Page 81 - Business Studies 11-12 (2006)

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THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12: BUSINESS STUDIES
The Electronic Business Environment
Overall Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
• assess workplace settings from an information and communication technology perspective;
• analyse the impact of information and communication technology on the business environment;
• assess the importance of adhering to ethical standards when conducting business electronically.
Specific Expectations
The Digital Workplace
By the end of this course, students will:
– compare a variety of workplace settings (e.g., home office, small business, large corporation) in terms of their information and communication technology needs;
– describe the software (e.g., Internet con- ferencing software, personal information management software) and hardware (e.g., mobile computing devices) used in a variety of workplace settings;
– analyse the ways in which workplace settings have changed as a result of recent developments in information and commu- nication technology;
– explain terminology related to computer networks (e.g., configuration, topology, network);
– describe a variety of network topologies (e.g., star, ring, bus, tree);
– analyse appropriate equipment arrange- ments and layouts for specific business situations.
The Impact of Information and Communication Technology
By the end of this course, students will:
– identify different types of businesses
(e.g., e-commerce, data warehouse, web host) that have evolved as a result of infor- mation and communication technology developments;
– describe the positive and negative effects of information and communication tech- nology on businesses and working condi- tions (e.g., more efficient communication, ease of information sharing/retrieval, job loss/reassignment, technical difficulties);
– identify the technological challenges of doing business globally (e.g., in connec- tion with payment, language differences, cultural differences, time zones).
Business Ethics
By the end of this course, students will:
– analyse the impact of information and communication technology on a business code of ethics;
– explain the importance of observing ethi- cal standards when conducting business electronically;
– assess the consequences of unethical behaviour related to information and communication technology for an employee and for a business.