Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
chain meeting these sets of circumstances. Specific skills that will be acquired will include
the ability to develop a strategy for the flow of information, inventory and reorder policies,
order fulfillment, order tracking, receiving payment, negotiating prices, dealing with peak and
slack demands, and the ability to respond to market forces that are normally outside of the
SMEs control.
Security Issues when Doing Business Online
Regardless of the effectiveness of the e-commerce/e-business strategy, unless the Web
site is accessible 24 hours a day, every day of the year, the exposure to the global market has
been compromised. While not trying to turn the analyst into an Internet security specialist,
the graduate must be able to suggest security methods that will provide overall security of
the client's system to make it less vulnerable from denial of service attacks, viruses, hackers,
crackers, and intrusions by unauthorized users that can effectively destroy the integrity of
the database. Topics will include methods for evaluating security risks, security practices that
are cost effective, third party agreements, and an education program for all staff members,
as security is the responsibility of all employees. A workplace education program designed
by the consultant will include an awareness of the role of firewall protection, the use and
secrecy of passwords, virus scanning software, security audits, and the serious conse-
quences for noncompliance to an organization's security and control policy.
Business Law and Ethics
Principles of business law and ethics have different meanings and applications in
different states, territories, and countries, as the governments around the world come to terms
with the changing nature of Internet commerce. With the development of a raft of laws and
regulations, graduates will need to be able to work through these and develop strategies that
will assist the organization in its development of an e-business strategy that will identify key
concepts that may affect the way in which the business is offering their service across the
Internet.
Key strategic knowledge and skills will include the protection of the consumer, privacy
of data, digital copyright, taxation of goods and services, and contractual law to support
contracts entered into, where digital agreements are replacing paper-based physical con-
tracts.
Finance and Economics
One of the key success factors for an online business operation is a sound and viable
business financial plan that shows clearly how the business concepts and ideas can be turned
into financial gain. Tracking e-business success involves the integration of financial software
that will provide the business owner with an up-to-date method of collecting data on income
and expenditure, cash flow, financial assumptions, and break-even points based on changing
market forces and currency exchange, where international transactions are involved.
The graduate will require financial, economic, and technical skills in developing and
integrating financial software packages that enable online transactions to take place using
third party payment methods. Many of the financial and economics issues are closely related
to legal and global regulatory systems.
