TELE 730
Telecommunications Management

Course Objectives

TELE 730 is primarily focused on the management of voice telecommunications resources in organizations, and secondarily on the management of data telecommunications resources in organizations. I have four principle objectives for 730 this session.

First, the student will learn the basics of voice telecommunications technologies. As with any computer network, voice telecom technologies include:

1.      the CPUs or servers (switches, routers, and voice processing peripherals)

2.      transmission technologies (both transport technologies in the network and access technologies for the local loop/last mile to the home or office desktop)

3.      terminal devices (telephones and desktop computers, as well as fax machines, pagers, and PDAs)

4.      the software and firmware that runs with this hardware (software applications for servers and terminals, and software protocols used to encode voice & data for both transport through the backbone networks and in the local loop).

Because voice and data are converging in a variety of interesting ways, we will also deal with computer networks and applications from time to time. However, this course is not primarily about computers, LANs, WANs, routers, and the world of data transport and applications.

Second, the student will learn the basic principles of telecommunications management in organizations, and their relationship to technical, organizational, personnel, and management issues. Knowledge of the technology goes hand-in-hand with effective telecommunications management.

The third objective is to learn how specific organizations are using the systems and employing the principles we will study. Each student will periodically interview the telecom management team of a local organization to evaluate how their real world experiences compare with textbook descriptions. Students will have an opportunity to share this information with the class, providing a rich learning environment beyond what any one of us could bring to the classroom.

The fourth objective is to assist you in integrating the knowledge of individual technologies and their management with general principles in other disciplines that also impact how people use telecommunications technologies – such as human factors, ergonomics, communication, and organizational behavior.

Required Textbooks & Readings

Green, J. H. (2001). Irwin handbook of telecommunications management (3^rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing. (ISBN: 0071370587; list price: $95)

Green, J. H. (2000). Irwin handbook of telecommunications (4^th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing. (ISBN: 0071355545; list price: $95)

Newton, H., & R. Horak. (2004). Newtons telecom dictionary, 20^th Ed. New York: CMP Books. (Paperback, ISBN: 1578203090, $34.95) Note: virtually ANY edition of this book is fine – there have been six (6) editions since 1997!

Policies and Procedures

Implicit and Explicit Commitments

Every university course involves a series of agreements between the student, the professor, and the university – whether implicit or explicit. I make all these commitments explicit by providing you with a list – and asking you to formally commit to them. I will also describe (in class) the process we will use whenever someone (you or me) fails to honor any particular commitment. Some of these commitments are discussed below.

Attendance

Learning in this course takes two major forms - cognitive and experiential. The latter requires participation and observation in common classroom experiences. Therefore, attendance is required. Why? Simply stated, it does not work to miss class (for me, for you, or for your classmates). We meet very few times this term. In addition, we are a small class and if one person is missing it means a substantial percentage of the class is missing. In addition, being late for class does not work – for you, for me, or for your classmates. Please be on time for all classes, and in your seat at the end of all breaks.

Staying in Communication

Staying in communication is something that I value highly. Since it is also valued in the business world, it is great training for all of us.

In the course of the semester, you may find that one of your outside commitments (to work, family, health, play, etc.) supersedes your commitment to one of the course agreements (being in class, being on time, completing an assignment on time, etc.). When this happens, please communicate with me as soon as possible.

Please note – you’re not a bad student when you miss a commitment, and you’re not “wrong” to choose another commitment over one of the course commitments (or vice versa). All I ask is that you deal with such situations with integrity and power. This means communicating your intentions and behavior clearly. Often, people are not clear about such situations in their own minds, or not realistic about what is possible. Sometimes we dread telling someone that we will break (or have broken) a commitment. Yet putting off the communication only makes it harder to clear it up later. And until you straighten it out, you are out of integrity. When we are out of integrity we are “incomplete” and thus not dealing powerfully with life. When we complete issues (such as having a conversation about a missed commitment), we can get back in integrity and can once again operate at full power. And I want each of us operating at full power!

Consequently, my request to you is: communicate with me as soon as you know you will not keep one of the course agreements. Staying in communication is considered part of your class participation.

Making Requests

If you discover that you will miss one of the assignment deadlines you can make a request of me (in person or by telephone only – not by e-mail or voice mail). Any request should be very specific – you must propose a new date and time by which you will complete the assignment. Such requests must be made in advance of the deadline – and the earlier the better. Once the deadline passes you’ve taken away my power to grant the request. Please note that requests sometimes get the answer yes and sometimes the answer no.

E-Mail & Computer Skills Required

We will be using electronic mail frequently this semester. I will occasionally send messages to the class or to specific people, and you will find e-mail helpful in staying in touch with me and your classmates. All out-of-class written assignments must be sent to me as MS Word attachments. You are expected to know how to use e-mail and send MS Word documents as attachments.

In addition, we will be using WebCT for online discussions (http://webct38.gmu.edu). Your WebCT ID is typically (the first portion of) your GMU e-mail ID, and your default (initial) password is the last four digits of your GMU ID. Please log in sometime during Week 1 to make sure your ID is working.

Submission of Written Assignments

You must hand in two versions of each written assignment (see Course Schedule):
·           An electronic copy must be e-mailed to me as an MS Word attachment by 12 noon
·           A printed copy must be turned in at the beginning of class

If either version is late, the assignment is considered late.

