Enrolments for 2018 have closed.
The Digital Economy
Undergraduate | CUR-NET205 | 2018
Course information for 2018 intake View information for 2024 course intake
Tally up capitalism’s impact on the commercial aspects of cyberspace. See how online commerce works through your studies of Amazon, Google, eBay and Facebook. Explore forms of internet currency such as the attention and gift economies.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 13 weeks
HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
The Digital Economy
About this subject
At the completion of this subject students will be able to:
- demonstrate understanding of the principles and practices which sustain internet commerce
- analyse specific commercial events and occurrences to explain the nature of internet economics
- demonstrate understanding of the way in which capitalism pervades the social and technological workings of the internet in global society
- assess critically the culture and practices of 'free' online labour, goods and services associated with internet.
- Introduction
- Internet business basics
- Online collaboration
- Network economy: it's all about networking
- Attention economy: getting eyeballs
- Amazon.com: the online shopping mall
- eBay: everything has a price
- Google: don't be evil
- Facebook: owning people
- Reviewing the work of others
- Digital capitalism
- Free economy
- Gift economy
This subject was previously known as Internet Commerce and Consumers.
To be an internet user is, essentially, to be part of the economics of the internet, through innumerable commercial transactions and by being part of audiences sold for advertising. In this subject, you will come to understand the dynamics of internet commerce, including the 'free' services that are part of the attention economy; you will also analyse the importance for the internet of alternative economic forms, for example - the gift economy. Ultimately, you will understand how the internet might, within capitalism, be associated with economic rewards and risks; and how developments on the internet have altered business practices and approaches.
Further Information: List of topics is indicative and subject to minor change prior to the start of each Study Period.
Please Note: If it’s your first time studying a Curtin University subject you’ll need to complete their compulsory ‘Academic Integrity Program’. It only takes two hours to complete online, and provides you with vital information about studying with Curtin University. The Academic Integrity Program is compulsory, so if it’s not completed your subject grades will be withheld.
Find out more about the Academic Integrity module.
- Collaborative Software Review (20%)
- Project Plan (10%)
- Report and Project Diary (35%)
- Essay (35%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Prior study
To help set you up for success before you start this subject, we suggest completing or having equivalent knowledge in:
one of
- CUR-WEB101-Web Communications
CUR-NET11 (Not currently available)
and one of
- CUR-NET102-Digital Culture and Everyday Life
CUR-NET12 (Not currently available)
Equivalent subjects
You should not enrol in this subject if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:
CUR-NET25 (Not currently available)
Others
NET12 is the same as NET102 and NET11 is the same as WEB101.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
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