Faculty of Business, Finance and Hospitality

Assessments

Key Information
Programme : Master in Business Administration (Hons)
Module Title : Business Informatics
Module Code : MBA6043
Module Leader : Vijayan
Email of the Module Leader : vijay_um@hotmail.com
Semester/ Year : Semester 2 Year 1
Credit Value :3

This continuous assessment project comprises 60% of the total module mark and will consist
of one written assignment (30%) - covering the CLO1 & CLO2, one group case study
analysis presentation (20%) – covering CLO1, CLO2 & CLO3 and online forum (10%) –
covering CLO2 & CLO3. Overall course structure as per below:

ASSESSMENT MODE WEIGHTAGE (%)

Assignment 1: Written Assignment – Individual 30%
Work
Assignment 2: Case Study – Group Work 20%
Online Forum 10%
Final Exam 40%

Course Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the assignment, the students are able to:
1. Analyze the ICT management system within an organization.

2. Discuss methods and technologies that impact the IT organizational functions.

3. Classify IT systems in relations to the operations and functions of an organization.

1
 Assignment 1

This assessment constitutes 30% of the overall mark for the module and the aim of this
assessment is to enable student to:

i. Analyse the ICT management system within an organization. (CLO1).

ii. Discuss methods and technologies that impact the IT organizational functions. (CLO2).

Specific Objectives of the Assignment:

To encourage you to become familiar with:

1. Describe the purposes of research in the area of management information system (MIS).
2. Discuss issues of particular interest area in MIS and suggesting necessary solution to the
problem with reference to academic framework.

Assessment Questions 1 – Research Report

Choose an organisation and write an essay on the use of information systems (IS) solutions in
the organisation. You are required to prepare a written report (approximately: 2000 words)
and the report should be outlined as follows:

A. Firm Profile
a. Describe the nature of activities and services provided by the firm
b. Describe the organizational structure and a summary of resources [especially
technology resources]
B. Business Start-up
a. A brief relevant historical background on the company and how they began
operations and major key milestones of development and achievements.

C. Business Problem
a. Discuss a specific business problem, opportunity or challenge which required an
IS solution. Describe the antecedents to the problem including the social, managerial,
organizational, technological, legal or economic issues which increased the
complexity of addressing the problem or opportunity.

2
D. Technology-based Solution
a. Discuss the IS solution introduced to address the business challenge, problem or
opportunity. What process led to the choice of this solution and what other options
were considered?
E. Addressing the Challenges
a. Assess the IS solution – has the problem been solved, was the company able to
achieve the objectives set out? Include the views of stakeholders concerned including
managers, employees, clients, partners or customers concerning the new solution or
service provided.
F. Lessons for Managers
a. Discuss three key lessons which managers in organizations can learn from this case.

Literature must be appropriated referenced in Harvard style. Direct quotes must be page
referenced and cited accordingly. Whichever topics you choose, the report should be presented
in essay style including the following sections: introduction, literature review, and conclusions.
It should be appropriately referenced in accordance with the Harvard style and should include
only those references referred to in the body of the essay. Sources of diagrams and direct quotes
should be page referenced and cited accordingly.

Key Guidelines
1) Each case study report should be presented with a cover page which should state out the title
of the essay and also outline the names, index numbers and email addresses of students who
participated in the assignment. The mobile number of the group leader should be included.
2) Your case study should focus on how an organization attempted to address a business
challenge, opportunity or problem through IS solution. Hence, the business problem, opportunity
or challenge should be clearly stated and discussed.
3) It is important to draw out some of the social, managerial, organizational, technological, legal
or economic issues which contributed to either the success of the technology-enabled solution.
4) To ensure confidentiality, you should keep the names of organisation and its employees
anonymous, where necessary.

Report format guidelines:

Students are required to prepare a report not exceeding 2000 words (not including the reference
list) for the above task.
Report Writing format: Your work must be produced using MS Word or similar.

3
1. Font: Times New Roman 12
2. Spacing: One and a half (1.5)
3. Number of words: 2000 words (approximately)
4. Numbering of page: bottom, center.
5. Alignment: Justified

Your report must include a minimum of 20 references from a range of sources. Please note that
most of the references must be journal references. Referencing: All work should be referenced
using the Harvard Referencing as required by the university.

Hand in Date: 1st September 2018

Feedback will be given within 15 working days.

Marking scheme rubric.

Criteria Marks

Relevance
/20
Directly relevant to the requirements of the assessment.
Knowledge
A substantial knowledge of relevant materials, showing a clear grasp of /20
themes, questions and issues therein.
Analysis
/20
Good analysis, clear and orderly.
Argument and Structure
Generally coherent and logically structured, using an appropriate mode of /20
argument and/or theoretical model(s).
Critical Evaluation
May contain some distinctive or independent thinking; may being to
/10
formulate an independent position in relation to theory and/or practice.

