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Information Systems
The
Study of Information Systems (IS) centers on the effective use of
information technology—computers and telecommunications
networks—to support management decision-making and corporate
strategy, in addition to providing all necessary operational level
support for an organization.
Faculty Information
- Position: Associate
Professor – Information Systems
- Degree:
Doctor of Philosophy, Mississippi
State University, 2003
- Major:
Business Information Systems
- Minor:
Management
- Dissertation: Appropriation Strategies in
Technology-Supported Decision Groups: Reconceptualization
and Extension of Adaptive Structuration
Theory
- Research Interests:
- Social Structuration
and Technology
- Information Technology Adoption and Use
- Trust and Ethics in the Information
Society
- Information Security and Controls
- Other Degrees:
- Master of Science in
Information Systems, Mississippi
State University, 1999
- Master of Business
Administration, Mississippi
State University, Meridian, 1996
- Bachelor of Science in
Business & Industry, Summa
cum Laude, Mississippi
State University, Meridian, 1993
- Associate in Arts, Cypress College,
1987
Academic Discussion
Within
this section of this page I insert some academic observations as well
as some random memory dumps of things I’m thinking about. I make all efforts to avoid
topics that are political and will keep the discussion purely academic. I invite interested colleagues
to comment on my discussion.
Please send comments to the email address below.
Virtual
Reclusion
As a means of coping with the
irritations of living in close proximity, the increasingly technologically-enabled
American is utilizing this technology to seclude him- or herself from
everyday social activity.
Smaller, lighter personal electronic components are allowing
users to wall themselves off from their immediate social
surroundings. Users of
iPods and similar devices are able to load thousands of songs and other
audio onto the devices and have themselves
constantly plugged in, blocking out the sounds of human activity around
them. We’ve all seen,
or at least heard of, the individual sitting in the crowded waiting
area or room speaking in elevated tones on his or her cell phone. This too, may be seen as a means
to block out the immediate social environment, even while engaging in a
remote social activity.
Even the use of cell phones while driving may be seen as a means
to seclude oneself from interacting with the other drivers on the
road. More…
Phædrus’ “Church of Reason”
Lecture
In Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Robert Pirsig relates a lecture delivered by his
alter-ego, Phædrus. At the time the lecture was
written, Phædrus was struggling with a
problem his students had with their perception of university. The University was at that time
in danger of losing its accreditation and students seemed concerned
that if it did, the university would cease to exist. One student remarked that the
State Police would move onto campus to prevent the University from
losing its accreditation.
This made it clear to Phædrus
that there was a fundamental misunderstanding of what comprises a
university. The “Church of Reason” lecture was
delivered by Phædrus to explain to the
students the true nature of ‘university.’ Read the ‘Church of
Reason’ analogy of the University.
There
are several books that I believe all business students should read
before graduation. These
books are all classics in business literature and define many of the
principles of for-profit business and management that are used
today. I feel that these
texts should be read in their original form rather than through
contemporary interpretations that appear in textbooks and popular
media. The books are listed
below and should be available at most bookstores. For example, I found all four
books at amazon.com for about $50.
The ISBN’s provided are for the books I found on
amazon.com
The
Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
by Max Weber, with an introduction by Anthony Giddens,
translated by Talcott Parsons
ISDN
0-415-25406-X
Note:
I am NOT recommending any text on Weber’s discussion on
bureaucracies. In those
texts, Weber is talking about not-for-profit organizations;
specifically, government agencies.
Administrative
Behavior, 4th Edition
by Herbert A. Simon
ISBN 0-684-83582-7
The
Wealth of Nations
by Adam Smith
ISBN 0-879-75705-1
The
Principles of Scientific Management
by Frederick Winslow Taylor
ISBN
0-486-29988-0
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