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Course Duration:   32 – 40 hours

Introduction

It is important for all managers today to be tech savvy. The key to success for business managers is how effectively they use technology for improving efficiency, cutting cost and providing innovative services to both internal and external customers. Today there is a big divide between managers who know IT and those who do not. At the same time there is little awareness as to what makes a manager IT Savvy. The younger generation is more prone to fall into a trap of believing that they are IT savvy since they are proficient in using laptops, using internet and the technology gadgets. But knowing to use MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and being extremely proficient with using facebook and the likes is certainly not what it takes to be a IT savvy manager. There is a lot more for a manager to know - not only about the technology, but also know how to pull the right strings to successfully manage technology within his or her department. The manager needs to successfully manage the people and their behaviour under the change created by IT. It is the manager who has all the right and wrong strings in the hands. You do not need to go far to hear stories of IT failures. It is not the IT department alone which plays a role in the success or failure of IT. When you as a manager in any function try to automate operations in your department, you will be the key to success or failure. And success of automation can mean your success.

Most courses on Computing stress on technology. This course does a judicious balance between technology and management of technology. For it is not enough for managers to know about IT, it is in fact more important to know the psychology of change brought about by IT – cultural change, behavioural change, procedural change and change in relationships of people. In other words, it is not important to be “IT Literate”, it is more important to be “IT Aware”.

Whatever be their functional specialization, this course brings to the budding managers just what they need to know to become effective managers in their own chosen field. After all, no business or department can run without IT.   

This course makes you aware of the technological, organizational, behavioural and psychological issues in technology, and thereby helps ensure your own success and growth in organizations.

Contents

Part I:   Technology Concepts of Computing

Hardware and Communications/Network, Software Resources – System Software and Application Software

From Calculating Machines Internet/Cloud Computing

Computer Applications

Commercial, Manufacturing, Process Control

Information Systems Planning and Development, Package Implementation

Business Process Re-engineering, System Study, System Analysis and Design, Development and Implementation, Implementing Business Intelligence

Role of IT Organization and User Organization

Information Security

Career Options

CIO Role, Project Manager, In-house

or Software House, Entrepreneur. Key Skills required in each Role. Typical Characteristics of each role, risks and challenges.

Software Development in a distributed global teams environment Tools and Techniques

Part II  Cultural and Managerial Aspects of Computing

Part II A  - Mindset Issues in IT

Industrial Age Mindset

Turmoil of the Industrial Age

Turmoil of the Information Era

Evolving from Industrial Age Mindset to Information Age

“Time Swing Analysis”

Rules of The Game in Industrial Era

Rules of The Game in Information Era

Change in Mindset Required

Misconceptions/ Psychological Issues about IT and its ill effects on Businesses

Strengths and Weakness of InfoTech, Mananging Expectations of Information Era

Need for a Realistic view  - Benefits for Industry

Part II B  - Management of IT

Managing IT

Managing Change

Managing IT Driven Change

Managing People under the Impact of Change

Cultural Change

Do’s and Don’ts for Managers

Business Process Re-Engineering

Key Factors For Success and Failure of IT

Trends and Summary