Report should have a bibliography and reference section in a recognised academic style (e.g. Harvard referencing). List all sources, including ideas and suggestions taken from others. All words, diagrams, etc. taken from another source must be properly marked in the text and listed in the references. See the DMU library site for further guidance.
What to submit
Both finish 500 and 2500 words separately
Research question and Methodology
• Hand in maximum of three A4 pages – hard copy to Advice Centre, electronic copy via Turnitin. 500words
Management report
• Hand in maximum of 2500 word report (in the case of a practical realisation, such as a system design, the expectation word count will be significantly less than this) – hard copy to Advice Centre, electronic copy via Turnitin.
Blank grading sheet – hard copy via the Advice Centre marked clearly with your name.
If you have a valid reason for late submission, apply to me before the deadline. Appropriate 3rd party written evidence must be provided in support of all such requests.
Detailed specification of work
1. An original question about e-business that would be worth further research (20% of total).
• This section is concerned only with defining the problem/.question.
• Include a short paragraph that explains why it is interesting and a page of plan / research method that shows how your question could be answered.
• Your idea can be interesting for its own sake – pure research. Or it might be useful to a specified organisation – applied research.
2. A report to a senior manager of a real organisation on one of the following (80% of total). Or propose a topic of your own, this may include undertaking a full research study in your original question in 1 above – but get my approval for it before you start work. Clearly identify which option you are answering.
Outline Marking Scheme
To help you pick a topic suitable for the coursework, first, consider choosing a scenario type from the options below:
a. Analysis and critical evaluation of current e-business strategy and activities. (There must already be some significant e-business activity.)
• You decide how to carry out the appraisal, using your own selection or those techniques taught on the module.
b. Proposal and justification for a systems architecture to support e-business. (The organisation must have little or no significant e-business activity now).
• Summarise the applications that are needed.
• Outline their interfaces with each other, and any necessary standards.
• Explain how the applications differ from current systems.
• Identify the benefits and how they will be measured.
c. A migration plan to develop e-business capability from scratch. (The organisation must have little or no significant e-business activity now.)
• Identify impacts on the organisation and changes to infrastructure.
• Identify major benefits, with suggestions for how to measure them.
• Identify major risks, with strategies to avoid or minimise them.
d. High level design for a completely new e-business application. (Must be relevant to the needs of the organisation and not closely based on any existing system.)
• Explain the need and justify the design decisions in a brief report.
• Design to include systems architecture, functional requirements, technical interface requirements, data storage requirements and sample user interfaces.
• May consist mainly of diagrams and models.
e. Proposal and justification for an e-business strategy. (The organisation must have little or no significant e-business activity now.)
• Outline the strategy and summarise the main changes expected in the organisation.
• Implementation plan should show how the changes will be achieved.
• Identify the benefits and explain how they can be measured.
Once you have made your choice of topic type, progress to the report, which will contain the following two sections, addressing the specified components in the marking scheme.
1. Research questions will be marked mainly for:-
• Originality and interest of the question.
• Feasibility of the outline plan / research methodology.
2. The research or management report will be marked for its:-
• Factual basis.
• Overall coherence.
• Analytical depth, logical argument, critical questioning of others (including published sources).
• Originality of thought, synthesis, new ideas and insights.
More detailed marking criteria are shown on the grading/feedback sheet (see next page).
Original Question – Example topic Brexit and E commerce. To what extent is Brexit likely to impact on the legal and or security e commerce aspects for SME businesses.
