AD648 - Ecommerce
Fall 2024
Course Description
The course provides a detailed examination of the history of e-commerce, along with important concepts related to the ways that businesses can successfully use Internet and Web technology. Students are introduced to the concepts and problems associated with electronic commerce. Topics include comparison of e-commerce procedures, payment mechanisms, applications in different industry sectors, security, the challenges of starting and maintaining an electronic business site, as well as a comparison with traditional business practices. The development of a website is a feature of the class. We will use WordPress in this course.
Course Materials
TEXT
Laudon & Traver. E-Commerce: business.technology.society. 16th Edition, 2021. ISBN-9780136931768. (Previous editions of the book are also okay -- I will say more about this during our first-class session).
COURSE POLICIES:
1. Course Grading:
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Attendance Participation (A&P) & Class Discussion
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15%
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Weekly
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INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENTS
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25%
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Individual Assignment #1
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Due: 09/15/24
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Individual Assignment #2
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Due: 09/29/24
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Individual Assignment #3
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Due: 10/20/24
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Individual Assignment #4
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Due: 11/17/24
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CLASS QUIZ
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40%
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Quiz #1
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Due: 09/18/24
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Quiz #2
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Due: 10/16/24
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Quiz #3
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Due: 10/30/24
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Quiz #4
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Due: 11/20/24
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TEAM PROJECT
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15%
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Due: 12/04/24
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TEAM PRESENTATION
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5%
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Due: 12/04/24
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Total
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100%
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1. Attendance & Participation
A & P is the only subjective component of your grade. It is in many ways a measure of your overall professionalism and your attitude. Students who consistently attend class on time, participate in discussions, and show respect towards their fellow classmates tend to score well in this area. Students who are consistently late or absent, excessively use personal devices (i.e. laptops, tablets, smartphones), and/or belittle the contributions of others tend not to do as well. If you are curious as to your A&P score at any point in the semester, I can update you.
2. Testing/Quiz
Students are required to take examinations on the day and time they are scheduled. If special circumstances require a modification to the test schedule, arrangements must be made with the instructor in advance, or the student will need to present a valid excuse from the University. If a student misses an exam, and is entitled to make it up, it is the student’s obligation to contact the instructor to make the necessary arrangements.
3. Assignments:
All assignments will be posted to Blackboard, and all responses should be submitted through Blackboard. Late homework assignments will not be accepted without approval from the instructor.
4. Handicapped or Disabled Students:
All students who have been officially accepted by the university as a student with a disability should present the official documents indicating the special accommodation they require to their instructor.
5. Ethics/Academics Honor Code:
All students should carefully read and understand the code and policies available in the University Student Handbook. Any violation of the code and policies may be presented to the University Academic Handbook Honesty Committee.
I encourage you to collaborate on ANY assignment (other than the midterm and final, however). If/when you work with another student, be sure to clearly state this on your assignment, as cheating and/or plagiarism will not be tolerated in any Metropolitan College course. They will result in no credit for the assignment and may lead to disciplinary actions.
APPENDIX: Titans of Tech
Assignment:
Working with a team of 3-5 students, you will take an in-depth look at a particular company’s omni-channel retail strategy -- in other words, you will analyze the way that the company integrates its online and offline operations to maximize revenue and customer satisfaction. You might wish to study Amazon, Suning, Target, Starbucks, Jingdong, Walmart, Macy’s, or another company of your choice. Companies will be reserved by teams on a first-come, first-served basis. The next-to-last class meeting will consist solely of team presentations. I will post more assignment details and a rubric to Blackboard early in the semester.
APPENDIX: WordPress Assignment
The purpose of this assignment is to introduce you to website creation in a hands-on way. You will set up a free website via wordpress.com for an imaginary business.
Assignments will be posted from week to week and will be accessible via the class Blackboard site.
The WordPress project is designed to be a zero-stress assignment. You will NOT be graded on the “business quality” of your online site content, but solely on the effort you will show by completing the assignments. For more advanced exposure to website design, consider taking other courses in the department that focus on this skill.
Satisfaction of Department-Wide Goals
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Goals
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Category
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Compliance
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1
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Critical and innovative thinking
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Some
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With the help of the assignments and individual exercises, students are expected to apply critical thinking to the concepts surrounding e-commerce innovation.
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2
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International perspective
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Some
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The examples discussed in some e-commerce modules are applicable to both national and international organizations.
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3
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Communication skills
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Substantial
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Students are expected to participate in class discussions and other practical class exercises.
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4
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Decision making
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Some
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At several points in the course, students will be challenged to solve problems as seen through the eyes of major e-commerce decisionmakers.
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5
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Technical tools & techniques
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Some
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Students will gain some exposure to WordPress and to HTML source code; however, this is not a major component of the course, and no technical knowledge or experience is required.
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6
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Research skills & scholarship
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Substantial
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The course asks students to complete several assignments. In each assignment, students are asked to express original thoughts and ideas, using factual information obtained from the textbook or online sources.
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7
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Professional ethics & standards
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Substantial
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The importance of professional ethics and standards emphasized throughout the weekly discussions.
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8
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Creative & effective leaders
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Substantial
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Understanding the development of e-commerce and its importance in the daily lives of consumers is critical to business leadership in the 21st century.
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