MGT609_Assessment 1 Brief.Docx Page 1 of 6
| ASSESSMENT BRIEF | |
| Subject Code and Title | MGT609 Managing Information Systems |
| Assessment | Assessment 1: Information Systems, Scenario Evaluation |
| Individual/Group | Individual |
| Length | 1,000 words (+/- 10%) |
| Learning Outcomes | a) Evaluate the role and evolving nature of information systems in a variety of dynamic business environments. b) Critically examine the impact of information systems on business decision-making. |
| Submission | Due by 11:59pm AEST/AEDT Friday of Module 2.2 (week 4) |
| Weighting | 20% of the Final Mark |
| Total Marks | 20 marks |
Task Summary
In this assessment, you will individually address four tasks in a case study related to the strategic use
of information resources, and the role of Information Systems (IS) in a contemporary business
environment. The workload required in this assessment is equivalent to that of a 1000-word report.
Please refer to the Task Instructions for details on how to complete this task.
Context:
This assessment helps you to build an in-depth understanding of the role of information systems in a
contemporary business environment, and how it can help the business to gain a competitive edge. To
successfully complete this assessment you are required to study a fictitious case organisation that has
been chosen to be in an industry that all students should be familiar with – the higher education
industry, and advise as to what information resources can be used strategically, and how IS can help
a higher education institute to compete.
This assessment develops your understanding of the strategic use of IS and its role in a modern
organisation, which serve as the foundation of IS management.
Instructions:
You should first read and understand the following case before proceeding to address the questions
in the Assessment Tasks section.
ABC University (‘ABCU’) has enjoyed phenomenal growth in the past in terms of student
numbers, staff number, new courses, new campuses as well as infrastructure. Since founded
in Sydney in 2012, ABCU has soon become the most successful private university in Australia
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with over 50,000 students spread across its 16 campuses and delivery sites in all major
Australian metropolitan cities.
ABCU has a typical functional organisational structure. The University is divided into a number
of Divisions so that each Division primary focuses on a somewhat independent business
capability. Those Divisions include: Student Experience and Governance, Research Division,
Tertiary Education Division, Finance Division, Engagement and Campuses Division, Marketing
and Recruitment Division, and HR Division.
The business model of ABCU is no difference than that of other public universities. It sells
educational products and services to both domestic and international students.
Higher education industry is highly regulated in Australia. Tertiary Education Quality and
Standards Agency (TEQSA) was established to administer the Higher Education Standard
Framework (the threshold standard) and has adopted a risk model to quality assure Australia’s
higher education sector. A number of risk indicators include student retention rate, student
progression rate and student completion rate.
ABCU’s strategic plan 2018-2022 focuses on expansion and growth as well as increasing
student engagement and ensuring higher education quality. The KPIs stipulated in the
strategic plan include 3.8+/5 student satisfaction rating, 75%+ student retention rate, 80%+
student progression rate, and 60%+ student completion rate. It is also in its strategic plan that
the University will introduce at least 3 new courses each year.
With respect to academic quality assurance, ABCU has in place a number of academic quality
assurance and quality control mechanisms, including the close monitoring of student-at-risk,
student attendance, student progression, and student academic misconduct, teaching staff
training and controlled student-to-lecturer ratio.
Assessment Tasks:
To complete this assessment, you are required to answer ALL of the following questions in a Microsoft
Word document. You must not copy the questions over to your assessment document. Use question
number to indicate which question your answer relates to.
1. How can information resources be used strategically for ABCU? Write a short paragraph with
at least two (2) examples illustrating the strategic use of information resources. (200 words)
2. Why is it important to align IS strategy with the overall University strategic plan? (100 words)
3. Explain how information system can help ABCU gain a competitive edge over public
universities. You must select at least three (3) aspects of Porters’ five forces model, and
explain what impact, if any, information systems will have on ABCU’s competitive position.
(400 words)
4. Would you advise the Chief Information Officer (CIO) to consider any enterprise system? If so,
what enterprise system would you advise the CIO to consider for ABCU and how that
enterprise system will add value to the University? In your answer, you must provide at least
two examples that ABCU would benefit from having in place an enterprise system. If you
advise the CIO against considering an enterprise system, you must provide sound argument
for your advice. (300 words)
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General Assessment Requirement:
• Incomprehensible submissions. Assessments provide the opportunity for students to
demonstrate their knowledge and skills to achieve the required standard. To do this,
assessment responses need to be both clear and easy to understand. If not, the University
cannot determine that students have demonstrated their knowledge and skills. Assessments
will, therefore, be marked accordingly including the potential for 0 (zero) marks where
relevant.
• Case study. Assessment response must focus on the case study scenario given in the Task
Instructions. Any assessment items that do not address the case study scenario will be
awarded 0 (zero) marks.
• Track changes. If you use Track Changes when writing your assessment, you must ensure that
the submitted document is the final and correct version of the document. That is, if your
submitted report contains Track Changes or Comments or any other editing marks it may be
awarded 0 (zero) marks. It is your responsibility to submit the final and correct version of your
report.
• Check with marking criteria. Before submitting your assessment, you should check it against
the assessment criteria and the marking rubric included in this specification to ensure that
you have satisfactorily addressed all the criteria that will be used to mark your submission.
