The course covers the following topics:

• Introduction to electronic business
• E-commerce business models, with emphasis on B2C e-commerce
• E-commerce technology infrastructure
• Mobile commerce
• Social media sites and e-business
• Design and development of e-commerce applications
• Digital marketing strategy and techniques
• E-commerce security issues
• Development of e-commerce using web technologies and current content management systems (CMS) tools

The purpose of this course is to analyse and explain basic concepts and topics relating to e-business, focusing on B2C e-commerce. The course describes and examines different types and categories of e-commerce and analyses the necessary technological infrastructure. The effects of social media on business are considered and basic principles of digital marketing are presented. Finally, major security threats and ways in which these can be countered are outlined.

On successful completion of the course students will be able to:

• understand the difference between e-commerce and e-business;
• recognize and describe B2C e-commerce business models;
• analyse issues relating to the technology infrastructure of e-commerce applications;
• analyse key issues relating to mobile commerce;
• understand the differences between Web and Web 2.0 applications (social media);
• be aware of the effects of social media on businesses;
• understand core concepts relating to the formulation of digital marketing strategy;
• grasp and outline security problems and ways to mitigate them; and
• develop applications.