PELLISSIPPI STATE TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MASTER SYLLABUS

E-COMMERCE
MKT 2450

Class Hours: 3.0

 

Credit Hours: 3.0

 

Laboratory Hours: 0.0

 

Revised: Spring 07

 

 NOTE:  This course is not designed for transfer credit.

 

 

 

 

Catalog Course Description:

 

 

 

A study of e-commerce and its impact on business.  The course provides a framework for understanding e-commerce, including possible marketing opportunities, as well as implementation and organization issues involved in capitalizing on e-commerce.

Entry Level Standards:

 

 

 

Ability to read, write and reason at college level.  Ability to create Word, PowerPoint and Excel files.

Prerequisites:

 

 

 

OST 2801, OST 2802, and OST 2803; or successful completion of NSTCC certificate OR 80% mastery level of web page pretest PLUS Web page portfolio.  

Textbook(s) and Other Course Materials:

 

 

New Perspectives on E-Commerce by James T. Perry and Gary P. Schneider. ISBN 0-619-01929-8.  Thompson Learning (Course Technologies) 25 Thompson Place, Boston, MA 02210.  2001 or latest edition.  
Access to computer system.  Internet Explorer latest version (note, can be downloaded free of charge from:  www.microsoft.com.)

I. Week/Unit/Topic Basis:

 

 

 

Week

Topic

 

1-2

What is Electronic Commerce?  Using Value Chains and the Web to sell products and services.

 

3

Creating a Successful Web Presence:  Designing the User Interface

 

4

Promoting the Electronic Commerce Web Site

 

5-6

Building an Online Store:  Infrastructure and Software

 

7

Exam #1

 

8

 Electronic Commerce Security- Privacy Threats

 

9

Protecting Your Privacy

 

10

Electronic Payment Systems:  Accepting and Processing Customer Payments

 

11

Introduction to Electronic Cash, Smart Cards and Electronic Wallets

 

12

Conducting Electronic Commerce in a Global Business Environment

 

13

The Legal Environment of Electronic Commerce

 

14

Ethical Issues in Electronic Commerce

 

15

Final Exam

II. Course Objectives*:

 

 

 

A.

Demonstrate an understanding of commerce, e-commerce, value chains and marketing strategy.

 

B.

Understand how successful web presences are created. 

 

C.

Build an online store. 

 

D.

Understand how to create a secure commerce environment 

 

E.

Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of common electronic payment systems.

 

F.

Understand the impact of three uncontrollable environmental factors (culture, legal and ethical) on ecommerce.

*Roman numerals after course objectives reference goals of the E-Commerce/Marketing program.

III. Instructional Processes*: 

 

 

Students will:

 

 

 

 

1.

Record, analyze, interpret and articulate facts by reading, evaluating and developing solutions to e-commerce based case study exercises. (Communication outcome, Transitional strategy)

 

2.

Use critical thinking skills to interpret, evaluate, and make informed judgments about the effectiveness of specific online retailers' web presences. (Transitional strategy)

 

3.

Demonstrate competence in accessing information on the Web by completing internet exercises designed to explore, describe and combine features of various retail web sites. (Technological outcome, Active learning strategy)

*Strategies and outcomes listed after instructional processes reference TBR’s goals for strengthening general education knowledge and skills, connecting coursework to experiences beyond the classroom, and encouraging students to take active and responsible roles in the educational process.

IV. Expectations for Student Performance*: 

 

 

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

 

1.

Define electronic commerce and describe similarities and differences between ecommerce and traditional commerce.  A

 

2.

Define the four P's of marketing.  A

 

3.

Explain value chains and the effect of ecommerce on traditional channel arrangements. A

 

4.

Discuss advantages and disadvantages of ecommerce. A

 

5.

Define and describe the nine basic web business models and be able to identify models specific web sites are using.  A 

 

6.

Use a shopbot to compare website product marketing strategies.  A

 

7.

Understand how to identify and reach customers on the Web. B

 

8.

List and explain the five (5) objectives all effective websites use to create an attractive online presence. B

 

9.

Describe how firms can integrate usability testing into their websites. B

 

10.

Define the 11 key factors website designers should consider as they create or update websites to improve usability. B

 

11.

Define various metrics for evaluating web site advertising effectiveness and cost. B

 

12.

Compare and contrast customer relations ship management strategies for ecommerce and traditional marketing. B

 

13.

Define and provide examples of basic electronic commerce software functions. C

 

14.

Build an online store using Yahoo! and/or Bigstep templates. C

 

15.

Compare/contrast the advantages of using web hosting services versus building and maintaining your own site. C

 

16.

Understand the most common ways of promoting a site, including advertising, using search engines. C

 

17.

Describe security protection techniques that will maintain customer privacy, keep transactions confidential, thwart eavesdropping and ensure customer identification and authentification. D

 

18.

