The module will address the impact on business practices and corporate information systems of mobile technology. It will examine a range of opportunities in the context of business value, and use appropriate methods and techniques to assess the contribution of mobile technology to the value mix. The student will receive the opportunity to develop or extend a linked mobile information system and database to develop a prototype application.
- Evaluation of the various strategic uses and opportunities of mobile information systems
- Critical appraisal of mobile applications development and adoption in the context of business needs
- Assessment of the return on investment, cost benefit, and implementation costs of a mobile information system
- Introduction to information architectures to support mobile applications in corporate environments
- Mobile database issues and support for business applications
- Critical awareness of extension of a corporate infrastructure application such as Oracle for implementation of a business-related mobile information solution
- Analysis of success factors in business implementations of mobile solutions
- Ethical, security and health and safety issues of mobile technology and business application

Coursework weighted at 100% assessing Learning Outcomes 1-4.
Assessment will be undertaken through a 3000 word written report and critical appraisal of an existing mobile information system solution. This may be undertaken by the student in their work environment. The student will be required to compare and contrast various strategic alternatives to the solution undertaken and to critically evaluate the implementation as a vehicle for the delivery of the problem.
Alternatively where access to an appropriate mobile system is not available, .a 3000 word written report may be undertaken, with similar criteria, but based on a case study information system.

Students will have attended an induction workshop where they will learn how to use the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) employed for the study of this module. Subsequently students will work through the module material provided on the VLE at a pace suggested within the VLE for the module. The material will include activities and review questions that allow students to assimilate the concepts and skills required by the module. Students will be encouraged to discuss relevant aspects within discussion forums that are part of the VLE. The forums will allow discussion with a students peer group as well as the module tutor.

Material on Blackboard.
Various on-line information sources including: IEE, BCS and IEEE journals; Source O2 developers - forum, Nokia forum, and TWUF
Staffordshire University has subscriptions to electronic book services such as Safari Tech Books, Ebrary and Netlibrary. There are titles in each of the collections that will support students studying mobile computing. Staffordshire University has subscriptions to IEEExplore, ACM Digital Library, Elsevier Science Direct and Infotrac Computer Daatabase all offering full text electronic access to journals and conference proceedings.

Mobile Commerce Applications, Nansi Shi (Editor), Idea Group Inc., 2004, ISBN: 1591401828

Mobile Commerce: Technology, Theory and Applications, Brian E. Mennecke (Editor), Troy J. Strader (Editor), Idea Group Inc., 2004, ISBN: 1931777829

Survival @ E-Speed: Transformation Guide for Profitable Internet and Mobile Business, Peter Morath, McGraw-Hill, 2001, ISBN: 0077098382

Mobile Business Strategies: Understanding the Technologies and Opportunities, Jouni Paavilainen, Addison Wesley Professional, 2002, ISBN: 0201788985

Mobile Commerce - Opportunities, Applications and Technologies of Wireless Business, Paul May, Cambridge University Press, 2001, ISBN: 052179756X

None.