BUSINESS 320: E-COMMERCE MANAGEMENT, Spring 2008

Professor Denny Garvis 

                  540-458-8069 (office)

Room 113, Williams School 

                                                garvisd

           @wlu.edu

Office Hours:  9:00 am to Noon MTWThF; other times by appointment

 home.wlu.edu/~garvisd

TEXT
COURSE DESCRIPTION
OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE
GRADING

PARTICIPATION
CASE ANALYSIS
GROUP PROJECT
FINAL PAPER

COURSE AND TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
SCHEDULE
 

TEXT:        1) Managing the Digital Enterprise
                    2) Readings from Course Schedule
                    3) Electronic Materials from Leyburn Library
                    4) Cases not otherwise linked  

COURSE DESCRIPTION: The approach for this E-Commerce course is managerial, rather than technical.  Emphasis is placed on thinking about how the Internet allows managers and companies to do things differently than what has been done in the past. Overall, we will examine several key managerial components of E-Commerce and related technologies. We will look at Internet history and infrastructure, and investigate how the Internet fosters entrepreneurial innovation and change. We will examine how companies are using the Internet to develop new business models and to compete. Finally, we will study how the Internet creates new managerial challenges in the areas of  privacy and intellectual property. Overall, we address these issues by applying the Living Case approach.

Intended goals of the course are to begin thinking systematically and logically, weighing alternative ideas objectively, and being introduced to a rapidly changing knowledge base. Analyses of current writings and cases will be used extensively for both classroom discussion and written work.

OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE:

  • To identify E-Commerce concepts
  • To create solutions to business problems with Internet applications
  • To develop skills in the discussion and written analysis of business issues




GRADING:

PARTICIPATION (25%)

You must truly earn these points, so come to class prepared to contribute to the discussion. In addition to the day's assignment, try to read sources such as Wired, Tech Crunch Blog, Fast Company, Slashdot, or The New York Times Technology Section.  Broadly scanning these sources is a habit worth cultivating. Please share related articles ; relevant and unique articles will be shared with other students. 

Your participation grade will be based on my evaluation of your active involvement in class discussions of readings and cases.   

CASE ANALYSIS (25%)

Individuals are responsible for a written case analysis of either Facebook or Linked In. The analyses will be graded on the basis of writing skill as well as content.  This assignment shall consist of between three and five typed, double-spaced pages (not counting attachments), is due at the beginning of class on May 7.  Since we will typically discuss write-ups in class on the due date, late papers are not accepted.  Cite references if you use sources other than the text.

GROUP PROJECT (15%)

There will be a group project focusing on Lending Tree, an e-commerce company. Grading of this assignment is based on comprehension and application of the course materials. Additional details regarding this assignment will be distributed later in the term. The project will be due May 19. 

INDIVIDUAL PAPER (35%)

Individuals are responsible for one written thorough and comprehensive case analysis at the end of the term. The analyses will be graded on the basis of writing skill as well as content.  This assignment, consisting of not less than fifteen typed, double-spaced pages (not counting attachments), is due no later than 5:00 pm on Friday, May 30.  Cite all references in a simple bibliography. It is acceptable to discuss with me the content of your reports prior to completing the work, but I will not review drafts.

This analysis will focus on a company involved in digital television or movies. The initial suggested list of companies includes: In2TV, ZML.com, NetFlix, Hulu, Joost. Other services or companies in this field can be selected after checking with me. Additional details regarding this assignment will be distributed later in the term.  

  Course and Teaching Philosophy

It's important to realize up front that this is a high workload course that requires a significant commitment. The overall objective for the course is for all of us to learn a lot by working really hard and having fun. Several additional points require discussion.

  • I try to emphasize discussion and dialogue, rather than lecture and monologue, as we explore topic in E-Commerce. Thus, questions are an integral part of this class. I ask many, many questions during class; you are expected to ask questions as well. Questions are the starting point of discovery, thought, and insight. If I do not have time to get to all questions during every one of our class sessions, we can continue our conversation outside class.  Overall, I am very interested in your development of these kinds of analytical skills.
  • Disagreement in the discussion of readings and cases encouraged. If we don't have spirited disagreement, we probably don't understand the problem. I hope you will feel that you can disagree with fellow students on crucial questions in a case. And I hope you will feel free to disagree with me.
  • Thoughtfulness in the application of the concepts of E-Commerce is more important than figuring out what you think I want to hear. I'm interested in what you think about the ideas that are presented; I'm not interested in you parroting back to me what I think. Develop your own thoughts. Develop your own ability to think. This is especially important in a field that is developing and changing as rapidly as E-Commerce.
  • Hard work, challenge, and preparation are necessary for substantial learning. You are responsible for completing the readings before each class session for which there are readings and cases. I have very high standards and expectations for your commitment to the class and daily preparation. I believe a good teacher should challenge his or her students to the fullest, and this course is largely a reflection of that belief.  
  • Some of the best learning from this course occurs outside the classroom. I cannot possibly replicate the collective experience and wisdom of all my students. Listen to each other. Challenge each other. Share your experience with the class. Interact directly with your classmates; don't feel that you need to direct your comments solely to me.
  • Constant improvement and innovation are central to teaching excellence.  This course is not static. I look for various forms of feedback from you so that I can continually develop, improve, and redesign the course. I'm always open to ideas and criticism; constructive ideas will make the course better.  During the term, I will try some experiments, which are essential for learning and innovation. Some of these will work: others may not. But without experimentation (and a few failures), we cannot make breakthroughs in course quality.
  • I fully support the Honor System and I expect you to do the same while you are a student in my classroom. Thus, all graded work is to be submitted consistent with the Honor System.


Some Notes on Class Discussion

COME PREPARED!

Budget adequate time for the preparation of readings and cases. Most of the readings and cases are comprehensive, covering many areas and issues. Hence, they require a significant amount of work to address all of the critical issues. The Learning Objectives for each Reading assignment from Managing the Digital Enterprise website are explicit.  They represent starting points for our discussions of concepts.  Similarly, Case Assignments have discussion questions which represent starting points for applications of the concepts.  In doing Case Analysis, you should also identify core business issues and develop alternative courses of action ready to present and discuss. Past students have found it to be a very good idea to come to class with a thoughtful, crisp summary of answers to these questions.

I will "cold call" in this class. I do this to keep the discussion alive and to give everyone (not just the outspoken students) a fair chance to demonstrate the quality of their thinking and to share their insights with the class. Having been called on one day is no guarantee that you will not be called on the next. This should be a very good environment for testing your ideas and thoughts and for taking some risks. It will be similar in nature to attending and participating in meetings when you begin working. It is not my intention to humiliate or embarrass anyone. If you are well prepared, you have absolutely nothing to worry about--just relax and say exactly what, based on your preparation, you really think should be done, how you would do it and why. In the management of companies, there are often several "correct" and "incorrect" answers.  There are usually several correct responses (as well as several incorrect answers) in any given case. The quality of your argument is what counts. 

Wide participation is better than dominance by a few. I believe that everyone learns more with wide participation. It is not constructive to degenerate into a mode where 15% of the people take 85% of the airtime. If you're a quiet student, please keep in mind that you have a lot to contribute to the entire process. If you worry that what you have to say is "not worth taking class time with," silence the worry and speak out. Can it be any less valuable than having the discussion dominated by the same few people over and over? My observation has been that quiet students make some of the most insightful comments. Furthermore, psychological research has shown that people learn more when they are active participants in the process. Thus, not only will your classmates learn more, so will you. If, at the end of the day, you did not have the opportunity to make your point, contact me (e-mail, phone) to discuss your thoughts and make your contribution.