New Features:

• Loose-Leaf-The first noticeable change with this new edition is the new loose-leaf format. The 15th edition was produced this way in order to deliver a couple of important benefits for instructors and students: Lower cost to students, less frequent course prep for faculty, and improved portability. (If for any reason a bound book is required for class, these are available through Custom).

• 85 new blue boxes - Each chapter replete with the blue boxes, provides brief, in-depth examples of how corporations apply IS concepts and theories. Expanding on international focus, globe icons imbedded in blue boxes indicate those examples with an international focus.

• 75% of the Real World Cases are new to the Fifteenth Edition (3 cases/chapter)-The authors’ continuing commitment in delivering timely content is evidenced by the number of new cases providing students with in-depth examples of business successes and challenges. This helps avoid the problem of using older examples students know are dated.

New Content:

• Sections New or Expanded Include: application virtualization, cyber-terrorism, metropolitan area networks, cloud computing, expanded history of computing, search engine optimization, and trends in outsourcing and off-shoring.
• Discussions New or Expanded Include: IS careers and job market outlook (expanded), strategic uses of IS/IT (expanded), updated Java discussion to reflect most recent version: Java EE5, Facebook and YouTube (expanded), strategic data management (expanded), updated number of Internet users, updated Internet2, relationship between SCM, CRM, and ERP with regard to supporting corporate strategy, SCM as a top strategic objective of modern enterprises, use of digital billboards in targeted marketing, current state of cyber law (expanded), and strategic value of business intelligence activities in the modern organization (expanded).
• Coverage New or Expanded Include: Windows Server 2008, iPhone (expanded), e-commerce success factors (expanded), system implementation challenges (expanded), user resistance (expanded), end-user development (expanded), software piracy economic impacts (expanded), and IT governance (expanded), and HIPAA (expanded),
• New data relating to top retail web sites and online sales volume.
• End of Chapter Quizzes now contain a review question for each key term.

Retained Features:

• Analysis Exercises – Exercises at the end of each chapter provide practice analyzing problems and using applications to arrive at solutions.
• Fundamental roles of information systems – The book opens with an introduction to business and an overview of the managerial challenges of IT.
• Thorough coverage of Competitive Advantage Issues.
• Complete coverage of business application software: the Computer Software chapter covers the following: application service providers, XML and Java, and Web services.
• Data Resource Management: Material on database software and traditional file processing provides a balance of the topics covered in the course.
• Most Current Real-World Material: as with all O’Brien’s texts, the authors incorporate the cases and photos at the last possible moment so the text illustrates concepts with the most current and relevant examples.
• MISource: Save lecture time and office hours by empowering students to refresh their Excel, Access, Office, and PowerPoint skills on their own or learn them for the first time with this powerful tutorial tool that provides perfect simulation of the actual Office software. Access to MISource may be purchased via e-commerce through www.mhhe.com/misource. Alternatively, a registration code card (0077219953) may be bundled with the text.