GCO5806 Internet commerce - Semester 2 , 2006 unit guide

Semester 2, 2006

Chief Examiner

Guojun Lu

Lecturers

Gippsland : Guojun Lu

Outline

The Internet is now an essential part of business communication and commerce activities. This unit focuses on technologies that enable business transactions over the Internet.

Main topics include:

  • Internet protocols and standards for electronic commerce.
  • Security issues and technology.
  • Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and the Internet.
  • Secure payment systems and standards.
  • XML and Internet Commerce.
  • Objectives

    At the completion of this unit, you will have:

      Knowledgeof:

    • Internet technologies and their use in business activities
    • Understandingof:

    • Internet securities issues and technologies
    • EDI operation and its role in Internet Commerce
    • Various secure payment systems
    • The use of XML in Internet commerce
    • Potential and risks of Internet commerce
    • Skillsin:

    • writing basic XML documents
    • Attitudesof:

    • Using latest technology in business activities.

    Prerequisites

    Before attempting this unit you must have satisfactorily completed GCO4805 or equivalent.

    Unit relationships

    GCO5806 is an elective unit in Master of Business Systems, Master of Applied IT, and MIT.

    Before attempting this unit you must have satisfactorily completed GCO4805 or equivalent.

    Texts and software

    Required text(s)

    Gary Schneider, Electronic Commerce, Thomson Course Technology, 2006, Sixth edition, ISBN: 0-619-21704-9

    Textbook availability

    Text books are available from the Monash University Book Shops. Availability from other suppliers cannot be assured. The Bookshop orders texts in specifically for this unit. You are advised to purchase your text book early.

    Software requirements

    There is no software requirement

    Hardware requirements

    Students studying off-campus are required to have the minimum system configuration specified by the Faculty as a condition of accepting admission, and regular Internet access. On-campus students, and those studying at supported study locations may use the facilities available in the computing labs. Information about computer use for students is available from the ITS Student Resource Guide in the Monash University Handbook. You will need to allocate up to 4 hours per week for use of a computer, including time for newsgroups/discussion groups.

    Recommended reading

    Will be provided online

    Library access

    You may need to access the Monash library either personally to be able to satisfactorily complete the subject.  Be sure to obtain a copy of the Library Guide, and if necessary, the instructions for remote access from the library website.

    Study resources

    Study resources for GCO5806 are:

    1. All study materials will be provided online at www.gscit.monash.edu.au/units/units.html. The materials contain 13 study guides and assessment details.

    2. Three discussion groups: genenal, assignments and notices are used for this unit. They can be accessed from the above unit web page or Monash Portal.

    Unit website

    http://www.gscit.monash.edu.au/units/2006/sem2/gco5806/

    Structure and organisation

    Week Topics
    1 Overview
    2 B2C: Internet Commerce Business Models
    3 B2B: EDI and beyond
    4 Technology Infrastructure
    5 Commercial website design
    6 Client side security issues
    7 Communication security issues
    8 Server side security
    9 Security protocols
    10 Payment systems
    Non teaching week
    11 Legal, ethical and tax issues
    12 XML fundamentals
    13 XML and Internet commerce

    Timetable

    The timetable for on-campus classes for this unit can be viewed in Allocate+

    Assessment

    Assessment weighting

    Assessment for the unit consists of 2 assignments with a weighting of 40% and an examination with a weighting of 60%.

    Assessment Policy

    To pass this unit you must:

    achieve at least 40% in each component.

    Your score for the unit will be calculated by:

    Final grade = min (A + 10, E + 10, E * R + A * (1 - R))

    where A = overall assignment percentage
    E = examination percentage
    R = exam weighting (0.6)

    Assessment Requirements

    Assessment Due Date Weighting
    Assignment 1 28 August 2006 20%
    Assignment 2 16 October 2006 20 %
    The exam is 3 hours long and is closed book. Exam period (S2/06) starts on 23/10/06 60 %

    Assignment specifications will be made available online at www.gscit.monash.edu.au/units/index.html.

    Assignment Submission

    Assignments will be submitted by electronic submission to wfsubmit.its.monash.edu.au.

    Extensions and late submissions

    Late submission of assignments

    Assignments received after the due date will be subject to a penalty of 5% a day. Assignments received later than one week after the due date will not normally be accepted.

    This policy is strict because comments or guidance will be given on assignments as they are returned, and sample solutions may also be published and distributed, after assignment marking or with the returned assignment. 

    Extensions

    It is your responsibility to structure your study program around assignment deadlines, family, work and other commitments. Factors such as normal work pressures, vacations, etc. are seldom regarded as appropriate reasons for granting extensions. 

    Requests for extensions must be made by contact the unit adviser at least two days before the due date. You will be asked to forward original medical certificates in cases of illness, and may be asked to provide other forms of documentation where necessary. A copy of the email or other written communication of an extension must be attached to the assignment submission.

