Course Unit Title	KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY AND INFORMATION SOCIETY
Course Unit Code	BMAN 62052
Programme(s)	M.Sc./Diploma Science and Technology Policy and Management
Course Unit Co-ordinator	IAN MILES
Associated Staff	LAWRENCE GREEN
Credit Rating	15
Semester	Two
Level	Level 4 in National Framework (Masters level)
Methods of Delivery	10 sessions of 2.5 hours. Most sessions will feature two parts. (1) A lecture/discussion of 1.25 hour on a theme from one of the two strands of work (Knowledge Economy and Information Society); (2) groupwork, an exercise, or a structured discussion of 1.25 hour of specified readings and/or presentations by seminar members concerning a theme from the other strand of work of overviews of relevant topics.
Lecture Hours
Seminar Hours	25
Private Study	125
Total Study Hours	150
Aims	The course provides an introduction to academic, business and policy concepts and practices surrounding “ Knowledge Economy” and “Information Society”. It will examine the key elements of technological, social and economic change, and the strategies and policies that have arisen, in this context. It will thus be an explication of how we can examine relations between technological and socioeconomic change, as well as examining approaches to and management and policy issues concerning Information Technology, and related developments, in particular.
Learning Outcomes	(In relation to Subject Knowledge and Understanding) • Familiarity with the main academic literature relating to “Knowledge Economy “ and “Information Society”, and of the key concepts and disputes in this subject area. • Awareness of established and emerging themes relating to the application of Information Technology across the economy and society, and the lines of research into these themes that have been developed. • Awareness of wider policy and strategy issues facing firms, governments and social actors related to the “Knowledge Economy “ and “Information Society”, and the approaches being adopted by management and policymakers. (In relation to Cognitive Skills) • Ability to identify and assess indicators relevant to these themes, and develop outline research projects in the field. • Ability to locate relevant literature and data sources from libraries and the Web, and to use these effectively for seminar contributions and for the written essay. (In relation to Professional and Practical Skills) • Prepared an essay on one relevant theme, and made a presentation on a further topic within the seminar series (In relation to Transferable Skills) • Participated in group discussion and teamwork. • Developed presentational skills to report on a topic to the seminar group. The course should allow students to be sufficiently well-informed and skilled to undertake further research associated with the topics, for example in the context of a PhD degree.
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
Dependant Course Units	None
Syllabus	Introduction – Alternative Approaches to “Knowledge Economy “ and “Information Society”, Information Technology Revolution… Indicators of “Knowledge Economy “ and “Information Society”, IT development and diffusion… Information Systems: stages of development? IT Success – and failures… Paradigms, designs, and institutions. Services and the Information Society… Virtual communities. E-Business… Electronic Commerce 7. E-skills and IT Work... Organisational Structures Digital Content and New Media... Challenges of Convergence New markets and consumption patterns? … A world Knowledge Economy/Information Society? e-government …. Policy Dimensions
Reading List	Some of the more generic texts: A Duff, 2000, Information Society Studies London: Routledge J R Beniger, 1986, The Control Revolution Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press Manuel Castells 1997 The Network Society London: Blackwells Frank Webster 1995 Theories of the Information Society Routledge I Miles 2001, Services Innovation: A Reconfiguration of Innovation Studies, University of Manchester: PREST discussion paper DP01-05 (available online at PREST website) OECD (biannual) IT Outlook Paris, OECD (annual, available on OECD website) John Houghton (1999) 'Mapping Information Industries and Markets,' Telecommunications Policy, Vol 23(10-11) 1999, pp689-699.
Assessment Methods & Relative Weightings	This 15-credit course unit will be 50% assessed by means of one piece of written coursework (c 3,000 words) dealing with the various themes of the course unit, selected from a number of set questions, and preferably drawing on contributions to class discussions and group exercises. A further 50% of assessment will come from the examination.