4
 Presentation
Well written, with standard spelling and grammar, in a readable style /5
withy acceptable style with acceptable format.
Reference to Literature
Critical appraisal of up-to-date and/or appropriate literature. Recognition
/5
of different perspectives. Very good use of source material. Uses a range
of sources of sources.

Total /100

Assignment 2

This assessment constitutes 20% of the overall mark for the module and the aim of this
assessment is to enable student to:

i. Analyse the ICT management system within an organization. (CLO1).

ii. Discuss methods and technologies that impact the IT organizational functions. (CLO2).
iii. Classify IT systems in relations to the operations and functions of an organization.
(CLO3).

Specific Objectives of the Assignment:

To encourage you to become familiar with:

1. Describe the purposes of research in the area of management information system (MIS).
2. Discuss issues of particular interest area in MIS and suggesting necessary solution to the
problem with reference to academic framework.
3. Discuss the factors that managers must consider in managing information systems in
organizations.

5
Assessment Questions 2 – Group Work

Group work is a compulsory component of the assessment of this module. This is a group
assignment constitutes 20% and students will be required to work in a team of 3-4 members
and this assignment is a good opening place to remind students of the differences between
groups and organizations, and between groups and teams. Students will be given 3 case study
covering THREE (3) Course Learning Outcome (CLO’s) as per above and the course tutor
will allocate ONE (1) case study for each group – based on the number of students in the class
and each group will have different case study for analysis. If you fail to be present for all group's
presentation (unless this absence is justified and documented) you will only receive 75% of
your group's grade. Students are required to present their findings and to submit the printed and
soft copy (via CN).

Assignment submission date: 13rd October 2018

Group assessments are marked on the basis that all members of the group contribute in equal
measure to the achievement of the assessment criteria. Team members are expected to work
constructively as part of a small group to prepare and present on the case study around a
specifically allocated theme. As a team member, you will be required to attend lectures and
group meetings as appropriate and exhibit good organisational and self-management skills over
the module.

Please print below information on your group members.

Student Number Full Name Contact details Signature

6
Case 1: Can This Bookstore Be Saved? (Refer to attachement)

Case Questions:

1. Use the value chain and competitive forces models to evaluate the impact of the
Internet on book publishers and book retail stores such as Barnes & Noble.
2. How are Barnes & Noble and the book publishers changing their business models to
deal with the Internet and e-book technology? How did these decision-making tools
change the way the company ran its business?
3. Will Barnes & Noble’s new strategy be successful? Explain your answer.
4. Is there anything else Barnes & Noble and the book publishers should be doing to
stimulate more business?

Case 2: Facebook: It’s about the Money (Refer to attachment)

Case Questions

1. Perform an ethical analysis of Facebook. What is the ethical dilemma presented by this
case?
2. What is the relationship of privacy to Facebook’s business model?
3. Describe the weaknesses of Facebook’s privacy policies and features. What management,
organization, and technology factors have contributed to those weaknesses?
4. Will Facebook be able to have a successful business model without invading privacy?
Explain your answer. Are there any measures Facebook could take to make this possible?

Case 3: Should Businesses Move to the Cloud? (Refer to attachment)

Case Questions

1. What business benefits do cloud computing services provide? What problems do they
solve?
2. What are the disadvantages of cloud computing?
3. How do the concepts of capacity planning, scalability, and TCO apply to this case? Apply
these concepts both to Amazon and to subscribers of its services.
4. What kinds of businesses are most likely to benefit from using cloud computing? Why?

7
Case 4: Summit Electric Lights Up with a New ERP System (Refer to
attachment)
Case Questions

1. Which business processes are the most important at Summit Electric Supply? Why?
2. What problems did Summit have with its old systems? What was the business impact of
those problems?
3. How did Summit’s ERP system improve operational efficiency and decision making?
Give several examples.
4. Describe two ways in which Summit’s customers benefit from the new ERP system.

Case 5: Apple, Google, and Microsoft Battle for Your Internet Experience
(Refer to attachment)

Case Questions

1. Define and compare the business models and areas of strength of Apple, Google, and
Microsoft.
2. Why is mobile computing so important to these three firms? Evaluate the mobile platform
offerings of each firm.
3. What is the significance of applications and app stores, and closed vs. open app standards
to the success or failure of mobile computing?
4. What difference would it make to a business or to an individual consumer if Apple,
Google, or Microsoft dominated the Internet experience? Explain your answer.

