Professional Issues in Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Professional Issues in Information Technology, 2nd Edition

by Frank Bott
Released February 2014
Publisher(s): BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT
ISBN: 9781780171821

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Book description

This book addresses the social, legal, financial, organisational and ethical issues relevant to IT professionals. It is designed to accompany the BCS HEQ ‘Diploma in IT’ core module: Professional Issues in Information Systems Practice. This new edition covers the social and legal implications of recent changes to legislation and technology.

Table of contents

  1. Front Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. List of figures and tables
  6. Author
  7. Acknowledgements
  8. Abbreviations
  9. Useful websites
  10. Preface
  11. 1. Law and Government
    1. 1.1 What is the law?
    2. 1.2 Criminal law and civil law
    3. 1.3 Where does the law come from?
    4. 1.4 The legislative process in the UK
    5. 1.5 The legislative process in other countries
    6. 1.6 The law across borders
    7. Further reading
  12. 2.The Computing Profession
    1. 2.1 The concept of a profession
    2. 2.2 Royal charters
    3. 2.3 Professional conduct
    4. 2.4 Education
    5. 2.5 The advancement of knowledge
    6. 2.6 Continuing professional development
    7. 2.7 Representing the profession
    8. 2.8 Membership grades
    9. 2.9 Reservation of title and function
    10. Further reading
  13. 3. What is An Organisation?
    1. 3.1 The role of organisations
    2. 3.2 Commercial organisations
    3. 3.3 Limited companies
    4. 3.4 Setting up a company
    5. 3.5 The constitution of a limited company
    6. 3.6 Directors
    7. 3.7 Takeovers, mergers and outsourcing
    8. 3.8 Non-commercial bodies
    9. Further reading
  14. 4. Structure and Management of Organisations
    1. 4.1 Organisational models
    2. 4.2 Structuring principles
    3. 4.3 Depth of structure
    4. 4.4 Centralisation
    5. 4.5 Setting up a structure in practice
    6. 4.6 Job design
    7. Further reading
  15. 5. Financing A Start-up Company
    1. 5.1 Why capital is needed
    2. 5.2 The business plan
    3. 5.3 Sources of finance
    4. 5.4 Gearing
    5. Further reading
  16. 6. Financial Accounting
    1. 6.1 Disclosure requirements
    2. 6.2 The balance sheet
    3. 6.3 The profit and loss account
    4. 6.4 The cash flow statement
    5. 6.5 The overall picture
    6. Further reading
  17. 7.Management Accounting
    1. 7.1 Planning and management information
    2. 7.2 Budgets and overheads
    3. 7.3 Cost of labour
    4. 7.4 Allocation of overheads
    5. 7.5 Cash flow forecast
    6. Further reading
  18. 8. Investment Appraisal
    1. 8.1 Investment proposals
    2. 8.2 The time value of money
    3. 8.3 Applying DCF to a simple investment project
    4. 8.4 Assessment of a software product proposal
    5. 8.5 Pitfalls of DCF
    6. Further reading
  19. 9. Human Resources Issues
    1. 9.1 What are human resources?
    2. 9.2 The legal context
    3. 9.3 Recruitment and selection
    4. 9.4 Staff training and development
    5. 9.5 Remuneration policies and job evaluation
    6. 9.6 Appraisal schemes
    7. 9.7 Redundancy, dismissal and grievance procedures
    8. 9.8 Contracts of employment
    9. 9.9 Human resource planning
    10. Further reading
  20. 10. Anti-discrimination Legislation
    1. 10.1 The development of anti-discrimination legislation
    2. 10.2 What is discrimination?
    3. 10.3 Discrimination on grounds of sex
    4. 10.4 Discrimination on racial grounds
    5. 10.5 Discrimination on grounds of disability
    6. 10.6 Discrimination on grounds of age
    7. 10.7 Avoiding discrimination
    8. Further reading
  21. 11. Intellectual Property Rights
    1. 11.1 Intellectual property
    2. 11.2 Copyright
    3. 11.3 Examples of copyright cases involving software
    4. 11.4 Confidential information
    5. 11.5 Patents
    6. 11.6 Trade marks
    7. 11.7 Domain names
    8. Further reading
  22. 12.Software Contracts and Licences
    1. 12.1 What is a contract?
    2. 12.2 Licence agreements
    3. 12.3 Outsourcing
    4. 12.4 Contracts for bespoke software
    5. 12.5 Contracts for consultancy and contract hire
    6. 12.6 Liability for defective software
    7. 12.7 Health and safety
    8. Further reading
  23. 13. Data Protection, Privacy and Freedom of Information
    1. 13.1 Background
    2. 13.2 Data protection
    3. 13.3 Privacy
    4. 13.4 Freedom of information
    5. Further reading
  24. 14. Internet Issues
    1. 14.1 The effects of the internet
    2. 14.2 Internet service providers
    3. 14.3 The law across national boundaries
    4. 14.4 Defamation
    5. 14.5 Pornography
    6. 14.6 Spam
    7. 14.7 Ecommerce regulations
    8. Further reading
  25. 15. Computer Misuse
    1. 15.1 The problem
    2. 15.2 The Computer Misuse Act 1990
    3. 15.3 Amendments to the Act
    4. 15.4 Operation of the Act
    5. 15.5 Computer fraud
    6. Further reading
  26. Appendix – Sample Contract of Employment
  27. Index
  28. Back Cover

Product information

  • Title: Professional Issues in Information Technology, 2nd Edition
  • Author(s): Frank Bott
  • Release date: February 2014
  • Publisher(s): BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT
  • ISBN: 9781780171821