    Grading of assessment

    Assignments, and the unit, will be marked and allocated a grade according to the following scale:

    Grade Percentage/description
    HD High Distinction - very high levels of achievement, demonstrated knowledge and understanding, skills in application and high standards of work encompassing all aspects of the tasks.
    In the 80+% range of marks for the assignment.
    D Distinction - high levels of achievement, but not of the same standards. May have a weakness in one particular aspect, or overall standards may not be quite as high.
    In the 70-79% range.
    C Credit - sound pass displaying good knowledge or application skills, but some weaknesses in the quality, range or demonstration of understanding.
    In the 60-69% range.
    P Pass acceptable standard, showing an adequate basic knowledge, understanding or skills, but with definite limitations on the extent of such understanding or application. Some parts may be incomplete.
    In the 50-59% range.
    N Not satisfactory failure to meet the basic requirements of the assessment.
    Below 50%.

    Assignment return

    We will aim to have assignment results made available to you within two weeks after assignment receipt.

    Feedback

    Feedback to you

    You will receive feedback on your work and progress in this unit. This feedback may be provided through your participation in tutorials and class discussions, as well as through your assignment submissions. It may come in the form of individual advice, marks and comments, or it may be provided as comment or reflection targeted at the group. It may be provided through personal interactions, such as interviews and on-line forums, or through other mechanisms such as on-line self-tests and publication of grade distributions.

    Feedback from you

    You will be asked to provide feedback to the Faculty through a Unit Evaluation survey at the end of the semester. You may also be asked to complete surveys to help teaching staff improve the unit and unit delivery. Your input to such surveys is very important to the faculty and the teaching staff in maintaining relevant and high quality learning experiences for our students.

    And if you are having problems

    It is essential that you take action immediately if you realise that you have a problem with your study. The semester is short, so we can help you best if you let us know as soon as problems arise. Regardless of whether the problem is related directly to your progress in the unit, if it is likely to interfere with your progress you should discuss it with your lecturer or a Community Service counsellor as soon as possible.

    Unit improvements

    The textbook has been changed to better align with the unit objectives.

    Plagiarism and cheating

    Plagiarism and cheating are regarded as very serious offences. In cases where cheating  has been confirmed, students have been severely penalised, from losing all marks for an assignment, to facing disciplinary action at the Faculty level. While we would wish that all our students adhere to sound ethical conduct and honesty, I will ask you to acquaint yourself with Student Rights and Responsibilities and the Faculty regulations that apply to students detected cheating as these will be applied in all detected cases.

    In this University, cheating means seeking to obtain an unfair advantage in any examination or any other written or practical work to be submitted or completed by a student for assessment. It includes the use, or attempted use, of any means to gain an unfair advantage for any assessable work in the unit, where the means is contrary to the instructions for such work. 

    When you submit an individual assessment item, such as a program, a report, an essay, assignment or other piece of work, under your name you are understood to be stating that this is your own work. If a submission is identical with, or similar to, someone else's work, an assumption of cheating may arise. If you are planning on working with another student, it is acceptable to undertake research together, and discuss problems, but it is not acceptable to jointly develop or share solutions unless this is specified by your lecturer. 

    Intentionally providing students with your solutions to assignments is classified as "assisting to cheat" and students who do this may be subject to disciplinary action. You should take reasonable care that your solution is not accidentally or deliberately obtained by other students. For example, do not leave copies of your work in progress on the hard drives of shared computers, and do not show your work to other students. If you believe this may have happened, please be sure to contact your lecturer as soon as possible.

    Cheating also includes taking into an examination any material contrary to the regulations, including any bilingual dictionary, whether or not with the intention of using it to obtain an advantage.

    Plagiarism involves the false representation of another person's ideas, or findings, as your own by either copying material or paraphrasing without citing sources. It is both professional and ethical to reference clearly the ideas and information that you have used from another writer. If the source is not identified, then you have plagiarised work of the other author. Plagiarism is a form of dishonesty that is insulting to the reader and grossly unfair to your student colleagues.

    Communication

    Communication methods

    Unit discussion should be via the unit discussion groups. Communication of personal nature, eg, seeking extension, should be sent directly to the unit adviser.

    Notices

    Notices related to the unit during the semester will be placed on the Notices Newsgroup in the Unit Website. Check this regularly. Failure to read the Notices newsgroup is not regarded as grounds for special consideration.

    Consultation Times

    This unit is offered in OCL only. Students are welcome to contact the unit adviser to arrange a face-to-face consultation.

    If direct communication with your unit adviser/lecturer or tutor outside of consultation periods is needed you may contact the lecturer and/or tutors at:

    This person's profile is not available.Image of this person is not available.

    All email communication to you from your lecturer will occur through your Monash student email address. Please ensure that you read it regularly, or forward your email to your main address. Also check that your contact information registered with the University is up to date in My.Monash.

    Last updated: Jul 17, 2006