Track: Information Management

Information {Technology | Systems} Management (IM) as an academic discipline is concerned with the management of information technology (IT) and information systems (IS). It investigates the challenges that IT/IS executives have to face in organization from the development of IT/IS strategies to outsourcing, the design of the internal IT/IS function and last but not least the management of reliable IT operations. The IM track prepares students for taking over managerial responsibility in decision making about the use of IT and the development of IS in organizations. The track lays special emphasis on the roles of the Chief Information Officer and other senior executives. These also include the Chief Digital Officer, who often plays a key role in the digitalization efforts of organizations.

The IM track assumes that students’ have a basic understanding of how information technology works and that they have an overview of how it is applied in different parts of as well as across boundaries of an organization. Beyond such fundamental IT/IS knowledge, student should be open to thinking through problems and theories rather than be prepared for learning by heart. The IM track complements nicely  the PM and BN track as well as with the BI track in that it focuses on exploiting the potential of (big) data. The track is also a nice complements any management education by casting a particular emphasis on the management of IT/IS, which are surely becoming one of the most important organizational assets in the ongoing digital transformation of industries and societies.

The lectures

  • Managing the Information Age Organization (Winter Term)

    This course is an introduction to management theories that promise to provide guidance to executives in the Information or Digital Age. The lecture introduces students to management studies in general and organization studies in particular. The course familiarizes students with fundamental strategy and organization theories, but also puts to discussion the validity and applicability of these theories. This is done with a special eye on actual management challenges that characterize the “Digital Age”. 

    Prerequisites:

    • None

    Preparatory Resources:

    • Clegg, Korberberger, Pitsis, Mount (2019) Managing and Organizations: An Introduction to Theory and Practice, London, Sage, 5th edition

  • Information Management Tasks & Techniques (Winter Term)

    This course introduces students to the management problems that senior IT/IS executives are faced with and trains them in solving these problems with the help of adequate tools and techniques. In simple words, this MBA-like course is educa- tion for prospective (senior) executives who want to take over responsibility for IT/IS. The course introduces students to the tasks and decisions that these executives face.

    • Development of IT/IS Strategies
    • IT/IS Investment Planning
    • IT/IS Portfolio Management
    • IT/IS Programme and Project Management
    • IT Operations Management
    • IT Sourcing and Shoring
    • Organization of the IT/IS Function
    • IT Governance

    The course also introduces students to heuristics, frameworks and tools that help deal with IM tasks successfully. The solution of practical IM problems and the application of the IM techniques is trained during case study sessions.

    Prerequisites:

    • None

    Preparatory Resources:

    • Teubner, A.; Klein, S. (2014). The Münster Information Management Framework (MIMF). In: ERCIS Working Papers, Münster, Germany. Volume 17.

  • Information Management Theories (Summer Term)

    This course introduces students and invites them to critically engage with the research and theories underlying the techniques, heuristics, and best practices proposed for solving IM problems. Compared to the IMTT course, the IMT course is more academically oriented, since it introduces students to the current academic debate, IM theories and IM research. The course focuses on theory development in five research fields:

    • IT Strategy Theory
    • IT Productivity Theory
    • Organization Theory of IS
    • IT Sourcing Theory
    • IT Organization and Governance Theory

    The lecture takes place as a class discussion of groundbreaking and influential papers in the IM realm. The selected papers are mandatory readings for every participant. They will be discussed in groups, which submit questions and comments, and each group will take the lead in presenting their take on selected readings in one session. 

    Prerequisites:

    • None

    Preparatory Resources:

    • Teubner, A.; Klein, S. (2014). The Münster Information Management Framework (MIMF). In: ERCIS Working Papers, Münster, Germany. Volume 17.