MODULE TITLE	E-Business
MODULE CODE	12-5206
Level	5
Credit Points	20
Indicative Assessment Components & Percentage Weightings	100% Coursework
Pre-Requisite Modules (if applicable)
Delivered according to Standard Academic Calendar YES	Long: 2 semesters   YES	Short: 1 semester   No	Other delivery pattern: Please specify

 

1          MODULE AIMS

 

Over the past few years we have witnessed major changes in the ways that organisations manage their business processes.  In particular, organisations are beginning to manage the provision of information and their communication, internally with their employees and externally with their business partners.  Two prime examples of the shifts in this paradigm have been:

 

• The increasing importance of information to all business activities
• The increasing use of telecommunication networks for the transfer of the information

 

These changes are not confined to organisations.  We have also witnessed how technology has affected the lives of individuals in the way they live their lives, learn their skills, do their jobs, buy their necessities and play their games. A significant element of the change in technology has been the ubiquitous take-up of the internet and notably the World Wide Web.

 

The aim of this module is to provide you with a perspective of e-Business.  The intent is to discuss the core concepts of electronic strategy, the enabling technologies and their associated drivers and inhibitors.

 

2          MODULE LEARNING OUTCOMES

 

By the end of the module you should be able to:

 

1.    Identify the various categories of electronic business, explore their applications and assess their strengths, benefits, weaknesses and risks.  In particular you will be able to examine:

·         The electronic business models and the roles and strategies of its important players

·         The importance of information and knowledge to effective management of digital firm

·         The need to de-centralise and delegate responsibilities and control in electronic strategy

·         How technology is used to establish and cultivate business relationships both internally within departments and among the employees and externally with business partners

·         The legal and ethical issues and social implications of e-Business

2.    Discuss the architecture of the networks and telecommunication channels that enable e-Business.  In particular you will be able to explore:

·         The networking models, principals and protocols

·         The architecture of the internet and the World wide Web

3.    Model Web-based systems using standard notations, implement e-Business solutions using prevalent technologies and tools and appreciate issues surrounding the design and implementation of these systems.

4.    Discuss the need for secure communication on the Internet, assess security threats to e-Business systems and explain the Internet protocols that address security requirements.

 

3          INDICATIVE LEARNING, TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES

 

This module may be delivered through a series of tutorials, student-centred learning activities and seminars.  Your attendance is compulsory and you are required to prepare for the sessions before hand through self-directed study.

 

Assessment of the module will be continuous throughout the year. Coursework is likely to comprise of a number of online phase tests to assess all learning outcomes.  You may be required to undertake research/implementation projects and presentation of the outcomes to your peers. These could be on individual basis or in groups.

 

To pass the module you are required to gain a weighted average of 40% between the coursework elements.  Details will be published in module handbook.

 

4          INDICATIVE MODULE CONTENTS / TOPICS

 

E-Business models and strategies

• History and definition of e-Business and its different types
• e-Business marketing
• The notion of intelligence, cleverness and renewal in e-Business
• Developing and maintaining the infrastructure for e-Business
• Extranets, Intranets, Corporate Portals, Electronic Data Interchange

Architecture of organisational networks and Web-based system

• Local Area Networks, Wide Area Networks
• Peer-to-Peer and Client-Server architectures
• Internet and WWW history and standards

Modelling of Web-based systems

• Unified Modelling Language
• Use case and sequence diagrams

Implementation of Web-based systems

o    Client side and server side programming languages

o    Open source content management systems

Security of Web-based systems

• Security threats
• Public Key Infrastructure
• Electronic payment protocols and schemes

 

FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THIS MODULE

 

·         Further / additional information is available to support this module, including assessment criteria detailing how your performance in the module will be measured, how you will receive feedback, details of learning resources and key readings

 

·     This information can be found on the blackboard site for this module

 

·     Note that this additional information may be subject to change year to year