SYS4280

Electronic commerce

P Swatman

6 points
* 3 hours per week
* Second semester
* Caulfield
* Prohibitons: SYS3280

Objectives At the completion of this subject, students will know the overall principles and practice of electronic commerce; will understand the organisational impact of this approach to business; will have the skills needed to apply theory and select appropriate strategies in practice; and will have attitudes which enable the effective use of electronic commerce principles.

Synopsis A study of the theory and nature of electronic commerce, its policy and management issues and the particular problems of implementing and managing multi-party electronic systems will provide a framework for a detailed examination of the theories and practices which underlie current and future trends in this rapidly growing area. Specific topics will include business trends, such as reduction of supply chain uncertainty, mass customisation, core competencies. Emerging networked organisations. Electronic commerce definitions and taxonomies. Underlying technologies including broadband communications and the role of the Internet and the World Wide Web; product numbering and bar-coding; automated data retrieval; electronic data interchange. Technology-enabled changes to business processes, including just-in-time inventory management; quick response; continuous replenishment; efficient consumer response. Overall implication of business process and network redesign. Industry structure implications. (Supra-)national issues. Theoretical issues, particularly the major relevant theories, including transaction cost theory; resource dependency theory; agency and critical mass theory; resource-based strategy. Relationship management. Collaboration and competition.

Assessment Test: 40%
* Assignments: 60%

Recommended texts

Bradley S P, Hausman J A and Nolan R J (eds) Globalization, technology and competition Harvard U P, 1993
Keen P G W and Cummins J M Networks in action: Business choices and telecommunications decisions Wadsworth, 1994
Neumann S Strategic information systems: Competition through information technologies Macmillan, 1994
Tapscott D and Caston A Paradigm shift: The new promise of information technology McGraw-Hill, 1993
Valovic T Corporate networks: The strategic use of telecommunications Artech, 1993