Course Objectives

This is a course focused on the business strategy implications of the digital economy. It is primarily a case based class where students learn to develop and use the managerial and strategic reasoning skills needed to guide their organizations in the turbulent digital market place. This is a technology class only to the extent that students can use the existing web infrastructure to facilitate their interactions with students, team members, and the professor.

Experience with programming languages is not required, although a willingness to experiment with and explore this emerging technology in addition to the basic computer literacy is required. 

Behavioral Objectives

Upon completing this course the students should: 

1. have a general understanding of the digital economy and it reaching implications  
2. be able to analyze typical online business situations and make strategic recommendations  
3. understand the current major obstacles facing traditional managers and strategists facing the digital economy 
4. understand the value of information, it's pricing strategies, rights management and the concept of 'lock-in'  
5. understand the potential ramifications of the concept of increasing returns as it relates to business 
6. understand the value of standards and the economic consequences of winning the standards race  
7. understand current multiple approaches to Ecommerce strategy and decision making. 

Learning by discussion is both an effective and exciting experience. This process requires the active involvement of all participants, in this case students and instructor, although the instructor's function is primarily that of a catalyst, facilitator and evaluator in a collaborative learning experience. It is therefore essential that everyone participates as fully as possible. The framework for this participation will include book assignments, supplemental readings, case studies, and lectures; all designed to help to convey the main body of knowledge and to stimulate the desired critical thinking. The most effective learning will result from students' involvement in critical thinking through class presentation and discussion as well as through homework assignments. 

• Students Choice from pool of 16 recommended Books!
• Other readings will be required; many are available on the Web and the rest will be provided as handouts.
• Five Cases will be Assigned with One Preview case assigned as a preliminary warm-up.
• Access to the Internet, a personal email account, and the Netscape Browser will be required. Students can use computer laboratories at DePaul University or any other means to access the Internet. 
•  A team web project will NOT be required this quarter. Web development tools and space will be provided if requested.

There is no midterm/final examination scheduled, however it is the instructor's discression to give a midterm or final. Additionally, there will be groups of teams formed to work collaboratively during the quarter. During the quarter, each student and collective group will be continuously evaluated both online and in the classroom to determine their progress and participation .

The following table will be used in converting your numeric grade into an official letter grade for the course:

Final course grades within two points of a boundary between grades will be modified with + or -. 

Careful and timely reading and study as well as completion of all written assignments by the expected dates is critical to success in this course. Text readings will precede coverage of the material in class to facilitate active participation in class discussions. 

In class, instructor will highlight specific areas only, answer questions on the covered material, and then ask questions. This will stimulate discussion. Do not expect full-coverage lectures. Make notes when reading the assignments. Students can then highlight material that is appropriate during class coverage. 

It will be extremely difficult to complete the case assignments effectively the night before a session. Space them over at least two nights and do the readings first. 

Students are encouraged to be "entrepreneurial" in their approach to the class, in their assignments, and in their class presentations and interactions. Students' observations or experiences, and how they might relate to the subject at hand, have the potential to enhance the class sessions. Please share those of value so that you may be a resource to all participants, including instructor. Students are also encouraged to employ the systems perspective and wear the "manager's hat" in relating to the issues so that we will be able to think about them critically from multiple dimensions.

Note: The following and several other pedagogical approaches were adopted from the Instructor's Manual that accompanies the third edition of Sprague, R.H., Jr. and McNurlin, B.C., Information Systems Management in Practice, Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1993.

This is a subjective evaluation of student's contribution in class and online unstructured discussion of the reading assignments, questions and guest lectures. The evaluation will consider the quality of the contribution as well as the frequency of participation. Completion of reading assignments and homeworks is essential to full participation. Of the 30% which is allotted, grade will be prorated weekly as follows: 

As can be seen, students are expected to attend classes and participate Online. Not attending a class will have an influence on this portion of grade since participation is impossible if student is not in class.

Student's attendance at scheduled classes is expected and will be recorded. More than two unexcused absences will result in a failing grade. If students are absent, they are still expected to make arrangements to submit their written assignments when they are due, to obtain the following week's assignments and handout material (if any), and to complete the assignments and submit them by the assigned due date. One absence can adversely affect the participation level for multiple classes unless student plans ahead and/or recovers quickly.

Assignments will consist of: 

1. Readings from the handouts (see course schedule) 
2. Selected supplemental readings (when assigned) 
3. Five Case Studies and 4 Book Summaries Documents 
4. Team Presentation assignments for selected classes: 
5. Book Case Construction  

All written assignments must be in typed form and are expected on their due date. Penalty for late submission is as follows: up to one day late - 50% grade reduction, after it two days late or is discussed in the next class - 100% grade reduction.

Responses to the questions and critical questions are graded on a three points scale (excellent, average, unacceptable). Lumped together, these will be normalized to account for articulated % of the grade. 

Students should prepare and hand in their assignments containing the header in the memorandum format: 

Students should use this format for all homework assignments. An electronic copy of all assignments will be emailed to the Instructor.  Failure to use the format for the assignments or the failure to email the assignment will be reflected in the assignment grading.

Academic Honesty

Academic dishonesty is a serious offense and will not be tolerated. Any student found plagiarizing or otherwise cheating on assignments will receive a grade of "F" for the course and will be subject to disciplinary action under DePaul University regulations. Please review the DePaul University Student Handbook. 

Class Schedule

Group Formations

Case Studies

Students will be required to complete 5 case study analysis from selected Harvard Business Review cases. The instructions for completing each case will be differ for each case and will be presented by the instructor the week prior to the case is due. The students should have read the case and it's accompanying HBR articles the week prior to it being due so as to be ready to receive and understand the directions for completing the case. Cases must be formally written up an presented in both paper (in class)and electronic form (emailed to the Professor) on the due date. Students are expected to use at least 4 tennants of knowledge pools/experience in completing cases (1) work experience, (2) Knowledge gleamed from the students chosen book, (3) information derived from the supplemental readings and (4) knowledge gained from interacting with other students researching simpler topics from different perspectives. Students are expected to think, argue and defend positions of perspective, articulate strategies, abstract concepts, and formulate their own if need be.

Article Summaries

Students will be required to complete article write-ups during the course of the QTR. Articles will be furnished online along with the instructions on how to complete them.

E-Business Business Plan

Students will be required to complete a E-Business Plan as a project at the end of the quarter.  Teams formed in the class will prepared for the final presentation in week eleven.  Materials and reference data will be provided in support of the project.

Participation: Online and in Class