MSc in Strategic Business Information Technology

University of Portsmouth - UK

Course Content :  

The Master's programme aims to develop reflective academic practitioners and provide the technical knowledge and skills associated with the development and management of computer systems and related software and equipment within a business context. 

The programme is designed to develop 

A. Knowledge and understanding of: 

  • Business plans and their relation to IT provision, procurement and economics.

  • Risk assessment and management practices in implementing IT solutions.

  • Effective research and presentation practices.

  • Global issues and the importance of an Internet presence.

  • Management issues associated with electronic communications, eCommerce models, environment, architectures and components.

  • General security in computer systems, legal and ethical issues.

  • Distributed systems, data communication and IT complexity issues.

  • New technology and its business impact.

 B. Cognitive skills. Ability to:

  • Appreciate strategic business IT concepts in terms of competitive advantage and or organisational effectiveness and efficiency.

  • Develop general abilities of an intellectual, analytical problem-solving nature related to IT procurement and use.

  • Critically evaluate business needs against the available IT.

  • Plan, manage, research and report on a significant project.

 C. Subject Specific skills. Ability to:

  • Advise on the use of IT in making strategic business decisions.

  • Advise on strategic IT and communication plans for national and international arenas.

  • Understand strategic business IT plans and their implementation.

  • Prepare written reviews of academic related journal articles.

 D. Key skills. Ability to:

  • Communicate effectively in writing, speaking and in appropriate forms of presentation and design of research plans.

  • Read and understand documents related to software products and systems and assess their usefulness in business.

  • Use information technology to handle data, simulation and assist with design and testing.

  • Apply mathematical techniques in business simulation and practice and undertake data analysis.

  • Assess problem domains and formulate appropriate problem solving strategies.

  • Build on previous experience in order to generalise.

  • Ability to work in teams to achieve goals but nevertheless be distinctively individual.

The online Postgraduate Diploma stage developed by NCC Education UK consists of 3 compulsory core modules and 1 module which offers systems electives. The 2 top-up online MSc modules are approved and overseen by the University of Portsmouth, UK.

Core Modules  

PMSC001 - IT - The next 5 Years/Principles of Enquiry  

  • To explore the broader contexts in which IS operate and reflect on their implications within the IS design process.

  • To identify both current and prospective externals events which cause uncertainty within the IS design process.

  • To assess and reconcile "ethical" issues, such as failure consequence, professional codes of conduct and data accessibility.

  • To introduce and apply the necessary academic, enquiry and study skills demanded by Postgraduate studies.

Objectives

On completion of this module, candidates will be able to:

  • apply and critically evaluate the approaches to problem investigation, examining key assumptions and the candidate's own prejudices;

  • discuss the current socio-political and economic issues, reflecting upon those which may impact the IS field;

  • critically appraise current and possible future technological innovation and assess the likely impact upon formulating IS strategies;

  • assess and reconcile the potential negative impact of consequences, by applying consequence analysis techniques as part of the initial IS design process;

  • critically assess the need to integrate real-world pressures and constraints into IS strategic planning, and IS development, using appropriate criteria to select and adopt suitable methods.

Outline Syllabus

  • Principles of enquiry

  • Enquiry and enquiry systems

  • Taxonomy of enquiry

  • Inductive-consensual (agreement)

  • Analytic-deductive (analysis)

  • Multiple realities

  • Dialectic (conflict)

  • Unbounded systems thinking

  • Risk and consequence analysis

  • The nature of risk

  • Hazard identification

  • Power and control

  • Duty versus consequence

  • Ethics

  • Professional codes of conduct

  • Principles of systems thinking

  • Systems theory

  • Perception, engagement, experience and method

  • Hierarchy of understanding

  • Systemic properties

  • Messy problems

  • Systemic enquiry

  • Global pressures and constraints

  • Globalisation

  • Political, economic, social, geographical, technological pressures

  • Regulation

  • Technological innovations

  • Software

  • Communications

  • User interfaces

  • System architectures

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit, candidates will recognise the need to incorporate real-world drivers and constraints into the IS strategic planning, feasibility, analysis and design stages of the entire systems acquisition life cycle, and be able to select and adopt appropriate methods in order to achieve this.

