Today's organizations are increasingly dependent on Information Technology (IT) for achieving their business goals. Many organizations rely on IT to help them compete in new ways. Organizations need workers who are comfortable with IT concepts, knowledgeable about IT applications, and capable of applying IT to all organizational areas including accounting, finance, human resources, marketing, sales and customer support, and manufacturing.

MS21C is a hands-on course that is designed to teach students how to solve managerial problems using decision support software. It is not a course in computer literacy. Rather, MS21C is designed to hone a student’s problem-solving skills by exposing him/her to the capabilities of specific software applications that can be used to develop business solutions that support managerial decision-making activities. It is therefore assumed that students are able to perform simple activities in the MS Windows environment such as manipulating the mouse, manipulating the keyboard, saving files, retrieving files, loading applications, exiting applications, and surfing the Internet. Case solutions will be developed using MS Excel and MS Access.

To enable students to use application software to solve a variety of managerial problems, presented in the form of business cases, and to apply good techniques when doing so. On completion of this course, students should be able to:

Using Spreadsheets:

• Analyze a business case and build a corresponding spreadsheet model that will facilitate decision-making in that specific context.
• Apply good spreadsheet design techniques such as absolute and relative cell referencing, cell protection, and appropriate formatting.
• Create Charts, Graphs, Pivot Tables, and Pivot Charts
• Use Auto filter and Advance filter to query and analyze data.

Using Databases:

• Analyze a business case and build a corresponding database that will facilitate decision-making in that specific context.
• Create and relate tables.
• Generate forms, queries, and reports that are pertinent to the given scenario.

For Both:

• Craft an executive summary describing the problem/opportunity as well as the merits and shortcomings of the proposed solution.
• Exhibit competence when using functions, wizards, and other capabilities of specific decision support software.
  

MS21C will be taught in the computer lab in sections and each section will meet once per week for a three-hour session. Each person is expected to work individually during class. Students are expected to report to class with a storage device to save their work and the text, along with any class notes that are made available online. The text is a compilation of business cases, reflecting human resource, production, accounting, financial, and marketing decision-making scenarios. Each week, we will develop a solution for one (1) case in class. It is unlikely that we will be able to complete a given case in class so it is each student’s responsibility to complete the case in their own time and to raise any questions at the start of the following class.

Please note that in some instances, students will be required to input some of the data prior to coming to class. At the very least, students should prepare by reading the requisite material before class.

Midterm: 20%
Homework (two): 20%
Final exam: 60%

• I expect us to abide by the Golden Rule.
• All cell-phones, beepers, etc. should be off or silent during class. All cell phone conversations should take place outside the classroom. Any student who violates the cell-phone "rule" will be asked to leave the class and not return for that session, or the lecturer will leave for the session.
• Honesty is expected. Cheating of any sort will not be tolerated.
• No checking of email or surfing the Net during class
• You will not be allowed to skip sections. Roll will be taken at the start of each class.