BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

E-Commerce module introduces learners to E-commerce. The module begins with an outline of e-commerce principles from a business perspective. It provides an overview of business and technology topics that is, business models, virtual value chains and social innovation and marketing strategies. The module further explains the major issues associated with e-commerce that is, security, privacy, intellectual property rights, authentication, encryption, acceptable use policies, and legal liabilities.

Objectives
The Objectives of the module are:
– To outline the principles of E-Commerce from the business perspective
– To highlight the different business and technology topics in E-Commerce
– To explain the different business models relating to E-Commerce
– To give an overview of the virtue value chain and social innovation
– To give an overview of marketing strategies
– To explain the major issues associated with E-Commerce

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this module learners should be able to:

– To know and outline what the principles of E-Commerce are from a business perspective
– To know and apply the different business models in E-Commerce
– To know and apply the principles of virtue value chain and social innovation in E-Commerce
– To know and apply the different marketing strategies in E-Commerce business
– To know and highlight the major issues associated with E-Commerce

COURSE CONTENT

UNIT 1. Overview of Commerce

UNIT 2. E-market place

UNIT 3. Retailing in E-electronic commerce

UNIT 4. Consumer behaviour and market research, advertisement in e commerce

UNIT 5. Business-to-Business E-commerce

UNIT 6. Innovative e-commerce system

UNIT 7. Electronic payment system

UNIT 8. E-strategy and implementation

UNIT 9. Commerce related legal incidents

UNIT 10. Social Network and industry disruptors

ASSESMENT

PRESCRIBED READINGS:
2. Allan Afuah and Christopher L. Tucci, (2001) Internet Business Models and
Strategies, McGraw Hill-Irwin, 2001
3. Larry Downes and Chunka Mui (1998) Unleashing the Killer App , Digital
Strategies for Market Dominance, Harvard Business School Press
4. Philip Evans and Thomas S. Wurster (2000) Blown to Bits: How the New
Economics of Information Transforms Strategy, Harvard Business School
Press, 2000

RECOMMENDED READINGS:
2. David Kosiur (1997) Understanding Electronic Commerce: How Online
Transactions Can Grow Your Business, Microsoft Press.

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE
Public Sector Audits and Assurance module introduces learners to public sector audits and assurance. The module starts with explaining the principles of effective auditing and assurance in public sector, it explains the process of Npublic sector audits, explains what financial audits are, explains what performance audits are, explains what compliance audits, explains what IT audits are and ends with explaining what forensic audits are.

OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this module are:
– To explain the principles of effective auditing and assurance in public sector
– To explain the process of public sector audits
– To explain what financial audits are
– To explain what performance audits are
– To explain what compliance audits are
– To explain what IT audits are
– To explain what forensic audits are

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this module learners should be able to:
– Know and explain the principles of effective auditing and assurance in public sector
– Know and apply the knowledge on the process of public sector audits
– Know and describe what financial audits are
– Know and describe what performance audits are
– Know and describe what compliance audits are
– Know and describe what IT audits are
– Know and describe what forensic audits are

COURSE CONTENTS
Unit 1: Effective Auditing and Assurance in Public Sector
Unit 2: Public Sector Audits
Unit 3: Financial Audits
Unit 4: Performance Audits
Unit 5: Compliance Audit
Unit6: It Audits
Unit 7 Forensic Audits

ASSESMENT

PRESCRIBED READINGS:
Rowan Jones and Maurice Pendlebury. (2010) Public Sector Accounting.
Essex: Pearson Education Publishers
Anwar Shah (2005). Public Sector Governance and Accountability Series.
Fiscal Management. Washington DC: World Bank

RECOMMENDED READINGS:
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Malawi (2014). Public Sector
Accounting and Finance. Professional Level. Blantyre: ICAM
Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants. Professional Level. BPP Publishers

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE
Strategic Business Analysis module introduces learners to strategic business analysis. the module first explains the process of formulating a business strategy, it proceeds on to explain the concept of governance in business, describes risk and risk management, explains the choice of business strategy, explains the process of implementing a business strategy, explains the concept of ethical framework and ends with describing the choices and impact of strategic decisions.

OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this module are:
– To explain the process of formulating a business strategy
– To explain the concept of governance in business
– To describe risk and risk management in business
– To explain the choice of business strategy
– To explain the process of implementing a business strategy
– To explain the concept of ethical framework in business
– To describe the choices and impact of strategic decisions in business.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this module learners should be able to:
– Know and apply the knowledge in formulating a business strategy
– Know and apply the knowledge of governance in business
– Know and apply the knowledge on what risk is and risk management in business
– Know and apply the knowledge on choices of business strategy
– Know and apply the knowledge in the implementation of a business strategy
– Know and apply the ethical frameworks in business
– Know and apply the choices and impact of strategic decisions in business.

COURSE CONTENTS
Unit 1: Formulation of Business Strategy
Unit 2: Governance in Business
Unit 3: Risk and Risk Management
Unit 4: Choice of Business Strategy
Unit 5: Implementation of Business Strategy
Unit 6: Ethical Framework, Choices and Impact of Strategic Decisions
UNIT 7: Mobility and Location aware applications Privacy and Security

ASSESMENT

PRESCRIBED READINGS:
Bert Brijs (2013) Business Analysis for Business Intelligence. London: CRC Press
Emrah Yayici (2015) Business Analysis Methodology Book. Emrah Yayici

RECOMMENDED READINGS:
Gert H.N Laursen and Jesper Thorlund (2017) Business Analysis for Managers:
Taking Business Intelligence Beyond Reporting. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons
Thomas L. Wheelen and J. David Hunger (2012) Strategic Management and
Business Policy: Towards Global Sustainability. Boston: Pearson Education
Group
Eric Ries (2011). The Lean Start-ups: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous
Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses. New York: Eric Ries

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE
Research Project module introduces learners to research project undertaking. The module starts with explaining the process of preparing a research proposal and ends with describing how to conduct a research and writing a research report.

OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this module are:
– To explain the process of preparing a research proposal
– To describe the process of conducting a research
– To explain the process of writing a research report.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this module learners should be able to:
– Know and describe the process of preparing a research proposal
– Know and apply the knowledge on conducting a research
– Know and apply the knowledge on writing a research report.

COURSE CONTENTS
Unit 1: Preparing a Research Proposal
Unit 2: Conducting the Research
Unit 3: Writing a Research Report

PRESCRIBED READINGS:
Kate L. Turabian (2007). A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and
Dissertations. Chicago: University of Chicago Press
Ranjit Kumar (2011). RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: A Step-by-Step Guide for
Beginners. London: SAGE Publishing

RECOMMENDED READINGS:
Patricia Leavy (2017). Quantitative, Qualitative, Mixed Methods, Arts-Based,
and Community-Based Participatory Research Approaches. New York. The
Guilford Press

Assessment
Directed research report with 50 pages – 100%

Assessment Rationale
The report will give the student the opportunity to do a substantive quantity of
quality research and is designed to test awareness of the specific accounting
and business problems selected and the possible solutions and the
development of cognitive and transferable skills.