Outline

Overview

The forces that currently drive business transformation, such as globalisation, the IT revolution and environmental sustainability, require businesses to be in a constant state of change to stay competitive in turbulent markets. However, as companies need to maintain their current revenue streams, they need to progress through a series of integrated business transformation projects. In this unit, students learn how to analyse an organisation within a local and global context and develop knowledge of techniques required for managing technology-enabled business transformation projects. Topics covered include: the drivers of business transformation, managing change as a process, analysing information and processes, and planning, leading, sustaining, diffusing and learning from transformational projects.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Business Information Systems
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	Understanding the major functions of a business and how those business functions interact internally and externally so the company can be competitive in a changing market. How Information Systems can be used and managed in a business. How to critically analyse a business and determine its options for transformation. Desirable Assumed Knowledge: Experience as a member of a project team.
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Stephen Elliot, steve.elliot@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Assignment 1 Business report	10%	Week 04 Due date: 29 Mar 2020 at 23:59 Closing date: 03 Apr 2020	500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assignment 2 Business report	40%	Week 08 Due date: 26 Apr 2020 at 23:59 Closing date: 01 May 2020	2500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assignment 3 (report) Business report	40%	Week 12 Due date: 24 May 2020 at 23:59 Closing date: 29 May 2020	3000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Assignment 3 (presentation) Oral presentation	10%	Week 13	100 words
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Assignment 1: Students are required to select, analyse and submit a brief written description of a news item for a specific company relevant to the topic for a particular week in this unit and analysis of the likely transformative impact of this news item. To encourage students to examine topics across the whole unit, the number of students able to select a particular topic will be limited to the number of students in the class divided by the number of topics. Students will be encouraged to focus their projects on an industry and a company of interest to their future careers.
Assignment 2: Students are required to evaluate business strategic intent, business models and transformative change in a selected company. A limited number of companies are prohibited from student selection: companies previously approved for student selection in current and recent units; companies of the week in classes; and companies presented in classes as exemplars of transformation practices. Therefore, company selections must be submitted to the coordinator and approved before undertaking each assignment.
Assignment 3 (report): In groups, students are required to select, analyse and describe a company that has been the subject of a news item in the last six months as experiencing organisational difficulties for which there may be a transformative solution. Determine and describe a solution in sufficient detail to show how it may adequately address the organisation’s challenges. Selecting and applying current change management frameworks, analyse the organisation and determine a transformative change management plan appropriate to the solution and the project’s requirements. The plan should include at least two different options for implementation of the solution.
Assignment 3 (presentation): All students in each team to design, develop and present the critical details from assignment 3 (report).

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Distinction	75 - 84	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Credit	65 - 74	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Pass	50 - 64	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Drivers of business transformation and process models of change	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 02	Leading change as a system process	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 03	Recognising the need for change and starting the process	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 04	Building relationships and diagnosis	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 05	Analysing Information and processes - BPR	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 06	Power, politics and leading transformation projects	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 07	Implementation planning: motivation and resistance	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 08	Evaluating transformation projects	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 09	Organisational learning from transformation projects	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 10	Sustaining transformation projects	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 11	Diffusing transformation projects	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 12	Unit review and synthesis	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 13	Group presentations	Presentation (3 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Lecture recordings: All lectures and seminars are recorded and will be available on Canvas for student use. Please note the Business School does not own the system and cannot guarantee that the system will operate or that every class will be recorded. Students should ensure they attend and participate in all classes.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Readings for this unit can be accessed on the Library eReserve link available on Canvas.

Hayes, J. (2018). The Theory and Practice of Change Management, 5th Ed. Palgrave-MacMillan.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. demonstrate your capabilities to develop your knowledge and understanding of drivers, inhibitors and characteristics of business transformation and change and its management
LO2. demonstrate your capabilities to critically analyse business problems that necessitate transformation and change in an organisation
LO3. demonstrate your capabilities for critical analysis and creative design of practical, business innovations to address these problems
LO4. demonstrate your capabilities to critically synthesise and apply methods, models and frameworks with business analysis, communication and research skills in transformation projects
LO5. collaborate and communicate in a professional manner with people from diverse backgrounds
LO6. work both independently and as a responsible member of a diverse team.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

Additional information

More information can be found on Canvas.

Business School Policies

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

INFS6004: Business Transformation Projects

Semester 1, 2020 [Normal evening] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect