Additional Information
Book Details
Abstract
Relevant to all sizes of organisations, this book addresses the social, legal, financial, organisational and ethical issues faced by IT professionals. It is designed to accompany the BCS HEQ ‘Diploma in IT’ core module: Professional Issues in Information Systems Practice. This new edition takes into account the social and legal implications of the substantial changes to legislation and technology over recent years, for example cloud computing, the Digital Economy Act and the Equality Act.
Few books provide such a comprehensive treatment of professionalism in IT. Not only is there thorough coverage of professional issues, but these are set in a business context and wonderfully illustrated by numerous case studies. This book should be read […] by everyone working in the industry.
Professor Richard Millar
Frank Bott was Head of the Computer Science Department at Aberystwyth University in Wales, and now lectures there part-time. Before that he was a visiting professor at the University of Missouri and worked in the software industry. He has published extensively on software engineering and professional issues in IT.
This is an essential read for IT professionals needing to know the latest legislation and technological advances. It is well written, providing extensive information with clear examples.
Elizabeth Hull
To be effective at a senior level, IT professionals need not only appropriate technical skills and experience, but also a broad understanding of the context in which they operate. Relevant to both small and large companies, this book addresses the social, legal, financial, organisational and ethical issues faced by IT professionals such as intellectual property rights in software, computer misuse, codes of conduct, starting a company and internet law. It is designed to accompany the BCS HEQ ‘Diploma in IT’ core module: Professional Issues in Information Systems Practice. This new edition takes into account the social and legal implications of the substantial changes to legislation and technology over recent years, for example cloud computing, the Digital Economy Act and the Equality Act.
Table of Contents
| Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cover | Cover | ||
| Copyright | iv | ||
| CONTENTS | v | ||
| LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES | ix | ||
| AUTHOR | x | ||
| ACKNOWLEDGMENTS | xi | ||
| ABBREVIATIONS | xii | ||
| USEFUL WEBSITES | xiv | ||
| PREFACE | xviii | ||
| 1 LAW AND GOVERNMENT | 1 | ||
| 1.1 WHAT IS THE LAW? | 1 | ||
| 1.2 CRIMINAL LAW AND CIVIL LAW | 2 | ||
| 1.3 WHERE DOES THE LAW COME FROM? | 3 | ||
| 1.4 THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IN THE UK | 3 | ||
| 1.5 THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IN OTHER COUNTRIES | 5 | ||
| 1.6 THE LAW ACROSS BORDERS | 6 | ||
| FURTHER READING | 7 | ||
| 2 THE COMPUTING PROFESSION | 8 | ||
| 2.1 THE CONCEPT OF A PROFESSION | 8 | ||
| 2.2 ROYAL CHARTERS | 9 | ||
| 2.3 PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT | 10 | ||
| 2.4 EDUCATION | 13 | ||
| 2.5 THE ADVANCEMENT OF KNOWLEDGE | 15 | ||
| 2.6 CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | 15 | ||
| 2.7 REPRESENTING THE PROFESSION | 17 | ||
| 2.8 MEMBERSHIP GRADES | 17 | ||
| 2.9 RESERVATION OF TITLE AND FUNCTION | 18 | ||
| 3 WHAT IS AN ORGANISATION? | 21 | ||
| 3.1 THE ROLE OF ORGANISATIONS | 21 | ||
| 3.2 COMMERCIAL ORGANISATIONS | 21 | ||
| 3.3 LIMITED COMPANIES | 23 | ||
| 3.4 SETTING UP A COMPANY | 24 | ||
| 3.5 THE CONSTITUTION OF A LIMITED COMPANY | 25 | ||
| 3.6 DIRECTORS | 25 | ||
| 3.7 TAKEOVERS, MERGERS AND OUTSOURCING | 27 | ||
| 3.8 NON-COMMERCIAL BODIES | 31 | ||
| FURTHER READING | 34 | ||
| 4 STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT OF ORGANISATIONS | 35 | ||
| 4.1 ORGANISATIONAL MODELS | 35 | ||
| 4.2 STRUCTURING PRINCIPLES | 37 | ||
| 4.3 DEPTH OF STRUCTURE | 42 | ||
| 4.4 CENTRALISATION | 43 | ||
| 4.5 SETTING UP A STRUCTURE IN PRACTICE | 43 | ||
| 4.6 JOB DESIGN | 44 | ||
