Prerequisite Modules
Description
This module provides a broader
perspective of the domain of the IS professional and introduces
management, ethical, social, legal, and organisational issues. The
module provides the students with the core knowledge to complement
their practitioner experience to enable them to contribute as IS
professionals in the modern workplace.
Aims
The aim of this module is to clarify
the context of the IS Professional's domain.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this
module, the student will be able to:
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Explain the structure and role of
Professional Institutions and codes of conduct and practice
appropriate to IS professionals
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Compare and contrast the nature
and legal standing of a range of organisations
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Discuss the range of functions
that exist in an organisation, the need for organisational structure
and the characteristics of various types of structure
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Discuss ethical issues that impact
the IS professional
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Discuss the principal legislation
that applies to the systems profession and recognise situations to
which it is relevant
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Explain interdisciplinary issues
that impact the IS professional's domain.
Learning and Teaching Methods
Lectures, self-study, labs,
tutorials, and any combination of discussion, case study,
problem-solving exercises, readings, seminars, and computer-based
learning.
Content
Professional Institutions
The role of professional
institutions and their characteristics: established by Charter,
self-governing, controlling entry to the profession and maintaining
discipline; reservation of title and reservation of function. Some
familiarity with the best-known professional institutions (law,
medicine, engineering, computing and accounting).
Professional codes of ethics
Professional codes of Conduct and
Practice. Their strengths and weaknesses. Ethics in Information
Systems. Duty of care. Standard of accountability for IS
professiionals (e.g., Sarbanes-Oxley Act 2002). Care for public
safety. continuing professional development. Consultancy.
Organisations and their Structure
Limited companies, Partnership and
sole trader and the roles of directors and members; the advantages of
limited company status for commercial organisations. The concept of
delegation and specialisation. Management structures: structure by
function, by product, and by region.
Professionals in the organisation,
Theory of needs (Maslow, McClelland), Belbin's team roles.
Legal Acts that impact the IS
professional
Defamation Act, 1961; Data
Protection Act, 1988; EU Council Directive on Display Screen
Equipment, 1990; Criminal Damage Act, 1991; Patents Act, 1992;
Trademarks Act, 1996; Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997;
Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998; Intellectual Property
Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1998; Employment Equality Act, 1998;
Health and Safety Act, 1998; Copyright and Related Rights Act, 2000;
Electronic Commerce Act, 2000; Data Protection (Amendment) Act, 2003;
Human Rights Act, 2003.
The Irish Statute Book - Office of
Attorney General.
Data Protection in the
Telecommunications Sector (Data Protection and Privacy Regulations,
2003)
Relevant provisions (i.e. those relating to liability) of these Acts.
EC Directives on systems. The nature of contracts. Escrow.
Intellectual Property
The concept of intellectual
property; software, documentation and designs as intellectual
property. Intellectual property ownership. The mechanisms available to
protect intellectual property. International Copyright, Relevant Acts
that relate to the protection of intellectual property.
Standards
International and de facto
standards. The role of professional institutions in defining
standards.
Assessment
The methods of assessment to be used
to measure the learning objectives stated above are written
examination and continuous assessment including one or more of
assignment, essay, problem-solving exercise, oral presentation, and
class or lab tests.
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Continuous Assessment: 30%
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Examination: 70%
Recommended
Reading
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Bott, F. (2005) Professional
Issues in Information Technology, British Computer Society,
Wiltshire, UK
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Bott F. et al, Professional Issues
in Software Engineering, (Latest Ed.), UCL Press, ISBN 1-85728-450-X
PB.
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Holt, J., and Newton, J., (2004) A
Manager's Guide to IT Law, British Computer Society, Wiltshire, UK
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Myers C. (Ed), Professional
Awareness in Software Engineering, McGraw-Hill, 1995, ISBN
0-07-707837-3
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Myers C., Hall T. and Pitt D., (Eds),
The Responsible Software Engineer: Selected Readings in IT
Professionalism, Springer, 1997, ISBN 3-540-76041-5.
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BCS Code of Conduct and Code of
Practice.
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Software Engineering Code of
Ethics produced by the Joint Task Force of the IEEE Computer Society
and the ACM at
http://www.computer.org/tab/seprof/code.htm
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Anderson R. E., et al, Using the
New ACM Code of Ethics in Decision Making. Comm ACM,36 (2) pp
98-107. February, 1993[PARA]Benn P., Ethics, UCL Press, 1998, ISBN
1-85728-453-4.
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The Irish Statute Book - Office of
Attorney General
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/
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For more information contact
Ciarán O'Leary
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