Understand the role of encryption in maintaining confidentiality. D

 

19.

Identify and define the kinds of threats that businesses face when conducting ecommerce. D

 

20.

Describe how digital signatures and digital ID's are created. D

 

21.

Understand the major online payment options available. E

 

22.

Understand how online credit cards are processed. E

 

23.

Identify different types of electronic cash systems and select the appropriate type for a specific ecommerce objective. E

 

24.

Install and use an electronic wallet. E

 

25.

Explain some of the cultural issues that affect businesses conducting electronic commerce. F

 

26.

Examine laws that govern electronic commerce activities. F

 

27.

Discuss contracts and contractual issues of concern to online retailers. F 

 

28.

Define and give examples of trademark infringement and deceptive trade practices. F

 

29.

Explain how the global nature of ecommerce impacts the legal concept of jurisdiction, and how this impacts the laws governing online commerce. F

 

30.

Create a web page that would be appropriate for selling in the U.S. market and another that would be appropriate for the same product in the Japanese market. Compare and contrast features. F

*Letters after performance expectations reference the course objectives listed above.

V. Evaluation:

 

 

 

A. Testing Procedures:  40% of grade

 

Two exams will be given, each counting 20% of the grade. While the mid-term will be over the first three chapters and the final, over the last three, the course builds throughout the semester and concepts learned the first half will be used the second as well. There may be some overlap on the exams as well.

Exams will include objective (multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank and true-false) questions to test mastery of definitions and basic processes. They will also include mini-cases and exercises to test transfer knowledge, or the ability to use the knowledge you gain in solving one case to solve a similar but not identical case.

 

B. Laboratory Expectations:  50% of grade

 

This course is highly interactive. It is expected that the student will use the text as a guide. It is tutorial in nature. You must log on to the computer and go to the Student Online companion, 
www.course.com/newPerspectives/EC , as you read each assignment. Throughout your text, you will be asked to log onto particular websites that demonstrate and exemplify concepts being examined in the text. It is assumed you complete each web assignment as part of the homework assignments. 

To test competency, you will be assigned a minimum five cases from the text. Casework runs the gamut from building and populating online stores to identifying business strategies particular online retailers have chosen. They are excellent ways to use the knowledge you've gained and to cement that knowledge by using it to solve similar problems. The cases we will use are located at the end of each chapter of your text. Each case is worth 10% of your grade. Overall, casework will comprise 50% of your grade in this class.

 

C. Field Work:

 

The text I have chosen is in workbook format. Rather than buy an expensive reference text to supplement areas where the course text lacks content, we will be using the resources on the web AND a few content pages I have created. Your assignment page will link you to these content pages and sources. For example, in Chapter 2, the text provides a cursory overview of web business models. Michael Rappa has done a more complete analysis and put it up on the web for public use. We will go to http://www.ecommerce.ncsu.edu and click on Web Models to obtain this material. 

 

D. Other Evaluation Methods:  10% of grade

 

Traditional Classes - The only way to learn is to be radically present during all class periods.  To make sure you are, Performance Points will be awarded for successfully answering discussion questions posed to random students during class periods.  At the end of the semester, you will have had ~20 opportunities to respond.  10% of your grade will be based on how successfully you did so.  NOTE:  if you are not there, you cannot respond, so you will get a 0/Absent if your name is called.

Online Classes – Responses to discussion questions will determine your participation grade.

 

E. Grading Scale:

 

92-100        A
89-91          B+
82-88          B
79-81          C+
72-78          C
65-71          D
Below 65   F

VI. Policies:

 

 

 

A. Attendance Policy:

 

Pellissippi State Technical Community College expects students to attend all scheduled instructional activities.  As a minimum, students in all courses must be present for at least 75 percent of their scheduled class and laboratory meetings in order to receive credit for the course.  [NOTE:  No differentiation is noted for excused/unexcused absences.  These will be treated as an absence.]

 

B. Academic dishonesty:

 

Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited.  Students guilty of academic misconduct, either directly or indirectly through participation or assistance, are immediately responsible to the instructor of the class.  In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions which may be imposed through the regular Pellissippi State procedures as a result of academic misconduct, the instructor has the authority to assign an F or a zero for the exercise or examination or to assign an F in the course. 

 

C. Accommodations for disabilities:

 

If you need accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please inform the instructor immediately. Please see the instructor privately after class or in his/her office. Students must present a current accommodation plan from a staff member in Services for Students with Disabilities (SSWD) in order to receive accommodations in this course. Services for Students with Disabilities may be contacted by going to Goins 127 or 131 or by phone: 694-6751(Voice/TTY) or 539-7153.

 

D.    Computer Usage Guidelines:

 

College-owned or –operated computing resources are provided for use by students of Pellissippi State.  All students are responsible for the usage of Pellissippi State’s computing resources in an effective, efficient, ethical and lawful manner.