The course aims to show the relationships between the operational processing of information to provide goods and services and the derivation of management information from these operational data. To illustrate these relationships, Peter presents important types of Information Systems from a technical point of view and Manuela presents the adequate management control methods.

Typical functionalities are derived from business processes and their potential implementation in IT systems is shown. Methods to analyse the data generated in these systems are presented as well as their integration in the processes to manage a company.

The importance to establish a close connection between operational processes and the Information Systems to derive information for management decisions is stressed.

The lecture covers the following content:

• Fundamentals of information and Information Systems
• The company as a system of various sub-systems
• Fundamentals of cost accounting
• Cost classification, typical cost behaviour, methods of cost allocation, relevant costs for decision making
• Cost-benefit analysis of Information Systems
• Evaluation models (hedonic wage model, BSC, market response models)
• Design and typical functionalities of ERP-systems
• Design and typical functionalities of MIS
• Investment decisions, considering IT related factors
• Optimal production program, Break-even analysis
• Budgeting
• Design and typical functionalities of Supply Chain Management Systems
• Make-or-buy, ABC-Analysis, order planning, cash-to-cash cycle
• Fundamentals of Electronic Markets
• Potential advantages and possible business models
• Product Lifecycle Management
• Activity Based Costing
• Target Costing
• Lifecycle Costing/Total Cost of Ownership

By the end of this course students should:

• have an holistic view of an enterprise
• see the dependencies of operational data and management information
• know the relations beetween different divisions of an organisation
• know basics on different kinds of business information systems
• know basics on modern methods of controlling
• know the connection beetween controlling-systems and operational IT-systems
  

Due to the COVID 19 situation attendance of the classes is not mandatory. Whether the attendance of presentations (11.1.2021) will be mandatory (in person or via Teams) is to be decided depending on the actual situation in January.

This course will be mainly taught in lecture style. Theoretical contents presented during the course have to be applied working on the case studies. Students will be given individual feedback on their assignments and have the possibility to correct them in order to improve their grades.

Written discussions take place at most once in a lecture. They last for 20 to 25 minutes and will be related to the topics of the lecture (i.e. last 2-3 slides presented). There is no need for any special preparation to answer the discussions. The grades will be granted for the presentation of your individual point view and the pro´s and con´s related to it. Typical discussions may be on giving practival examples, personal appraisments of methods/technologies presented etc.

Assessment is based on

1. assignments on case studies based on given questions (group work, 3-4 persons; 60%)
2. final presentation of the assignments (group work, 3-4 persons; 20%)
3. written discussions based on the contents that are actually presented in the lecture (individual work; 20%)

Grading is based on this scheme :

score                    grade   
0 - 60 %               5  (fail)
60,5 - 68 %          4  (sufficient)
68,5 - 77 %          3  (satisfactory)
77,5 - 86 %          2  (good)
86,5 -100 %         1  (excellent)