Publications | Recognitions | Spotlights| Events

Dr. Insu Park joins MIS Department as an Instructor

Aug 26, 2011

Dr. Insu Park has joined the Department of Management Information Systems as an instructor.  Starting this fall, he will be teaching MIS 2749 which is a foundation course about Information Systems. He earned his Ph.D. in Management (major in MIS and minor in marketing) from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

His research interest includes IT/IS impacts on individual behavior/organizational performance, e-commerce and consumer behavior, trust/risk/service issues, and information assurance. His research findings have appeared at the International Journal of Electronic Commerce (IJEC), Information & Management, Decision Support Systems (DSS), IEEE Transactions on System, Man and Cybernetics, Journal of Information System Security, and International Journal of Electronic Government Research. His academic contribution includes two book chapters and several conference proceedings including AOM, ICIS, AMCIS, INFORMS etc.

His current research focuses on consumer behavior in e-commerce and Information Assurance (Security & Privacy). He enjoys exploring research work in other disciplines and is involved in interdisciplinary research involving management and marketing.

In terms of professional work experience, Dr. Park has worked for a management consulting company for 6 years as a senior consultant in Korea after the graduate school. He was responsible for developing long-term and short-term strategic plans and marketing strategies for many client companies including several banks and telecommunications companies in South Korea. 

In his leisure time, Dr. Park loves to play soccer and baseball. He is a good cook and enjoys cooking for friends and family.

MIS Department appoints Post Doctoral Fellow

Aug 17, 2011

The Department of Management Information Systems appointed Dr. Sung Yul Ryoo to a Post Doctoral Fellowship beginning with the Fall 2011 semester.  Dr. Ryoo will devote the next two years to research projects with colleagues in the MIS Department.  Dr. Bill Kettinger will serve as his mentor.  He earned a Ph.D. in Information Systems from Yonsei University in Korea and has been a research faculty member at Sogang University in Korea.

His research interests are in the areas of B2B e-commerce, supply chain management, knowledge management, and both individual and organizational issues pertaining to information systems. Other interests also include the IOS imbalance between buyers and suppliers, the adoption and impact of social media regarding information privacy and securities, and IT service outsourcing.

His research findings have been published in journals such as Journal of Business Research and Omega-The International Journal of Management Science.  He has refereed proceedings from international conferences such as Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems (2010) and Americas Conference on Information Systems (2011). Dr. Ryoo plans to submit his research findings for publication in high tier USA journal publication as well as conference proceedings.

Grant awarded to Dr. Brooks

May 12, 2011

A grant was recently awarded to Dr. Lloyd Brooks, Professor of Management Information Systems, under the federal Carl Perkins Act for $99,500.  Activities under the grant will involve a partnership with Shelby County Schools to establish an online dual credit/dual enrollment program for business technology students.  High ability students who are able to meet entrance requirements for the University of Memphis and complete course requirements can earn dual credit with their college program if they decide to attend the University of Memphis after graduation from high school.  This program will serve as a test model that can be expanded statewide.  The grant will run from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012.

Project Management Offers Students Unique Opportunity: Mentorship, Networking & Workplace Experience

February 24, 2011

The MIS Department has developed a unique and innovative opportunity for the students of the University of Memphis to interact with local business professionals through the integration of project management into MIS courses. It is an educational and business alliance that has been built between the University of Memphis Fogelman College of Business & Economics with the Project Management Institute, Memphis Chapter. The alliance is coordinated by U of M advisors Dr. Robin Poston, Dr. Sandra Richardson, and Dr. Gertrude Moeller, PMP, Director of Academic Outreach for the PMI Memphis Chapter.

This collaboration enables the students to acquire business knowledge from the business world and work with current business leaders in project management fields. Students are able to learn through their mentors, guest speakers, and a review panel that evaluates the finished projects. In the basic class, students are able to apply the project concepts in order to complete the task to propose a new PDA application all the while under the guidance of a mentor from the given PMI field. In the advanced class, the projects assigned to the students are actual business projects done within one of the partnered organizations. According to Dr. Richardson, these projects are one-of-a-kind opportunities for students to experience the real workplace and learn to build their professional network at the same time.

In the basic class, the projects from last semester dealt with SmartPhone applications. Some of the applications tracked college basketball teams, accessed information from local Blockbuster stores, became universal remotes or identified insects through the phone’s camera. The students participate in authentic project simulations from the workplace. These activities, give them a clear insight on how project management really works by putting what they have learned in the classroom into action. Graduate student Amir Baghaipour, who took this course last year, recalled his interactions with PMI as an “enriching experience.” He was able to “become familiar with the intricacies and documentation needed to complete a simulation of a business IT project.” Amir says he has acquired more exposure to the industry than most people can obtain through an internship. U of M students hope to use the contacts from PMI to network after graduation in order to further their careers. It is a unique opportunity in which few people have the chance to partake.