PMSC002 - Task Management  

  • To equip candidates with the knowledge and skills necessary to handle the uncertainty of task management, reflecting specially upon the features of information systems projects.

  • To assess the impact of human behaviour and communication on task management and evaluate the approaches used to facilitate management activities, for example mentoring/coaching.

Objectives

On completion of this module, candidates will be able to:

  • evaluate the requirements and managerial (financial and temporal) constraints within which a task has been specified;

  • apply resource and time management techniques to plan and deliver achievable objectives, meeting the established requirements, within the stated constraints;

  • integrate the appropriate styles of leadership and human behaviour into the task management process;

  • reconcile the issues and concerns of human communication within task management;

  • reflect upon the differing role of mentoring and coaching by evaluating their benefits and difficulties from the perspective of both the mentor/coach and those assigned to them.

Outline Syllabus

  • The task envelope

  • Financial constraints and budgeting

  • Objectives, goals and stakeholder success criteria

  • Time management

  • Prioritisation

  • Activity and task breakdown

  • Resource management 

  • Managing subcontractors

  • Acquisition and contract management

  • Managing internal resources

  • Principles of human behaviour

  • Leadership and human behaviour preferences

  • Team roles (Belbin)

  • Preferred learning styles

  • Maslow’s hierarchy of human need

  • Motives and incentives

  • Principles of human communications

  • The communications loop

  • Message, media and method

  • The strengths and limitations of language

  • Barriers and filters

  • Listening skills

  • Mentoring and coaching

  • The mentoring role

  • Mutual gains

  • Mentoring difficulties

  • The difference between mentoring and coaching

  • Pressure, stress and diminishing returns

PMSC003 - Strategic Business Analysis

  • To explore the issues surrounding the application of IT to define and implement strategic objectives.

  • To reflect upon the purpose of strategic analysis and strategic planning and the application of tools and techniques during this process.

Objectives

On completion of this module, candidates will be able to:

  • facilitate the strategic planning process and development of strategic plans;

  • evaluate an organisation's opportunities and threats and apply the tools and techniques of environmental and competitive analysis;

  • evaluate an organisation's strengths and weaknesses by applying the tools and techniques used to analyse its resources and competitive capabilities;

  • reflect upon and revise current and potential strategies integrating the knowledge obtained in strategic analysis to provide sustainable competitive advantage;

  • apply the knowledge and skills obtained in this unit to real-world scenarios matching an organisation's strategic capabilities to its competitive environment.

Outline Syllabus 

Strategic planning process: 

  • Five tasks of strategic management.

  • Development of vision and mission.

  • Setting objectives.

  • Crafting strategy.

  • Implementation strategy.

  • Evaluating performance.

Management accounting tools: 

  • Ratio analysis.

  • Investment appraisal.

Industry and competitive analysis: 

  • Dominant economic traits.

  • Pest analysis.

  • Competitive forces.

  • Drivers of industry change.

  • Critical / key success factors.

Evaluating resources and competitive capability: 

  • SWOT analysis.

  • Strategic cost analysis.

  • Value chain analysis.

  • Defensive and offensive strategies.

To review non-IT case studies.

To review IT case studies.

PMSC005 - Computer Networking and Management (formerly PMSC004)

Aims 

To equip the candidates with knowledge and skills in the underlying principles of networking with special focus on internetworking, while at the same time emphasizing internet protocols and network applications. 

Objectives 

On completion of this module, candidates will be able to: 

  • Introduce networking from a new perspective; 

  • Understand the top down approach which begins at the application layer and works its way down towards the physical layer;

  • Understand and place emphasis on the application layer, which has been the high growth area of computer networking, including the Web, audio and video streaming, and content distribution;

  • Understand the network applications and the network services needed to support these applications;

  • Identify a number of fundamentally important issues in transport layer and network layer;

  • Integrate principles and practice drawn from the internet architecture. 

