COX SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT (ITOM)

Professor Amit Basu, Department Chair

Professors: Bezalel Gavish, Richard O. Mason, Marion G. Sobol; Associate Professors: Uday Apte, John H. Semple; Assistant Professors: Chester G. Chambers, Joakim Kalvenes, Neil J. Keon, Ulrike Schultze, Eli V. Snir; Lecturers: Ellen Allen, Aruna Apte, Michael Babb, James C. Collins.

See requirements to major in ITOM in the "Programs of Study" section.

B.B.A. degree-seeking students should take ITOM 2305 (or STAT 2301) and 2308 during their sophomore year.

2305. Managerial Statistics. Introductory course consisting of probability and descriptive statistics, regression analysis, decision making under uncertainty, and use of data in decision making. (STAT 2301 is an alternate for this course.) Prerequisites: Calculus, ECO 1311 and 1312, and the GEC Information Technology requirement.

2308. Information Systems for Management. The nature of computer and communications technologies used in organizations is investigated. Corporate databases; integrated software applications; inter-, intra-, and extranets, and other information technology-based tools are studied as tools that can enable superior business process performance. Both positive and negative impacts of information technologies on individuals, firms, and society are analyzed. The rudiments of systems integration and implementation are discussed. Coursework includes problem solving with information technology and case assignments involving information systems. Prerequisite: GEC Information Technology requirement, ITOM 2305, or STAT 2301.

3306. Operations Management. An introduction to the models and concepts used for problem solving in operations management. Topics include inventory management, production planning and scheduling, linear programming, decision analysis, simulation, and forecasting. Coursework includes problem solving and case assignments involving operations management. Prerequisites: Calculus, ECO 1311 and 1312, ACCT 2311 and STAT 2301 or ITOM 2305.

3307. Database Management Systems (Fall Only). The management of the information resource and the issues in communicating data include defining information requirements, the role of information in the organization, and the design and administration of the system. The relational model is used along with microcomputer database management systems to facilitate the communication and distribution of data and its conversion into information. The process of normalizing data, data integrity and security, the Structured Query Language (SQL), and application generation are among the topics. Prerequisite: ITOM 2308.

3354. Business Programming (Visual Basic) (Fall Only). The design, coding, testing, and debugging of business computer programs. The student will learn to specify, estimate, structure, pseudo-code, test, and code (in COBOL or alternative business programming language) a substantial business application. Prerequisite: ITOM 2308.

3355. Advanced Programming Techniques (JAVA) (Spring Only). Compares programming languages and tools based on their characteristics, complexity, and practicability for business applications. Programs, written and/or modified in a variety of programming languages (possibly including COBOL, SAS, C++, SLAM, and CASE tools), address a broad spectrum of business problems from batch transaction processing, data analysis, simulation, and report generation. Focuses on problem solving and the development of the logical thought processing skills required to solve business problems in a dynamic, quality-oriented environment. Prerequisite: ITOM 3354.

4305. Systems Analysis and Design (Fall Only). Emphasizes the technical and managerial skills required to analyze, design, and implement cost-effective systems for the collection and processing of information in a business environment. Topics include: systems development life cycle, prototyping, structured methodologies, business process analysis and redesign, and project management. Typically students complete a project. Prerequisite: ITOM 3354.

4306. Business Process Consulting (Spring Only). The application and management of information technology in business organizations. Application areas include systems to enable business processing, electronic data interchange, decision support systems, and expert systems. Management issues include designing and managing technology architectures, organizing and distributing information technology resources, make-vs.-buy, benchmarking and measuring performance of information resources, and project management. Prerequisite: ITOM 4305.

4307. Business Modeling with Spreadsheets (Cross listed as ACCT 5320). The study of uses and limitations of microcomputers in the financial planning and control process of the firm. Cases and problem situations will be analyzed using microcomputer software. Prerequisites: ACCT 2312, ITOM 2308, and FINA 3320.

4308. Telecommunication Design and Policy (Spring Only). An introduction to terminology, concepts, and components of telecommunication networks in corporate, market, and global environments. Topics include network architectures, communication protocols, security, local area networks, wide area networks, common carrier services, regulatory issues, and emerging trends in the communications field. Prerequisite: ITOM 4305 or permission of instructor.

4355. Systems Integration. The course will focus on how to design and develop a system that must integrate various technologies and/or systems into a fully-functional system in order to meet the needs of a client or to solve a business problem. The course will draw on the skills learned in previous ITOM courses including: Database Design, Systems Analysis and Design, and Beginning Business Programming in order to complete a semester-long project that merges these concepts through the use of the Systems Development Life Cycle. Prerequisites: ITOM 2308, 3307, 3354, and 4305.

4309. Decision Analysis (Spring Only). Helps students understand how complex business problems can be analyzed, modeled, and solved in an optimal manner using information technology tools. Prerequisite: ITOM 3306.

5350, 5351. Research Practicum in Information Technology I and II. Topics determined by student and faculty interests.