Students are mentored by project manager professionals from the Memphis Chapter of PMI from organizations like AutoZone, CIBER, FedEx, Medtronic, International Paper and Sedgwick CMS. A program with such high involvement from local business professionals is hard to come by for students. Dr. Poston is well aware of the unique and valuable experience that is offered to her students. She says, “I really think there is so much value that students can gain from interaction with industry professionals. It raises the bar for their performance, introduces them to networking, and grounds theory with practical application.”

MIS undergrad courses online: A big success

February 14, 2011

MIS is proud to be one of only three departments within the college at the University of Memphis to offer undergraduate classes online. Currently there are about 300 students enrolled in online classes, as the course selection is expanding.  All required courses, except two, that are offered for a MIS degree are also offered online. The MIS Department has made huge progress in implementing the online program within the last two years and hopes to have phased in all courses and elements by the spring semester of 2012.

Students can earn an online BBA with a concentration in (MIS) management and information systems. Online course offerings provide students the opportunity to get a degree without physically being on campus. However, students can also take a variety of combinations of online or on-campus classes if desired.

With the expanding course options online, the MIS Department is hoping to attract student[b] from all over the country and even the world, as there are many advantages to taking courses online. They do not restrict students within the confines of a classroom. It also allows students to come from more diverse backgrounds, for example traveling business professionals or international students. Online courses are the more flexible option for those who may not be traditional students.

Overall, the option to take online courses is a great opportunity. Students are able to take the same classes offered on campus wherever they may be located. Although deadlines and assignments are much like traditional classes, online courses are more flexible and have advantages that reach beyond a classroom. Dr. Thomas Meservy is the online coordinator for the department and developed the certification process for the professors. He acknowledges that “we live in a knowledge economy and interacting in virtual teams is not a new concept and will continue to be very important… It is inevitable that these students will learn to use these skills from online classes. It is a great platform for their future continuous education”.

In general, the students comment about the missing the personal face to face interaction with classmates as well as faculty. In a traditional classroom there is an opportunity of learning through discussions, which may be missing online. This brought about the idea of integrating the use of Social media and other collaborative tools to bridge the gap. Dr. Brian Janz has been a pioneer in the implementation of the online courses within the department and the college. He has been teaching online courses for 4 years now including online MBA courses. He recommends using social media, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, to create a more communal atmosphere for online students. Dr. Janz notes,  “There is a place for online education in today’s world. That being said, faculty and students need to understand the differences between online and traditional “on-ground” learning in order to maximize the benefits for all. Online faculty have to make sure that online courses are prepared and designed specifically for the “virtual classroom” to achieve the same learning objectives they have for “on-ground” programs, and the students need to realize that online learning requires more self-discipline in order to stay on top of their assignments and other course requirements.”

Common misconceptions of online classes are that they are drastically different from the traditional class. However, the same professors that teach the traditional classes are also teaching the online classes. Instructors must obtain the certification in order to be eligible to teach online courses. They go through extensive training and seminars to become certified. Dr. Lloyd Brooks, MIS Department Chair, recognizes the importance of keeping the courses consistent standard, whether they are taken online or in a classroom. He says, “Each course is developed according to a checklist and our faculty is certified to match online certification standards.”

Memphis had a big presence at ICIS 2010

Last December representatives from the MIS Department traveled to St. Louis,  Missouri to participate in the International Conference on Information Systems ICIS 2011 which  is the premier professional meeting in the IS field.

The University of Memphis was a Bronze Sponsor for the event. Dr. Kettinger was on the Organizing committee of the ICIS 2010.  Overall, the University of Memphis had a big presence with 8 Ph.D. students and 9 faculty members partaking in the conference activities. The Ph.D. students worked the conference as volunteers while simultaneously obtaining an unparalleled learning experience. They did a remarkable job assisting in the management of the event, as well as taking advantage of the opportunities to further their knowledge and gaining experience from MIS prominent researchers and the Industry leaders.

Dr. Kettinger and Dr. Zhang presented their paper “Winning by playing the zones: The C-Suite and the information value chain” in the pre-ICIS SIM academic workshop.  The research focused on proposing a zonal informed strategic management framework that help senior executives position information’s role in supporting their value creation strategies. Dr. Tom Stafford presented his paper titled “Exploring Dimensions of Mobile Information Technology Dependence” in the conference proceedings.

