An overall aim of this unit is to ensure that the students are aware of the business implications of technology adoption. All too often, investments are made in technology for the sake of having it, without careful analysis of the implications. While this may be beneficial to the degree that these investments function as a driver for innovation, the attendant elements of business risk must be recognised and accounted for.The development and adoption of standards is a closely related topic. By understanding how standards provide both structure for global technology development, and a platform for competition amongst developers, students will gain a deeper understanding of the nature of the global electronic commerce environment.Exposure to emerging technologies and the standards they are based on will prepare the students for the future environment they will be working in. Current constraints on utility will be overcome as the technologies evolve, and the students should be aware of the possible courses of evolution in order to evaluate the tradeoff between immediate costs and future benefits.Finally, students should demonstrate some capability in analysis, design, and implementation of an application prototype that conforms to current standards and reflects theoretical cohesion. Justification of the choices made will be a strong indicator of the student's understanding of the relevant issues and resources available.