Course Overview
Throughout the DBA program, students encountered or will encounter studies that address environmental phenomena within organizations. Fundamental to accomplishing goals and objectives of an organization is the execution of business processes using information technology.
As we shall see, activities that lead to accomplishment of goals and objectives within an organization are part of one or more business processes. Correspondingly, many if not all phenomena studied in other classes within the DBA program manifest themselves around or affect the accomplishment of business processes.
The course will give students the comprehension that business processes exist within and across organizational divisions, as well as up and down organizational levels. The vertical processes are usually centered on obtaining status of activities and providing strategic direction, while the horizontal processes are to accomplish tasks which lead to organizational outcomes. Some processes exist solely to provide resources (people, finance, tools, etc) to enable other processes.
Most processes use information technology for increased efficiency or effectiveness.
By the end of the class, students will be able to discern which category any process within any organization fits in. During each module, the students will learn and demonstrate their ability to analyze, evaluate, and opine on the theoretical aspects of the topics at hand in the Case Assignments. As part of the Session Long Project assignments, students will demonstrate practical application of what they learned by discussing the topics under review within the context of organizations they are familiar with.
The first module is focused on developing an understanding that organizations are structured to accomplish processes. Organizational leaders have options for structuring organizations, which in turn will have impacts on how they execute processes. We also look at the role of information technology within an organization.
The second module looks at generic business processes operating at different levels of any organization regardless of how they are structured. Processes may be simple or complex. If they are complex, there are usually sub-processes nested within an overall process. We also investigate differences between the types of information technology systems operating at various levels of an organization.
Finally, no matter what they are, processes have at least 5 components. Understanding these concepts allows students to frame the processes within any organization.
Processes are generally not taught in school. In school we learn foundational skill sets needed to execute processes. In the third module we will look at how members of an organization learn about processes as well as environmental factors that inhibit learning. Students will address whether organizations specifically train individuals on the IT systems to support the processes.
Most product or service-centered organizations execute the generic processes but in different ways. In Module 4, we will look at the several generic processes within organizations and their associated IT systems and how they may interrelate.
Finally, in today’s modern organizations, processes are executed and managed using information technology. Module 5 will look at how to assess whether an IT solution meets organizational process needs. The class culminates with development of a draft part 1 for a DBA study project.
The comprehension and demonstrated ability to evaluate, critique, and develop assessments or recommendations gained through the 5 modules above will provide individuals with enough background to initiate a DBA study project centered on improving processes within an organization, or will allow the discussion of process-related factors in DBA studies that focus on areas addressed in this program.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to satisfy the following outcomes:
Module 1
Be able to assess, compare, and interpret the purpose of an organization according to Merton, Alter, and other researchers.
Explain why organizations have structure and assess or recommend options for organizational structure.
Explain what a business process is to include comparing and contrasting the definitions for business processes used by scholars.
Be able to explain, assess, or critique the role of a process in an organization.
Be able to explain, asses, or critique the role of information technology in an organization.
Module 2
Demonstrate the ability to analyze or evaluate differences between at least 3 levels of an organization regardless of structure.
Be able to analyze and apply the five basic components of a business process according to business process engineers.
Analyze an identifiable research problem within the context of a selected organization.
Develop a series of proposed research questions designed to address the identified research problem within the selected organization within the DSP process.
Module 3
Comprehend and defend the difference between professional development activities and organizational development activities.
Identify learning gaps and develop solutions using several types of organizational learning mechanisms.
Distinguish and demonstrate the ability to classify and critique individual level factors that deter from learning.
Evaluate and develop solutions to organizational environment issues that deter learning.
Assess the impact of organizations specifically training individuals on the IT systems to support the processes of the organization.
Module 4
Comprehend and compare five common organizational business processes against the same or similar ones from known organizations.
Demonstrate comprehension and be able to analyze the organizational elements that execute any given process.
Module 5
Comprehend and compare 4 theories used to develop, assess, or deliver information technology in organizations.
Be able to develop a draft DBA/DSP project through identification of a research problem within a selected organization.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Originality
Trident University provides students with the online support tool Turnitin to help them ensure that their academic work is of the highest integrity and that they are the sole authors of their work.
Turnitin is linked directly to the assignment dropboxes in this course. Once a student submits an assignment to the dropbox, Turnitin automatically generates a value called the Similarity Score. Within a minute, a percentage and colored square will be displayed under the Turnitin Similarity heading to the right of the submitted paper link. Click on the colored square to see the Originality Report, which shows the sources that correspond to text within your paper.
Each submission receiving a Turnitin Similarity score of 15% or higher will be reviewed by the instructor to distinguish between correctly documented research and possible academic dishonesty. Your instructor will contact you regarding your score and any special instructions, if necessary. Please send any concerns or questions directly to your instructor.
Case Assignments
The Case Assignment is a written description of a problem or situation. Most cases are a “snapshot” of a particular situation within a complex environment.
The purpose of the Case Assignments in this course is to place the student in a position that will require research, synthesis of information, and critical thought.
The student will be asked to distinguish pertinent facts from peripheral facts, identify central alternatives among several issues competing for attention, and formulate strategies and recommendations. This method provides an opportunity to sharpen problem-solving skills and to improve the ability to think and reason rigorously.
Session Long Project
The Session Long Project consists of an integrative project emphasizing the personalized application of each module’s concepts. For Modules 1–5, students are required to engage in an original integrative project reflecting their comprehensive knowledge of and ability to apply the course materials. Each component of the SLP will be graded on a modular basis.