ITMA 551: IT Strategies for a Networked Economy This course links Strategic Information Systems to Networked Organisations. Strategic Information Systems are a form of information management that facilitates the formation and realisation of business strategy. Students interpret and use information in strategic planning and develop and integrate information systems within complex and dynamic organizations in a context in which networking is changing the way that organisations operate, from internal networks and groupwork through inter-organisational systems and telework, to electronic commerce and electronic markets. The course provides a basic understanding of the major network technologies and methods, including Local Area Network (LANs), Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), proprietary networks, the Internet and the World Wide Web. However, the wide ranging impact of information management issues on the overall strategy of an organisation, or one of its component parts, forms the bulk of this course, drawing on the role of decision making and risk analysis in the formation of strategy. Particularly, the role of IT in informing business strategy is explored and contrasted with the view of IT as a responsive resource to be used only in the implementation of strategy. (Prerequisite ITMA 321)