with uncertainty & ambiguity Using realistic projects (Office, SP, other?)

You manage the choir. What to do?

So many ways to go with a project like this!

1. Teach students to • Assess• Evaluate• Apply

IS to business

2. Best course to learn key skills:• Abstract thinking• Systems thinking• Experimentation• Collaboration

Abstract thinking ExperimentationSystems thinking Collaboration

Require that the course have content!Not a dictionaryNot MIS story time

Rather:Models ProcessesSystems Meaningful Applications / Activities

Technology exploding Innovative applications everywhere New technologies for delivering content The most important class in the

business school!

Tell the world!

And have fun!!!