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Centre for Financial & Management Studies (CeFiMS) - University of London

Individual Professional Courses – IPC  

Management Information & Information Systems [PPM104]

Introduction

The introduction of new information systems, including computerised information systems, is essential in improving the performance of public sector organisations (PSOs). Yet, too often, the potential of information systems is never realised, and PSOs are littered with failed computerised information systems. These failures create a massive waste of public finance and of public servants' time and effort. They also reduce the quality of service provided by the public sector; in extreme cases threatening even the livelihoods and lives of those who depend on public services.

Overall, this course therefore seeks to address three issues:

  • the great potential of information systems in the public sector
  • the reasons behind the widespread failure to achieve that potential
  • the possibilities of, and constraints on, closing this gap between potential and actuality.

Aims & Objectives

When you have completed all your work on this course, you will be able to:

  • define and handle confidently a wide variety of information technology- and information systems-related terms
  • analyse actual and potential roles of information systems in your organisation
  • diagnose the causes of computerised information systems failure in your organisation
  • make an effective contribution to the management and development of new information systems in your organisation.

Note: this course is not a substitute for the experience of being either a user or developer of a computerised information system. However, it will make you more confident about taking up opportunities for such experience, and will enable you to better understand, learn from, and contribute to such experience.

Three central messages appear throughout the course:

  • information systems are social systems, within which the non-technical components are the most important;
  • many computerised information systems assume an abstract model of rationality that does not match the reality of many public sector organisations, with important implications for the success or failure of such systems; and
  • introducing a new information system requires some degree of organisational change: greater change could bring more benefits to the organisation but may also mean an increased risk of system failure.

Resources

Almost all of the units have associated Readings. These are mainly case studies of computerised information systems in public sector organisations from around the world.
Each unit also has additional readings drawn from the three texts that are supplied with the course. The Online Study Centre also has supplementary readings and useful links to academic and other resources for this course.

Each unit also has additional readings drawn from the texts that are supplied with the course.

Textbooks:

Management Information Systems by Kenneth and Jane Laudon.
This provides a comprehensive introduction to a wide range of information technology and information systems topics. Its primary focus is on the private sector, especially in the USA. As a result some parts may not be relevant to your organisation, and other parts must be approached with caution. Indeed, as the University see, one cause of information systems failure is the mistaken assumption that 'textbook' approaches can be readily applied to a host of different situations.

Reinventing Government in the Information Age edited by Richard Heeks.
This is divided into five sections. Section A provides a more detailed development of one of the course’s main ideas: the danger of failure arising from gaps between an information system’s design conceptions and the organisational realities into which that system is introduced. It particularly develops material that you will meet in Units 1, 2, 6 and 8. The remaining sections of the book provide analytical case studies of the real-world problems of trying to introduce information systems and information management techniques into the public sector.

Course Content

  • An Introduction to Information Systems in Public Sector Organisations
  • Information in Organisations
  • Information Technology
  • People, Management, Organisations, Environments and Information Systems
  • Types of Information Systems
  • Information Systems Management
  • Information System Development
  • Information Systems and Public Sector Reform

Tuition & Assessment

There are two Assignments which will be marked by your tutor. The assignments are for submission after Units 4 and 8, that is, in weeks 4 and 8 of the study calendar.

To assist with revision and preparation for the final examination, review questions for each unit and a specimen examination paper are contained in the course file. The assignments count for 30% of the final mark and the examination 70%. Assignments are submitted and feedback given online. In addition, queries and problems can be answered through the Online Study Centre.