Spring Semester 1997 : (3rd February 1997 to 4th April 1997). This module will start on 3rd February, and conclude on Friday 4th April when the assignment is due.
This short course has been adapted from a Part Time MA degree in I.T. Management. It consists of 4 units and requires at least 5 hours study time per unit. Some of this time will be spent on-line communicating with course participants and tutors, finding resources on the Web etc. Other time will be spent reading and preparing course assignments off-line.
University of Sheffield UK, Division of Adult Continuing Education.
As business and society are becoming more global through telecommunications, it is essential for companies to define their attitude and place in the context of this development. At present, many organisations do not make full use of the potential of communications technology, whereas others are busy creating and using their competitive advantage in this field. This short course will review some of the advances in various communications systems relevant to enterprise and other types of organisations, in order to help course members to gain knowledge and experience in this innovative and extremely dynamic sphere of activity, to be able to make well-considered choices and recommendations.
This short course aims to give an overview into the rapid developments in the use of telecommunications and telematics in organisations and to allow course members to project future development, as well as the means for sound orientation for themselves and their organisations in this new world.
On completion of the course students should be able to:-
This unit will explore the issue of how and why organisations use telematics. One aspect will cover statistics and trends of using different forms and services by enterprises and organisations today (comparative for different countries). It will also cover the main uses, such as intra-organisational and inter-organisational communication and coordination, communication with clients and partners, telebanking, electronic publishing / advertising, research / databases, and training and education, the management of inner-organisational information processes, as well as new professions and competencies, i.e. the requirement for continuous adaptation and training.
The information/telematics revolution will inevitably have a significant effect on company structure and the requirements for management. This unit will explore options for various types of business. It aims at helping to find criteria and strategies for introducing telematics into the work of an organisation and starting and maintaining a telematics based business.
The security of data transmitted through the whole world is a crucial question in the further development of global telecommunications networks, as much from the point of view of the individual as of organisations. This is particularly true for the issue of protecting financial data, such as the use of credit card numbers. Developments towards "virtual money", will not be acceptable to anyone, if there is no guarantee of full protection or the customers.
In modern working life companies require more flexibility from employees. This means individuals have a less fixed role in the organisation. Teleworking is one option which allows cost savings, whilst giving that flexibility. This unit will investigate qualified and unqualified telework, problems of managing telework (for the workers and for the organisation), problems of defending interests of teleworkers, and present some positive models for telework.
Participants on this course will be required to produce a written assignment which explains how the various aspects of telematics impact on an organisation. It is assumed that course participants will communicate with one another in a ìlearning communityî, although each should prepare their own work for submission.
Assessment :
This course will be assessed by the course tutor. A certificate of course participation will be given on completion of the course.
Participants collaborate on their learning throughout the module, and work in a learning set of about 10 plus a tutor. The tutor will work as part of this community and be available on-line throughout the semester.
Steffi Engert/Maggie McPherson (currently tutors on the ITM Course at Sheffield University, UK).
Core reading material will be distributed to each participant. Other learning resources will be referred to in the course materials.
No fees applicable for MECPOL partner students. (Should any face-to-face meetings be held in Sheffield, travel and accommodation costs, etc. will have to be met by course participants).
Participants are expected to take part in on-line discussions with tutors and other group members throughout the Semester.
Before starting this course, participants will need to have a basic knowledge of study techniques, as considerable self management is required of participants on this course.
A good command of English is required. Much of the work on the course will require on-line discussion and group work.
Each unit will provide a full bibliography, but all course participants should acquire their own copy of the following publication:
Ellsworth, J. H. and Ellsworth, M. V (1994) The
Internet Business Book
John Wiley & Sons, New York/Brisbane/Toronto/Chichester/Singapore
ISBN 0-471-05809-2
Maggie McPherson