Information Systems I

N/A

The course is structured around the analysis of an organization’s information system and the development of well-supported improvement proposals.

In the lectures, the programme topics are presented and discussed through oral exposition, PowerPoint presentations, videos, and the analysis of case studies, with the aim of providing theoretical grounding and illustrating the practical application of the concepts.

In the laboratory classes, students carry out the practical assignment throughout the semester. These sessions include continuous supervision, progress meetings and clarification of questions, in order to guide the development of the activities, support the application of the concepts, and ensure the quality of the analysis performed.

The role of information systems in organizations requires an integrated approach to their technological, organizational, and human dimensions, in order to understand their relevance to current business models. Students are expected to acquire the necessary competencies to analyse, implement, and evaluate information systems, while also considering the ethical, social, and security challenges associated with their use.

At the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Identify and describe the main technological components of information systems.
• Explain and illustrate how information systems support business activities and contribute to the creation of competitive advantage.
• Distinguish different organizational decision-making levels and relate them to the information systems that support them.
• Compare approaches to the development and acquisition of technologies and information systems.
• Identify threats and vulnerabilities and evaluate security mechanisms, considering both technological and human factors.
• Discuss and evaluate ethical and social issues arising from the widespread use of information systems.
• Critically analyse the information system of a real organization and propose well-supported improvements.
• Apply theoretical concepts of information systems to the analysis of real companies, based on collected evidence.

1. Foundations of Information Systems

• Enterprise Information Systems
• Information Systems, Organizations and Strategy

2. Collaboration and Enterprise Platforms

• Global e-business and collaboration
• Enterprise systems: ERP, CRM and SCM
• Operational excellence and customer relationship management

3. Digital Business and E-commerce

• E-commerce: models, platforms and digital processes

4. Information, Knowledge and Decision Support

• Knowledge management
• Decision support systems (MIS, DSS, ESS)

5. Ethics, Security and Social Impact

• Ethical and social issues in information systems
• Information systems security

6. Systems Development and Project Management

• Information systems development (SDLC, Agile)
• Project management in information systems

7. Global Information Systems Management

• Strategies, challenges and global operation models

The overall assessment for the course unit consists of the following elements:

• Written exam (maximum: 12 points), with a minimum requirement of 30%.
• Practical project, carried out in groups, focusing on the analysis of an existing information system in a real organization and the proposal of improvements, with partial submissions between weeks 2 and 13 of the semester (maximum: 6 points).
• Study of the operationalization of a business tool, carried out in groups, between weeks 2 and 13 of the semester (maximum: 2 points).

An oral defense, individual or group, may be required for any of the assessed components.

Attendance in laboratory/practical classes must be at least 50%.

NAO