| FURTHER READING | 46 | ||
| 5 FINANCING A START-UP COMPANY | 48 | ||
| 5.1 WHY CAPITAL IS NEEDED | 48 | ||
| 5.2 THE BUSINESS PLAN | 49 | ||
| 5.3 SOURCES OF FINANCE | 50 | ||
| 5.4 GEARING | 53 | ||
| FURTHER READING | 53 | ||
| 6 FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING | 55 | ||
| 6.1 DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS | 55 | ||
| 6.2 THE BALANCE SHEET | 55 | ||
| 6.3 THE PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT | 61 | ||
| 6.4 THE CASH FLOW STATEMENT | 64 | ||
| 6.5 THE OVERALL PICTURE | 67 | ||
| FURTHER READING | 69 | ||
| 7 MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING | 70 | ||
| 7.1 PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT INFORMATION | 70 | ||
| 7.2 BUDGETS AND OVERHEADS | 70 | ||
| 7.3 COST OF LABOUR | 73 | ||
| 7.4 ALLOCATION OF OVERHEADS | 74 | ||
| 7.5 CASH FLOW FORECAST | 76 | ||
| FURTHER READING | 78 | ||
| 8 INVESTMENT APPRAISAL | 79 | ||
| 8.1 INVESTMENT PROPOSALS | 79 | ||
| 8.2 THE TIME VALUE OF MONEY | 80 | ||
| 8.3 APPLYING DCF TO A SIMPLE INVESTMENT PROJECT | 81 | ||
| 8.4 ASSESSMENT OF A SOFTWARE PRODUCT PROPOSAL | 84 | ||
| 8.5 PITFALLS OF DCF | 86 | ||
| FURTHER READING | 86 | ||
| 9 HUMAN RESOURCES ISSUES | 88 | ||
| 9.1 WHAT ARE HUMAN RESOURCES? | 88 | ||
| 9.2 THE LEGAL CONTEXT | 88 | ||
| 9.3 RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION | 91 | ||
| 9.4 STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT | 93 | ||
| 9.5 REMUNERATION POLICIES AND JOB EVALUATION | 93 | ||
| 9.6 APPRAISAL SCHEMES | 96 | ||
| 9.7 REDUNDANCY, DISMISSAL AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES | 98 | ||
| 9.8 CONTRACTS OF EMPLOYMENT | 101 | ||
| 9.9 HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING | 102 | ||
| FURTHER READING | 103 | ||
| 10 ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LEGISLATION | 104 | ||
| 10.1 THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LEGISLATION | 104 | ||
| 10.2 WHAT IS DISCRIMINATION? | 105 | ||
| 10.3 DISCRIMINATION ON GROUNDS OF SEX | 106 | ||
| 10.4 DISCRIMINATION ON RACIAL GROUNDS | 109 | ||
| 10.5 DISCRIMINATION ON GROUNDS OF DISABILITY | 109 | ||
| 10.6 DISCRIMINATION ON GROUNDS OF AGE | 112 | ||
| 10.7 AVOIDING DISCRIMINATION | 112 | ||
| FURTHER READING | 113 | ||
| 11 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS | 114 | ||
| 11.1 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY | 114 | ||
| 11.2 COPYRIGHT | 116 | ||
| 11.3 EXAMPLES OF COPYRIGHT CASES INVOLVING SOFTWARE | 119 | ||
| 11.4 CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION | 122 | ||
| 11.5 PATENTS | 125 | ||
| 11.6 TRADE MARKS | 129 | ||
| 11.7 DOMAIN NAMES | 130 | ||
| FURTHER READING | 131 | ||
| 12 SOFTWARE CONTRACTS AND LICENCES | 133 | ||
| 12.1 WHAT IS A CONTRACT? | 133 | ||
| 12.2 LICENCE AGREEMENTS | 134 | ||
| 12.3 OUTSOURCING | 135 | ||
| 12.4 CONTRACTS FOR BESPOKE SOFTWARE | 136 | ||
| 12.5 CONTRACTS FOR CONSULTANCY AND CONTRACT HIRE | 139 | ||
| 12.6 LIABILITY FOR DEFECTIVE SOFTWARE | 141 | ||
| 12.7 HEALTH AND SAFETY | 143 | ||
| FURTHER READING | 144 | ||
| 13 DATA PROTECTION, PRIVACY AND FREEDOM OF INFORMATION | 145 | ||
| 13.1 BACKGROUND | 145 | ||
| 13.2 DATA PROTECTION | 146 | ||
| 13.3 PRIVACY | 153 | ||
| 13.4 FREEDOM OF INFORMATION | 154 | ||
| FURTHER READING | 155 | ||
| 14 INTERNET ISSUES | 157 | ||
| 14.1 THE EFFECTS OF THE INTERNET | 157 | ||
| 14.2 INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS | 158 | ||
| 14.3 THE LAW ACROSS NATIONAL BOUNDARIES | 160 | ||
| 14.4 DEFAMATION | 161 | ||
| 14.5 PORNOGRAPHY | 164 | ||
| 14.6 SPAM | 170 | ||
| 14.7 ECOMMERCE REGULATIONS | 173 | ||
| FURTHER READING | 174 | ||
| 15 COMPUTER MISUSE | 175 | ||
| 15.1 THE PROBLEM | 175 | ||
| 15.2 THE COMPUTER MISUSE ACT 1990 | 175 | ||
| 15.3 AMENDMENTS TO THE ACT | 177 | ||
| 15.4 OPERATION OF THE ACT | 178 | ||
| 15.5 COMPUTER FRAUD | 180 | ||
| FURTHER READING | 181 | ||
| APPENDIX SAMPLE CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT | 182 | ||
| INDEX | 185 |