Case 6: Honam Petrochemical’s Quest for Better Management Reports

(Refer to attachment)

Case Questions

1. List and describe the information requirements of HPC’s new management system. What
problems was the new system designed to solve?
2. To what extent were “people” problems affecting management decision-making at HPC?
What were some of the management organization, and technology issues that had to be
addressed by the new system? How did the system’s designers make the system more
“people-friendly?”
3. What role did end users play in developing HPC’s new system? How did the project team
make sure users were involved? What would have happened to the project if they had not
done this?
4. What were the benefits of the new system? How did it change the way Honam ran its
business? How successful was this system solution?

8
 Online Forum

Students are required to actively involved and participate in online forum in the Course
Networking created for this course. The marking criteria is based on anar seeds in the website
and students are expected to achieve 300 anar seeds which represents 10% of overall
assessments. Questions or discussion topics will be posted by the lecturer and students to write
reflection using their own words. The guidelines for online forum is given below.

How to sign on?

The web address is https://www.thecn.com

How to create a Free CN Account from thecn.com?

https://support.thecn.com/hc/en-us/articles/115001570008-Create-a-Free-CN-Account-from-
thecn-com

How to join a CN Course?

https://support.thecn.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005276588-Join-a-CN-Course
Course Name = Business Informatics July 2018
Course PIN = 6043

A Few Things about Anar Seeds Every CN Member Should Know.

https://support.thecn.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002041967-A-Few-Things-about-Anar-Seeds-
Every-CN-Member-Should-Know-

9
Additional Instructions:
Students are required to submit the assignment in time. Any late submission will not be
accepted. A mark of ZERO will be awarded for late or no submission. Students are advised to
make another copy for own reference.

Feedback
Students can inquire the assignment feedback and grades. However, official grades will be
published on the notice board.

Examination scripts are retained by MAHSA University and are not returned to students.
However, students are entitled in obtaining feedback on student’s performance in the
examination. Student may request an appeal with the Programme Leader to re-mark student’s
examination script. As a Standard Operating Procedure, a Re-Mark charge is RM50.00 for a
paper payable upon submission of the Re-Mark Form.

Marks
It is compulsory for student to PASS all the components of the examination. Students are
required to achieve a minimum of 50% of the accumulated marks to pass. However, if student
fail one of the component of the module, student will be awarded with CONDITIONAL PASS
where student must RE-SIT the exam. Failing to re-sit in the semester will cause the student to
REPEAT the whole course module in the coming semester if the module is offered.

Assessment Offences
Academic offences include plagiarism, cheating, collusion, copying work and reusing your
own work among others.

The University takes academic offences very seriously and this can lead to expulsion. We make
every effort to ensure that the students will avoid from committing such offences. The need in
maintaining the order in examination and non-examination is to preserve the highest standard
of academic integrity. Students are reminded to produce and submit their original work.

10
Definitions of Assessment Offences

Plagiarism
Plagiarism can be defined as the significant use of other people's work and the submission of
it as though it were one's own in assessed coursework (such as dissertations, essays,
experiments etc.). This includes:
• Copying from another student's work;
• Copying text without acknowledgement;
• Downloading information and/or text from the internet and using it without
acknowledgement;
• Submitting work and claiming it to be own when it has been produced by another group;
and
• Submitting group work without acknowledging all contributors.
The university uses software packages to detect plagiarism.

Cheating
Cheating in examinations can be defined as trying to gain unfair advantage over fellow
students. This includes:
• Having notes, programmable calculators or any other method to secure the information
which are not allowed in the examination, whether the student use it or not;
• Having any mobile phone or other communication devices in the exam room;
• Copying from the examination script of another candidate;
• Helping another candidate; and
• Trying to bribe respective lecturers to obtain good marks.

Collusion
Collusion is a form of agreement between two or more people to act with the intention to
deceive an assessor as to who was responsible for producing the material submitted for
assessment. The agreement may be overt (openly discussed) or covert (not specifically
discussed but implied). Using someone else’s work, words, images, ideas or discoveries is
equal to stealing the hard work. This includes:

11
• agreeing with others to cheat;
• getting someone else to produce part or all your work;
• copying the work of another person (with their permission);
• submitting work from essay banks;
• paying someone to produce work for you; and
• allowing another student to copy your own work.

Methods to Avoid Academic Offence

Students are advised to avoid copying and using other people’s work without citation and
acknowledgement. It is compulsory for students to include the references and the source of
information. This will allow students to avoid plagiarism.

Procedures for Assessment Offences

If students are caught committing the offence, a report of offence will be written. Students will
be called for a mini hearing whereby students can justify their action. The University has the
right to suspend or even terminate the student should University found the action as a serious
offence. Kindly refer to MAHSA Student Handbook for more details.

12