Doctoral candidate Colin Onita feels that the doctoral consortium was a great opportunity to meet some of the distinguished researchers of the field and students from other schools and exchange research ideas and impressions about MIS as a discipline and what it means to be an MIS academic. He received great feedback and an overall positive reception of his approach on his dissertation IS Service evaluations – rational and emotional components. He also presented his work on Emotional and Rational Components of IS Service Satisfaction and their Impact on IS Service Continuance in the poster session.

Ph.D. student Deepti Agrawal recognizes ICIS as an excellent opportunity to share ideas and interact with other scholars and researchers in the field. She says, “It keeps us informed about the dialogues going on in the field of MIS research.” Furthermore, first year Ph.D. student Jeff Kaleta feels lucky to have been able to get such exposure to international MIS professionals and their work in one location, as it might be rare for others that are early in their academic programs.

MIS Advisory Council Hitting on All Cylinders

November 9, 2010

Over 40 IT executives from the area (and Texas!) have been busy working on behalf of the Fogelman College's MIS Department's academic programs, students, and faculty.  After last year's review and advisory role in helping to create the most innovative undergraduate curriculum in the country, the MIS Advisory Board wasted no time in digging into several new initiatives. (Pictured from left to right are Andre Turner, MIS Advisory Council Chairman Pat Ruckh, and Coach Josh Pastner).

At their recent semi-annual MIS Advisory Board Meeting held at the new University Center, board members discussed plans to create a speakers bureau for MIS courses, an innovative joint venture with the college's MILE program to offer mentoring opportunities to MIS Honors students, the creation of two scholarships for two deserving undergraduate MIS majors, as well as funding for doctoral student conferences and MIS faculty teaching awards.  A special treat for attendees was a surprise visit by former Memphis Tiger basketball star Andre Turner and Coach Josh Pastner, where the coach shared his plans for the coming basketball season.

The excitement didn't end there. The next day, several board members and their wives joined MIS Professor Brian Janz, Fogelman Director of Development Kenneth "Ziggy" Siegfried, Associate Dean Jasbir Dhaliwal, and University Provost Ralph Faudree in Dr. Faudree's suite at the Liberty Bowl to watch the football Tigers take on the UT Volunteers. Despite the score of the game, all in attendance had a great time socializing and getting to know each better.

MIS Department Recognizes Dr. Balaji Rajagopalan as 'Distinguished Alum'

October 8, 2010

Early this October, the department of Management of Information Systems (MIS) had the opportunity to recognize a University of Memphis Alum, Dr. Balaji Rajagopalan, as a ‘Distinguished Alumni’ for his outstanding work and research in the field of MIS.

Dr. Rajagopalan currently is an associate dean and professor of Management Information Systems at Oakland University in Rochester Michigan. He started his PhD in Management Information Systems at the University of Memphis in 1992 after completing with his Masters in MIS, also at the University Memphis. Promptly, within four years of receiving his full PhD, Dr. Rajagopalan obtained his tenure as a professor at Oakland University.

As a visiting professor and scholar, Balaji has gained affiliation in several international universities located in India, China, Finland, and Taiwan. Dr. Balaji Rajagopalan has also been the recipient of over $1/2 Million in research grants and received other financial awards that combine to a total well over $600,000. Furthermore, he is well established in professional conferences with participation in over 33 presentations and proceedings. He currently serves as Program Co-Chair for AMCIS 2011, hosted in Detroit, MI next August 2011. Dr. Rajagopalan’s contributions to the field of information systems have earned him over 20 publications in multiple top journals including Information Systems Research, Journal of Business Information Systems, Decision Support Systems, and IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics. With great distinction, Dr. Rajagopalan received multiple prestigious awards, including Best Published Research Paper 2007, in the top ranked journal Information Systems Research.

During his visit, Dr. Rajagopalan had presented his research on open source software development in the weekly MIS colloquium, an event where researchers can share their academic pursuits and ideas within the field of information systems (https://umwiki.memphis.edu/display/MIS/Home). In a separate seminar session, MIS PhD students participated in a focus discussion with Dr. Rajagopalan about his experience in research and publication. Within the session, he discussed methods for ideation of research topics and developing manuscripts for top journal publication.

To those who have been able to get know Balaji, regard him as a friendly, enthusiastic person always with a smile on his face. His willingness to help and contribute to the knowledge of others was well represented during his warm visit. The department of Management of Information Systems at the University of Memphis was pleased to receive Dr. Balaji Rajagopalan and anticipates his future visits.

Past Spotlights

• Dr. Judith Simon
• Dr. Robin Poston