Kenyatta University

School of Business
Department of Management Science
Master of Business Administration
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COURSE OUTLINE
BMS 841: MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS (45 LECTURE HOURS)
Course Purpose
The purpose of this course is to provide students with basic and in-depth understanding of the field of
Management Information Systems (MIS), its core technologies and its application in business management.
Students will be expected to develop a framework for understanding and managing information systems in
organizations, emphasizing what they are, how they affect an organization and its employees, and how they can
enhance business efficiency, effectiveness, and competitiveness.
Course Objectives
At the end of this course, the students should be able to:
a) Outline and pinpoint the different classification of IS in real business and the market today;
b) Predict the future of IS in addressing business and managerial problems;
c) Critically evaluate a given business scenario and match it to the necessary MIS solutions from a
consultant/experts point of view;
d) Undertake practical case analysis to investigate given IS phenomena and present the finding in written report.
CONTENTS
WEEK TOPICS /SUB TOPICS
1. INTRODUCTION TO MIS
i.)
Definition of MIS
ii.)
Perspective of information systems: definition of information systems, business perspective of
information systems, dimension of information systems.
iii.)
Contemporary approaches to information systems
iv.)
Components and activities of information systems
v.)
Strategic business objectives of firms investing in information systems
vi.)
Environmental developments that call for the need for information systems
vii.)
How information technology has transformed organizations
viii.)
Systems concepts and information systems
2. INFORMATION SYSTEMS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND STRATEGY
i.)
Introduction
ii.)
Organizations and Information Systems
iii.)
Impact of IS on Organizations and Business Firms
iv.)
Using Information Systems to Achieve Strategic/Competitive Advantage
Porters Competitive Forces Model
The Business Value Chain Model
3. IT INFRASTRUCTURE AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
i.)
IT infrastructure; definition and evolution
ii.)
Infrastructure components : Hardware, software; systems software, applications software, Data
1

management and storage, Network/telecommunication platforms

iii.)
Hardware and software trends
iv.)
Management issues
4. DATABASES AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
i.)
Introduction: File based and database management systems
Limitations of file based systems
Advantages and disadvantages of DBMS
ii.)
Using Databases to Improve Business Performance and Decision Making
Data Warehouses and data marts
Business Intelligence: Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) and data mining
5. TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKS
i.)
Introduction
ii.)
Reasons for connecting computers
iii.)
Functions of telecommunication systems
iv.)
Components of telecommunication systems
v.)
Types of networks
vi.)
Telecommunication trends
vii.)
Business value impacts of the telecommunications revolution
6. INTERNET AND E-COMMERCE
i.)
The Internet
ii.)
E-commerce and e-business
iii.)
Unique features of e-commerce
iv.)
E-commerce Models/options
v.)
Advantages and disadvantages of E-Commerce
vi.)
Business applications and the Internet
CONTINOUS ASSESSMENT TEST 1
7. CLASSIFICATIONS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS
i.)
Introduction
ii.)
Business Processes (functions) and Information Systems
iii.)
Levels of management and information systems
iv.)
Decision making process and information systems
v.)
Types of information systems
Operations support systems: transaction support systems, process control systems,
enterprise collaboration systems
Management support systems: DSS, MIS, EIS, ES
vi.)
Systems that span the Enterprise
Enterprise Applications
Enterprise Systems: SCM Systems, CRM Systems
Knowledge Management Systems
8. INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT
i.)
Introduction
ii.)
Systems Development and Organizational Change
Business Process Reengineering
Business Process Management
iii.)
Factors affecting development of information systems success/failure
iv.)
Systems development approaches
Systems development cycle (SDLC)
vii.)
Alternative system development approaches:
CASE tools
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 Prototyping
Application packages
End-user development
Outsourcing: BPO, Cloud computing
viii.)
Global Information Systems
The Growth of International Information Systems
Organizing International Information Systems
Managing Global Systems
ix.)
The challenge of information systems: key management issues
9. ISSUES FACED BY MIS PROFESSIONS IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS
i.)
Security issues
ii.)
Health related issues and ergonomics
iii.)
Ethics and social issues of Information systems
CONTINOUS ASSESSMENT TEST 2
FINAL EXAMINATIONS
Academic Integrity
Students will be expected to abide by the University Rules and Regulations regarding examinations and class
attendance. You are advised to avoid any form of plagiarism.
Methodology
The course shall be conduct by means of lectures, Assignments, Discussions/Case Studies Analysis,
Individual/group presentations
Resources/teaching aids
Projection equipment, Instructional Materials/Handouts
Course Assessment/Evaluation
Technology Case studies/Term Paper/CAT
End of Semester Examination

40%
60%

Total

100%

Recommended textbook
Laudon, K.C. and Laudon, J. P.(2010): Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm Prentice-Hall
of India Private Limited , New Delhi..
Other reference books
OBrien, J. A.(2008): Management Information systems: Managing Information Technology in the E-Business
Enterprise . Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited, New Delhi.
Brown, C. V., DeHayes, D. W., Hoffer, J. A., Martin, E. W., & Perkins, W. C. (2012). Managing information
technology (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.