A model MBA course in global information systems

The growing trend toward a global business enterprise is a well established phenomena. Many business functions and activities which previously considered only the national implications must now consider the global implications as well. Information Systems (IS) is not exempt from this movement. However, there are few university courses which deal solely or even largely with the issues of global IS. There is also a lack of shared knowledge about suitable content and pedagogy for instruction in this area. This paper addresses this deficiency by describing a model course in global IS aimed at MBAs majoring in Information Systems. The global IS topics covered in the course are discussed and the appropriate references cited. A university instructor could use the following course as a basis for teaching IS MBAs (and with a little modification, undergraduates) of the concerns and issues in this developing business area. The model course was developed with the support of international corporations and tested on MBAs over a period of time. Both groups reported that the course provided useful and usable information about the global environment. It is assumed that the student taking this course is knowledgeable of the IS discipline.