eCommerce Management

• Hours: 1
• Credits: 0
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: No cost.

Welcome to the world of eCommerce! This course introduces the current and future trends and impacts of eCommerce practice viewed through the lens of varying eCommerce models and organizational sizes. Students will explore various job types as well as the purpose and responsibilities of different teams within an eCommerce organization. In addition, they will conduct case study analyses of eCommerce businesses to identify target markets, personas, and business objectives with the goal of assessing an organization's business strategy. This course will introduce students to the eCommerce Management program's capstone project, and students will apply the principles of SMART goal setting to set academic goals for the development of their own eCommerce business project.

• Hours: 56
• Credits: 4
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: No cost.

Analytics refers to the ways in which organizations use data to gain insights that lead to fact-based management that drive decisions and actions. ECommerce businesses are faced with data that has high volume, variety, and velocity and the interpretation of this data is an essential skill. The three major areas of business analytics explored in this course are reporting, visualization and prediction, all of which are key to sound business decisions under uncertainty. Students will then utilize current analytics technologies to create reports, scorecards, and dashboards through guided exercises and case studies involving eCommerce companies. In addition to analytics, students will learn to structure data in a way that supports successful consumer search and navigation functions. Students will develop actionable insights and recommendations based on the analysis of the summarized data.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.

The goal of this course is to familiarize students with the discipline of supply chain management (SCM), which enables eCommerce businesses to better coordinate inbound and outbound information and material flow. In addition, supply chain management impacts customer service activities relevant to logistics, operations and marketing processes. Students will discuss and evaluate the relationship between profitability, supplier management, customer service, quality, and productivity. In addition, students will compare the types of transportation modes and intermediaries used in the different eCommerce models. In order to assess all aspects of the supply chain related to eCommerce, students will also evaluate product sourcing, return strategies, and the impact of technology on supply chain performance.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.

Throughout this course, students will identify, analyze and assess various platforms and site tools used in eCommerce practice. Students will be introduced to user experience design (UX) and user interface design (UI) and will use these concepts to analyze the platform design decisions of existing eCommerce businesses. The Request for Proposal (RFP) document will be highlighted throughout this course as it is essential to design and strategy decisions related to platform and tool selection. Students will identify the purpose, function and requirements to successfully create an RFP. In addition, students will assess the impact and importance of effective search engine optimization (SEO) and various content management systems (CMS) on the success of eCommerce businesses. Students will learn to use structured data in a way that supports successful consumer search and navigation functions. Using the knowledge developed throughout this course, students will evaluate platforms and tools that can be integrated into their own eCommerce business project.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: No cost.

Sustainable business practice is essential to any organization's operations and planning. This course will introduce students to sustainability theories, concepts and practices, which students will then apply to decisions around eCommerce practice, including sourcing, shipping, packaging and returns. Students will also explore a business's digital footprint and the importance of digital asset management. This course will take a solutions-focused approach to sustainability as students will assess potential opportunities, tools and technologies that support sustainability as well as develop KPIs, objectives and a sustainability action plan for an eCommerce case study.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.

Project management is vital to the realization of an organization's business objectives. In this course, students will be introduced to the practice of project management and will assess the importance of project planning for eCommerce. Students will evaluate productivity and project management tools to determine their uses for eCommerce projects. One essential purpose for project management in the discipline of eCommerce is to plan for the implementation of new platforms and new features. Students will develop and practice teamwork and time management skills to outline a project management plan and timeline for the implementation of a new feature for an existing eCommerce platform.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.

Throughout this course, students will deepen their understanding of how businesses incorporate eCommerce operations into their organizational practice. Often, eCommerce practice requires change management, and those involved in the process must employ effective stakeholder communication that is appropriate to context, audience and an organization's strategic goals. This exploration of organizational practice will also include an analysis of how an eCommerce business allocates costs and profits. Students will also explore the behaviour of an eCommerce organization by identifying the components of an organizational framework and the importance of structure and culture in achieving business objectives. Students will develop elements of their final eCommerce business project related to organizational behaviour and practice, including an environmental scan of competitors, SMART goals for organizational strategy and practice, a business proposal, and a formal pitch of their idea. The business proposal and pitch will identify the need for the business, an appropriate budget, and a plan for implementation.

• Hours: 56
• Credits: 4
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.