Gallaugher.com Chapters

gallaugher.com Chapters, Cases, and Prior Semester Podcasts

Course content from the forthcoming "Information Systems: A Manager’s Guide to Harnessing Technology".

These readings were specifically designed for faculty to use in their classes and are free to all for non-commercial use. The goal was to write a text that our students would actually enjoy reading. One that has the engaging tone of a business magazine, while introducing durable concepts and theory. There's a lot of material in each posted module, and many faculty use a given module across for several lectures. Enjoy! If you do use this work, please send an e-mail to john.gallaugher@bc.edu. I want to hear from you! More chapters and cases will follow.

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Content:

Zara Case - I start my course with this case, even before students have studied any traditional IS or management concepts. Everyone in class has been to a Gap, and all can grasp basic business and tech concepts when comparing Gap with Zara. Starting with this case also gives students a strong sense that IS is a staging area for all managerial disciplines. This case explores how Inditex, with its Zara clothing chain, has leveraged technology to create a counter-intuitive strategy that catapulted the firm to become the world’s #1 fashion retailer. Students explore the relationship between technology and competitive advantage, product design and planning, value chain efficiencies, operations, logistics, marketing, and ethics, among other disciplines.

Strategy and Technology- This is the first chapter I have my students read. Starting with the big picture works much better than leading with technology details. This chapter discusses Information Technology and Sustainable Competitive Advantage. Many contemporary examples are used. Concepts covered include: Operational Effectiveness vs. Strategic Positioning, the Resource-Based View of the firm (RBV) and resources that can be created and enabled by technology to yield advantage such as scale, brand, data, switching costs, distribution channels, and network effects. Sidebars discuss the Value Chain and Five Forces (Industry Competitive Analysis) models. Chapter is an alternative for faculty who had previously used HBR articles such as Porter's "Strategy & the Internet" or Carr's "IT Doesn't Matter" in their classes.

Netflix Case - Students apply what they learned in the prior chapter, plus learn key technology concepts and discuss atoms-to-bits shifts in medi industries How was Netflix, an Internet startup, able to beat back threats from giants Blockbuster and Wal-Mart? This case explores how technology can create resources for competitive advantage. Concepts covered include The Long Tail, collaborative filtering, the value of the data asset, relationships with suppliers, and scalability. The case ends by examining the firm’s vulnerabilities and opportunities as streaming media moves to one day replace the DVD.

Moore's Law & More: Fast, Cheap Computing, and what it Means for the Manager – Why does technology change so fast, and what does this mean for the manager? This chapter introduces Moore's Law in terms a business student will appreciate. Several real-world examples and implications of Moore's Law and technology change are introduced, from the iPod to Amazon to grid computing. Factors that may derail Moore's Law are also discussed, as well as current solutions attempting to counteract these problems.

Understanding Network Effects - Why is it that firms like eBay, Microsoft, Facebook, and so many others remain dominant, even though their technology can be replicated and improved upon? Network effects – one of the most powerful strategic resources at play in technology industries! This chapter explains the concept of network effects and offers a set of strategies for competing in markets where network effects exist. Each is described through the use of a rich set of illustrative examples.

Facebook Case - In four short years, Mark Zuckerberg has taken his dorm-room experiment to become the world’s largest social network. In this case, students examine the firm’s competitive advantage. Is Facebook really worth the billions so many suggest? How does the firm’s advertising model differ from Google? And by studying key moves such as the Feeds, Beacon, and F8 Application Platform initiatives, students gain an understanding of the value and risk associated with Web 2.0 services.

Google: Search, Online Advertising, and Beyond... - This hybrid chapter / case blends business and technology topics through a discussion of Google, its products, and its competitive environment. Students details behind search, search advertising, ad networks, geotargeting, click fraud, customer profiling, privacy, legal issues, strategy and competitive advantage, the challenge of growth, and new markets (YouTube, Apps, mobile). Material is usually presented over one to two weeks. A great supplement for faculty that are also participating in the Google Online Marketing Challenge.

Peer Production, Social Media, and Web 2.0 – This chapter provides a managerial introduction to peer production, social media, and web 2.0. Key concepts, services, and technologies are introduced, including blogs, wikis, social networks, crowdsourcing, and prediction markets. Each is introduced and illustrated along with a rich set of examples illustrating their value to an organization and key issues to consider in deployment.

Software – A Primer – A manager’s introduction to key software concepts. Topics include operating systems, desktop software, enterprise systems, and distributed systems. Also includes discussions on total cost of ownership (TCO) and software failures.

Software in Flux – The software industry, as we know it, is changing And along with this change come new options, opportunities, choices, and challenges. This chapter provides an example-rich managerial introduction to open source software, software-as-a-service, hardware clouds, and virtualization. Also covered are issues to consider when making the make vs. buy, vs. rent decision.

The Data Asset: Databases, Business Intelligence, and Competitive Advantage - This chapter flips the focus of the conventional ‘database chapter’, using business value as a way to drive an understanding of technology. Students learn the managerial value of the data asset – both for operational as well as sustainable competitive advantage. Students are also introduced to how data is organized, how it’s created, how it’s stored, and how it’s used. The chapter is example rich. Mini-cases highlight healthcare and private sector use, while longer cases, rich in current information, are provided: Wal-Mart (for product retail) and Harrah’s (for service industry data leverage).