Outline syllabus

Chapter 1: Computer Networks and the Internet – Overview

  • What is the Internet?

  • What is a Protocol?

  • The Network Edge

  • The Network Core

  • Access Networks and Physical Media

  • Delay and Loss in Packet-Switched Networks

  • Protocol Layers and their Service Models

  • Internet Backbones, NAPs and ISPs

  • A Brief History of Computer Networking and the Internet  

Chapter 2: Application Layer

  • Principles of Application Layer Protocols

  • The World Wide Web: HTTP

  • File Transfer: FTP

  • Electronic Mail in the Internet

  • DNS – The Internet’s Directory Service

  • Socket Programming with TCP

  • Socket Programming with UDP

  • Building a Simple Web Server

Chapter 3:  Transport Layer

  • Transport-Layer Services and Principles

  • Multiplexing and Demultiplexing Applications

  • Connectionless Transport: UDP

  • Principles of Reliable Data Transfer

  • Connection-Oriented Transport: TCP

  • Principles of Congestion Control

  • TCP Congestion Control

Chapter 4:  Network Layer and Routing

  • Introduction and Network Service Models

  • Routing Principles

  • Hierarchical Routing

  • Internet Protocol

  • Routing in the Internet

  • What is Inside a Router?

  • IPv6

  • Multicast Routing

Chapter 5:  Link Layer and Local Area Networks

  • The Data Link Layer: Introduction, Services

  • Error Detection and Correction Techniques

  • Multiple Access Protocols and LANs

  • LAN Addresses and ARP

  • Ethernet

  • Hubs, Bridges, and Switches

  • IEEE 802.11 LANs

  • PPP: The Point-to-Point Protocol

  • Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)

  • X.25 and Frame Relay

Chapter 6:  Multimedia Networking

  • Multimedia Networking Applications

  • Streaming Stored Audio and Video

  • Making the Best of the Best-Effort Service: An Internet Phone Example

  • RTP

  • Beyond Best-Effort

  • Scheduling and Policing Mechanisms

  • Integrated Services

  • RSVP

  • Differentiated Services

Chapter 7:  Security in Computer Networks

  • What is Network Security?

  • Principles of Cryptography

  • Authentication:  Who are You?

  • Integrity

  • Key Distribution and Certification

  • Secure E-Mail

  • Internet Commerce

  • Network Layer Security: IPsec

Chapter 8:  Network Management

  • What is Network Management?

  • Infrastructure for Network Management

  • The Internet Network-Management Framework

  • ASN.1

  • Firewalls

RMNCC -Research Methodology

This unit is written to promote an appreciation of the theory of Strategic Information Systems and an understanding of methods of research appropriate to issues or problems concerning such Information Systems.

Objectives

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to: -

  • select and justify a research method appropriate to an issue or problem in the domain of Strategic Information Systems.
  • use a software tool (e.g. MS Excel) to analyze statistical data.
prepare a report, describing a problem or issue of a strategic nature in an organization or industry, and evaluate an appropriate method to research and analyze the problem.

PJNCC - Dissertation

The dissertation exposes students to a significant project that needs management under real world constraints. It will promote good project management and research skills, both in terms of dealing with a real world problem environment and the academic support required to underpin any proposed solution. It will Develop written reporting skills in a focused and supportive environment and provide opportunities to liaise and relate to external 'clients' in a commercial, industrial or academic environment.

The dissertation promotes the integration and enhancement of all the theoretical and practical skills developed during the preceding course units.

Objectives

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to: -

  • analyze and solve a significant practical or theoretical problem arising out of the material in the current programme of studies.

  • plan and manage a significant project over an extended period of time.

  • evaluate research material effectively in the solution of the problem.

  • produce a written academic report of the project activities.

Supervision

Students will be allocated an experienced facilitator who has supervised  many projects and who understands the required standard and complexity  of the task. The University will try to match students with a supervisor who has knowledge and interest in the project topic even though they may not be expert in all aspects of the work. The supervisor’s role is to guide students through the project process and to help students if they experience any problems.