Can information systems concepts be assimilated into non-IS courses?

Abstract

The American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is encouraging schools to teach core topics across a spectrum of courses. Subjects would not be artificially forced into a certain course because of departmental boundaries but would be introduced according to their relevance to the topic being presented. Information systems (IS) topics have received attention possibly because the wording of the current AACSB curriculum standards no longer implies that a separate course is required for information systems.Many discussions about curriculum changes affecting IS have been made without quantitative information. Evidence has not been gathered about the qualifications of non-IS faculty to teach IS topics or even faculty preferences for delivery of IS topics. The questionnaire used to gather data for this article revealed that non-IS faculty strongly prefer a separate, required IS course over integrating IS topics into non-IS courses. The introductory IS course provides the bulk of knowledge that most business students receive about information systems. If students are not well taught by qualified faculty then their ability to use and assimilate IS and IS technology is diminished. This article brings some quantitative evidence to the debate and argues that IS topics beyond computer literacy are best taught by IS faculty.