Published: October 2023
Page Count: 350
ISBN (Digital): 979-8-88794-317-6

Information Systems for Decision Making: ISM 280

Custom Version 9.1.3
By John Gallaugher
University of North Carolina Greensboro

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Key Features

Unique approach to understanding the power of information systems leads with strategic thinking before diving into technical topics
Current and engaging case studies that challenge students to apply what they’ve learned
Coverage of not only strategy and technology basics, but also of critical concepts including data analytics, security, social media, the sharing economy, disruptive innovation, network effects, and more
In-depth profiles on widely known firms such as Amazon, Facebook, FreshDirect, Google, Netflix, Rent the Runway, and Zara
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Information Systems: A Manager’s Guide to Harnessing Technology is suitable for undergraduate or MBA-level courses on business or management information systems taught in two- or four-year schools that are often called Introduction to Information Systems, Strategic Information Systems, Capstone Information Systems course, Technology Entrepreneurship, Digital Organization/Digital Leadership, Management Information, Information Technology or similar.

Information Systems: A Manager’s Guide to Harnessing Technology is updated regularly. In doing so, its primary goal is to strike a balance between core course content and new developments in a rapidly evolving field. The result is a narrative grounded in relevant management theory and practice that features current, fresh, and engaging case studies and applications. Nearly all chapters in this new version received at least some refresh of examples, statistics, and other data. Even so, the book’s underlying framework remains consistent and reflects time-tested management best practices for using and successfully leveraging technology for individual and company success.

1.1 Tech’s Tectonic Shift: Radically Changing Business Landscapes

1.2 It’s Your Revolution

1.3 Geek Up—Tech Is Everywhere and You’ll Need It to Thrive

Chapter 2: Strategy and Technology: Concepts and Frameworks for Achieving Success

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Powerful Resources

2.3 Barriers to Entry, Technology, and Timing

2.4 Key Framework: The Five Forces of Industry Competitive Advantage

Chapter 3: FreshDirect: A Tech-Heavy Online Grocer Succeeds Where Others Fail

3.1 Tech-Driven Strategic Positioning for Market Dominance

3.2 The Model Moves Forward

Chapter 4: Zara: Fast Fashion from Savvy Systems

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Don’t Guess, Gather Data—Make Small Batches of What Customers Want and Ship It Fast!

4.3 Moving Forward

Chapter 5: Moore's Law and More: Fast, Cheap Computing, and What This Means for the Manager

5.1 Introduction

5.2 The Death of Moore’s Law?

5.3 The Power of Parallel: Supercomputing, Grids, Clusters, and Putting Smarts in the Cloud

5.4 Mickey’s Wearable: Disney’s MagicBand

Chapter 6: Disruptive Technologies: Understanding Giant Killers and Tactics to Avoid Extinction

6.1 Understanding Truly Disruptive Innovation

6.2 Recognizing and Responding to Disruptive Innovation

6.3 From Bitcoin to Blockchain and Beyond: A Disruptive Innovation for Money and More?

Chapter 7: A Manager’s Guide to the Internet and Telecommunications

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Internet 101: Understanding How the Internet Works

7.3 Getting Where You’re Going

7.4 Last Mile: Faster Speed, Broader Access

Chapter 8: Understanding Software: A Primer for Managers

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Operating Systems

8.3 Application Software: Apps, Desktop Products, and Enterprise Systems

Chapter 9: Software in Flux: Open Source, Cloud, Virtualized, and App-Driven Shifts

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Open Source

9.3 Why Open Source?

9.4 Examples of Open Source Software

9.5 Why Give It Away? The Business of Open Source

9.6 Defining Cloud Computing

9.7 Software in the Cloud: Why Buy When You Can Rent?

9.8 Understanding Cloud Computing Models: PaaS, IaaS, and Motivations and Risks

9.9 Virtualization: Software That Makes One Computer Act Like Many

9.10 Make, Buy, or Rent

Chapter 10: Information Security: Barbarians at the Gateway (and Just About Everywhere Else)

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Why Is This Happening? Who Is Doing It? And What’s Their Motivation?

10.3 Where Are Vulnerabilities? Understanding the Weaknesses

10.4 Taking Action

Chapter 11: Data and Competitive Advantage: Databases, Analytics, AI, and Machine Learning

11.1 Introduction

11.2 Data, Information, and Knowledge

11.3 Where Does Data Come From?

11.4 Data Warehouses, Data Marts, Data Lakes, and the Technology behind “Big Data”

11.5 The Business Intelligence Toolkit

11.6 Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and Machine Learning: It’s Now Everywhere!

Chapter 12: Social Media, Peer Production, and Leveraging the Crowd

12.1 Introduction

12.2 Social Networks

12.3 Twitter and the Rise of Microblogging

12.4 Crowdsourcing

12.5 Get SMART: The Social Media Awareness and Response Team

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John Gallaugher

Boston College

John Gallaugher (PhD Syracuse University School of Management) is the founder of the Boston College TechTrek field study programs, and as an advisor to multiple successful student entrepreneurs, John has had unprecedented access to the world’s leading technology and tech investment firms. An award-winning educator and author, John has been named a "Distinguished Educator" by Apple Inc., a "Most Popular Professor" by Bloomberg Businessweek, and “Guru to Grads” by Entrepreneur Magazine. He has also received the Boston College Trzaska Faculty Leadership Award, the all-university Boston College Teaching Award, the Carroll School of Management Teaching Award, and the student newspaper’s Momentum Award for campus impact. His bestselling textbook Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology has been used at over 450 universities worldwide, and has twice won the Textbook and Academic Authors' Association "Texty" award for excellence. John has taught on five continents and has led field study experiences in Seattle, San Francisco/Silicon Valley, Boston, New York, Dublin, Ghana, and Sydney. John’s research has been published in leading journals including the MIS Quarterly and Harvard Business Review, and he has consulted for leading organizations including Apple Inc., Accenture, ING, Partners Healthcare, State Street, and the U.S. Information Agency, among others. John has worked extensively with student entrepreneurs and has seen several former students gain admittance to elite accelerators (Y-Combinator, TechStars, MassChallenge), raise capital, and build thriving businesses, with some garnering unicorn ($1 billion plus) valuations. His comments on Business and Technology have appeared in several media outlets, including The New York Times, BusinessWeek, The Associated Press, National Public Radio, and Wired. One of the rare academics who teaches managerial as well as software and hardware programming courses, you can find hundreds of "flipped learning" and project videos at: YouTube.com/profgallaugher. John holds both a BA in Computer Science and an MBA from Boston College, and a PhD in Information Systems from the Syracuse University School of Management. He occasionally publishes on Substack (http://profgallaugher.substack.com) and is also active on social media—having left X for Threads: @john.gallaugher.