I have a lot of students, so it helps if e-mail communication to me is clear and unambiguous. You should follow these guidelines when labeling e-mails and MS Word attachments:
·        Your first and last name should appear in the “From” field (not simply your e-mail ID)
·        The “Subject:” field of ALL e-mail messages should always begin with “Tele 730” followed by a descriptive title (e.g., “Tele 730 – Field Report 1”)
·        Always include your last name in the MS Word title of individual critiques (e.g., 730-FR1-smith.doc)
·        Always put identifying information within the MS Word files (name, exact assignment name and number)

While it should go without saying, I’ll say it anyway: students must use correct spelling and punctuation in all written assignments (e-mail messages are, of course, more informal). The use of appropriate grammar in oral and written communication is also very important. Please read (and then edit) your work carefully before you hand it in. If you typically do fewer than two drafts, followed by a final read and edit, you are not taking written assignments seriously enough.

Promoting Intellectual Honesty

Academic standards demand intellectual honesty. Intellectual dishonesty is a fancy term for cheating. While it should go without saying, I’ll say it anyway: cheating and plagiarism in any form, regardless of any justification, will not be tolerated. Any student whom the instructor has sufficient evidence to believe has cheated or plagiarized in the course will receive an automatic "F" (failure) in the course, and will be referred for appropriate disciplinary action. There will be no exceptions to this policy.

Please note that the most common form of intellectual dishonesty is plagiarism. Often, students are unaware of, or uncertain about, the various forms of plagiarism. One component of intellectual honesty involves crediting the ideas of others through citations in the text and full references at the end of your work. Your research paper must have a set of citations in the text, and an accompanying set of references at the end, documenting the source of any ideas that are not your own (I prefer you use APA style, but you may use MLA or Chicago as well).

Policies related to cheating/plagiarism (as well as excused absences, withdrawal, incompletes, final exams and common exams) can be found in your copy of the GMU Student Handbook and/or the current semester’s Schedule of Classes. As students and faculty at George Mason University, we are all responsible for adhering to university policies. You should be particularly familiar with the George Mason University Honor Code.

Evaluation and Grading Criteria

Academic tradition and rules require that your performance be evaluated. Final grades will be determined by scores in three major performance areas:

Final letter grades will be assigned based on the following point distribution:

Scores in between any of these ranges will be rounded up if the fraction is 0.5% (5 points out of 1000) or higher, and rounded down if below 0.5%.

Description of Graded Components

Midterm and Final Exams

Both exams are comprehensive. They will include a series of objective, short answer, and essay questions. See the Course Schedule below for dates.

Individual Field Reports (FR1-FR4)

Each student is expected to find a company to work with, and secure the cooperation of the voice telecom manager. You will be asked to interview this person four (4) times during the course. The topics to be covered can be found on my web site – look for the Interview Protocol for each Field Report. If you know you will need help locating a company, please discuss it with me immediately.

Each student will submit four (4) Field Reports (FRs), summarizing the results of your interviews with the telecom manager. Each FR should highlight how the chosen organization manages and uses the communication or information system(s) examined in that particular module. FRs should be 4-6 (double-spaced) pages.

All Field Reports are due by e-mail at noon on the day it is listed in the syllabus. A hard copy is due in class that day. Late Field Reports are docked one letter grade per day.

You should request four (4) one-hour interviews early to coincide with the relevant readings and FR due dates, but I recommend you make request for all interviews early in the semester. At least one of these interviews (preferably the first) should include an on-site tour of the company’s facilities. If the company is also your place of work, perhaps all interviews can be in person. Please keep in mind:
·        You must interview someone working in voice telecom management. (That means someone who handles “internal support” - the telephones, PBX, voice mail, etc. – for company employees.
·         You must schedule these interviews far enough in advance to ensure you can complete the interview and the write-up by the assigned due date
·         Your telecom manager contacts are very busy professionals, working long hours and facing unexpected situations and emergencies every week (at least one of your scheduled meetings will likely be re-scheduled by your contact person)
·         Late assignments – regardless of the reason – are subject to penalties
·         These folks have generously agreed to give you some of their time – however, it is up to you to make this happen
·         make it YOUR job to reach your telecom management “hosts.” Call well in advance of your due dates. Leave messages, but don’t wait for them to call back (or tell me they “never called you back”). It is YOUR job to complete the communication with them, not vice versa!

Research Paper

Each student will choose a telecommunications management topic and write a 10-15 page (double-spaced) paper summarizing the issues. A separate handout will provide the details, but your paper should be written to provide the class with an introduction and overview of your chosen topic. With special permission, you may be allowed to write exclusively about a technology, as opposed to the management of that technology in organizations. Please let me know in advance if you plan to write about a topic you are addressing (or have addressed) in another course.

To ensure everyone selects a topic early and makes steady progress, there are four written deliverables for this paper:
·        RP1 - choice of a topic
·        RP2 - an outline
·        RP3 - a first draft of at least 6 pages
·        RP4 - the final version of the completed paper.

See the Course Schedule below for all due dates.

Presentation of Research Paper

Each student will provide an 10-15 minute in-class presentation (PowerPoint is required) to share the content of their Research Paper (see the Course schedule below for due dates).

Online Participation

Students are expected to participate in online discussions each week (actually, beginning week 2 and extending for 11 weeks). You can contribute by:
·        discussing some aspect of the course readings
·        citing/summarizing some event or trend in the industry (I will point you to several listservs that cover such things
·        discussing the insights you got talking to your telecom manager.

Spring, 2004 GMU Deadlines