None

You will need access to these resources:

The VLE
An ICT Workplace environment. A Work-Based Learning Agreement will be completed for this module to ensure that the student will have access to the required resources in the workplace.

The Internet and office software
Staffordshire University has subscriptions to electronic book services such as Safari Tech Books, Ebrary and Netlibrary. There are titles in each of the collections that will support students studying this module.

Module Launch (15 hours)
There will be a module launch during which 10 hours of face to face contact will be devoted to undertaking tasks which are designed to provide useful insights into the module content and purpose.

Guided Learning (11 hours)
A module tutor who is part of the teaching team of the module will be allocated to you and you will meet them during the launch. Following the launch, there will be some materials on the VLE which are designed to guide your learning. Additionally, there will be at least one hour per week of contact time for the eleven weeks following the launch. This will be used for learning guided led by your module tutor. It will be a face to face presentation if you are on day release. For online learners it will be flipped classroom approach with group (up to 20) seminars.

Reviews:
• Tutorial reviews for online learners (0.5 hour per student)
Online learners will have 2 tutorial sessions with their module tutor during the course of the module. These will be individual or small group sessions during which your module tutor will be able to answer any queries that you have regarding module work. The review weeks are listed in the module handbook and mentors will be invited to join the call and provide feedback.

• Tutorial sessions for day release learners (at least 0.5 hours per student)
There will scheduled tutorial sessions (up to 20 students) during the 11 weeks following the launch which will take the place of the tutorial reviews for day release students

Independent learning (124 hours)
You will be required to work complete assignment work during independent learning time. Assignment work for a 15 credit module at level 6 should take around 70 hours to complete. However, you will need to learn about the subject in more detail before starting this.

Part of your independent learning will take place under the guidance of your workplace based mentor. You will complete a work-based learning agreement to ensure that arrangements are in place at your workplace to facilitate work-based learning. Learning in the workplace may take many forms but you are encouraged to apply academic knowledge to improve your work practice and to reflect on work based experiences to improve your learning.

Other academic learning will be achieved through reading around the subject area. Module tutors will suggest useful texts where possible but there will be many other suitable sources.


Additional help
All external students are more than welcome to visit the university at any time and to use the resources. During time at the university, they may arrange to meet the module tutor for additional help. Students have access to the departmental librarian

Business Environment and Processes
• The difference between product/service and project based companies,
• Supply chain, inventory and capacity issues.
• Organisation theory, systems theory,
-Planning and control within business
• The management of quality in the organisation - satisfying customer requirements
• The management of people - identifying theories of management and motivation and their implication for job design.
• Enterprise Analysis and Architecture - understanding the needs of the business as a whole, its strategic direction and vision
• The role of strategic and business planning and the marketing function together with an understanding of financial essentials - budgeting, cash flows and financial accounts
• The relationship between business strategy and information systems (IS) strategy
• IT strategy development (using e.g. Earl's Strategic Grid, Earl's three pronged approach)
• Identifying initiatives that will allow the business to meet its strategic goals and satisfy its objectives.
• Knowledge management, business intelligence and analytics
• The web-enabled enterprise
• Customer Relationship Management systems
• Strategic tools for analysis (e.g. SWOT, STEEP, PorterΏs five forces)

IS as a business resource
• Management Information Systems
• Information theory, decision making,
• Different types of information systems (Executive Information Systems, Expert Systems, Geographical Information Systems, Decision Support Systems).

Portfolio weighted at 100% and meeting all learning outcomes comprising

Presentation - Detailed analysis of apprentices own organisation with respect to information systems requirement taking into account the topics covered in the indicative content (15 slides 20 minutes)

Research report evaluating information systems with a view to recommending one as a solution to one specific business problem taken from the business analysis. Report should detail the resource requirements, change management etc, and the potential impact on an organisation from a business point of view (eg. marketing, CRM, gaining competitive advantage etc (2000 words)

The Study Skills Book (Smarter Study Skills), Kathleen McMillan and Jonathan Weyers, 2012, Pearson Education Ltd, ISBN-10: 0273773313, ISBN-13: 978-0273773313 (Edition: 3)

The Study Skills Handbook (Palgrave study skills), Cottrell, S. 2008, PALGRAVE, Macmillan ISBN-10: 0230573053, ISBN-13: 978-0230573055 (Edition: 3)

Management Information Systems, Lucey, T., 2004, Thompson, ISBN-10: 1844801268, ISBN-13: 978-1844801268 (Edition: 9th Revised edition)

Information Systems: A Management Approach, Gordon, S., Gordon, J. 2004, Wiley, ISBN-10: 0471702528, ISBN-13: 978-0471702528 (Edition: 3)

Management Information Systems, O'Brien, J., 2011, McGraw Hill, ISBN-10: 0071221093, ISBN-13: 978-0071221092 (Edition: 10)

1. DEMONSTRATE A CRITICAL LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING ORGANISATIONAL THEORY, HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND THEIR APPLICATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
Knowledge & Understanding
Application

2. DEMONSTRATE A CRITICAL LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATURE OF INFORMATION, INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND HOW THEY UNDERPIN ORGANISATIONAL FUNCTIONS AND STRUCTURES.
Knowledge & Understanding

3. DEMONSTRATE A CRITICAL LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE AND KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIVERSITY OF ORGANISATIONS AND THE SCOPE OF MANAGEMENT AND THE INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS FOR MANAGEMENT DECISION MAKING IN ORGANISATIONS.
Knowledge & Understanding