• Academic language. All submissions should be thoroughly proof-read for spelling,
typographical or grammatical errors before being submitted. Do not rely on the ‘spell-check’
function in Microsoft Word. If, for example, ‘affect’ is substituted for ‘effect’, your Microsoft
Word may not detect the error.
• Referencing. It is essential that you use appropriate 6th edition APA style for citing and
referencing research. Please see more information on referencing here
http://library.laureate.net.au/research_skills/referencing
Submission Instructions:
• Means of submission. Submit ONE Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx) via the
Assessment link in the main navigation menu in MGT609: Managing Information Systems.
• No Zipped files. Students MUST NOT zip the Microsoft Word document or submit it as one
single zip/compressed file.
• Complete and correct submission. Once assessments are submitted, they are FINAL and
therefore cannot be modified. Please ensure that your submissions are final, correct (correct
files in correct format) and complete before submitting on Blackboard.
The Learning Facilitator will provide feedback via the Grade Centre in the LMS portal. Feedback
can be viewed in My Grades.
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Learning Rubric: Assessment 1 Information Systems, Scenario Evaluation
| Assessment Attributes |
Fail (Unacceptable) 0-49% |
Pass (Functional) 50-64% |
Credit (Proficient) 65-74% |
Distinction (Advanced) 75 -84% |
High Distinction (Exceptional) 85-100% |
| Knowledge and understanding 40% |
Limited understanding of • the strategic use of information resources; • the alignment of IS strategy with business strategy; • how IS help business gain a competitive edge; • the role of enterprise system; Key components of the assignment are not addressed. |
Knowledge or understanding of • the strategic use of information resources; • the alignment of IS strategy with business strategy; • how IS help business gain a competitive edge; • the role of enterprise system; Resembles a recall or summary of key ideas. Often confuses assertion of personal opinion with information substantiated by evidence from the research/course materials. |
Thorough knowledge or understanding of • the strategic use of information resources; • the alignment of IS strategy with business strategy; • how IS help business gain a competitive edge; • the role of enterprise system; Supports personal opinion and information substantiated by evidence from the research/course materials. Demonstrates a capacity to explain and apply relevant concepts. |
Highly developed understanding of • the strategic use of information resources; • the alignment of IS strategy with business strategy; • how IS help business gain a competitive edge; • the role of enterprise system; Discriminates between assertion of personal opinion and information substantiated by robust evidence from the research/course materials and extended reading. Well demonstrated capacity to explain and apply relevant concepts. |
A sophisticated understanding of • the strategic use of information resources; • the alignment of IS strategy with business strategy; • how IS help business gain a competitive edge; • the role of enterprise system; Systematically and critically discriminates between assertion of personal opinion and information substantiated by robust evidence from the research/course materials and extended reading. Mastery of concepts and application to new situations/further learning. |
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| Analysis and application with synthesis of new knowledge 20% |
Limited synthesis and analysis. Limited application/recommendat ions based upon analysis. |
Demonstrated analysis and synthesis of new knowledge with application. Shows the ability to interpret relevant information and literature. |
Well-developed analysis and synthesis with application of recommendations linked to analysis/synthesis. |
Thoroughly developed and creative analysis and synthesis with application of pretested models and / or independently developed models and justified recommendations of enterprise systems linked to analysis/synthesis. |
Highly sophisticated and creative analysis, synthesis of new with existing knowledge. Strong application by way of pretested models and / or independently developed models. Recommendations of enterprise systems are clearly justified based on the analysis/synthesis. Applying knowledge to new situations/other cases. |
| Evaluation of information selected to support the case study 20% |
Limited understanding of key concepts required to support the case study. Confuses logic and emotion. Information taken from reliable sources but without a coherent analysis or synthesis. Viewpoints of experts are taken as fact with little questioning. |
Resembles a recall or summary of key ideas. Often conflates/confuses assertion of personal opinion with information substantiated by evidence from the research/course materials. Analysis and evaluation do not reflect expert judgement, intellectual independence, rigor and adaptability. |
Supports personal opinion and information substantiated by evidence from the research/course materials. Demonstrates a capacity to explain and apply relevant concepts. Identify logical flaws. Questions viewpoints of experts. |
Discriminates between assertion of personal opinion and information substantiated by robust evidence from the research/course materials and extended reading. Well demonstrated capacity to explain and apply relevant concepts. Viewpoint of experts are subject to questioning. |
Systematically and critically discriminates between assertion of personal opinion and information substantiated by robust evidence from the research/course materials and extended reading. Information is taken from sources with a high level of interpretation/evaluation to develop a |
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| Analysis and evaluation reflect growing judgement, intellectual independence, rigor and adaptability. |
comprehensive critical analysis or synthesis. Exhibits intellectual independence, rigor, good judgement and adaptability. |
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| Correct citation of key resources and evidence 20% |
Demonstrates inconsistent use of good quality, credible and relevant resources to support and develop ideas |
Demonstrates use of credible and relevant resources to support and develop ideas, but these are not always explicit or well developed. |
Demonstrates use of credible resources to support and develop ideas. |
Demonstrates use of good quality, credible and relevant resources to support and develop arguments and statements. Show evidence of wide scope within the organisation for sourcing evidence. |
Demonstrates use of high quality, credible and relevant resources to support and develop arguments and position statements. Show evidence of wide scope within and without the organisation for sourcing evidence. |
