International

School of
Economics
Tendentes ad Excellentiam

Outline: Information Technologies

Developed by Fatima Rustamova (Bachelor - Azerbaijan State University of Economics; Master

- Warwick Business School)

This course is designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of economic analysis as the
industry pressures to shorten trading cycles and provide information-on-demand are forcing
firms to re-evaluate and re-engineer all operations. The course of the “Economical Informatics”
outline the way to create and judge technology solutions that meet business requirements
through a robust decision-making process. Whether the focus is technical or operational,
internal or external, front, middle, or back office, or buy vs. build, the course provides the
framework for designing a cutting-edge technology solution to fit industry’s needs.

Aims and objectives

The aims of this course are:

 To introduce students to an understanding of the IT world;
 To enable the students to use computers and web tools in their academic and business life;
 To introduce students to use the basic IT application in the economic and financial analysis;
 To introduce advancements of information technologies in finance/economics.

Grading method:

The students will be graded based on:

1. In-class activity (seminars) 20points

2. Midterm 30points

3. Final exam 50points

***Maximum 10 mins accidental lateness will be tolerated.

DETAILED TOPIC OUTLINE

Lecture No Lecture topic Content

Introduction to 1. Understand the purpose and elements of
1 Information information system
Technologies 2. Components of information
1. Computer Systems: Integrating the Power of
Technology
Hardware: 2. Processing and Memory Devices: Power,
2 Input, Processing Speed, and Capacity
and Output devices 3. Input and Output Devices: The Gateway to
Computer Systems
4. Computer System Types
1. An Overview of Software
Software:
2. Systems Software
3 Systems and
3. Application Software
Application Software
4. Software Issues and Trends

Database Systems 1. Data Management

4 and Business 2. Data Modelling and Database Characteristics
Intelligence 3. The Relational Database Model
4. Database Management Systems
1. Enterprise Systems and Best practices for EIS
implementation
2. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
Enterprise 3. Supply Chain Management (SCM)
5
Information Systems 4. Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and
Replenishment (CPFR)
5. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
6. Knowledge Management (KM)
1. Introduction to FinTech, Paytech and
2. Insuretech
3. Market support services
6 FinTech
4. FinTech products and services
5. Risks and opportunities of Fintech
6. Fintech vs traditional system
1. Identifying blockchain
2. Distributed ledger and peer-to-peer network
3. Blockchain effect global financial market and
Blockchain and economy
7
Cryptocurrencies 4. From Money to Cryptocurrency
5. Potential Risks and opportunities of
6. Cryptocurrencies
7. Benefits and Challenges of Cryptocurrencies
8 Cybersecurity 1. Cybersecurity best practices
2. Assessing Threats and Vulnerabilities
3. Network Security
4. Information System Protection
5. User Account Management and Access Control
6. Information Sharing and Breach Reporting
 7. Cyber Insurance
8. Cyber Policy
1. How the Internet Works
2. Internet Service Providers
3. Search Engines and Web Research
Internet, Intranet
9 4. Business Uses of the Web
and Extranets
5. E-mail, Instant Messaging, and Video Chat
6. Intranets and Extranets

1. Financial modelling for decision-making

Financial modelling
10 2. Time value of money considerations
with Excel
3. Solving time value problems using Excel

*Study materials for each lecture is uploaded to the student cabinet.

Project topics:

1. Exploration of the Current Trends and Practices of Information Technologies for Business
Development
2. Assessing the need for use of business information technology for auditing
3. Cloud computing and its use in Finance/Economics
4. Blockchain technology and its use in Finance/Economics
5. The Future of Banking: The role of Information Systems and Technologies
6. Fintech and Financial Services: Initial considerations
7. The Emergence of the Global Fintech Market: Economic and Technological Determinants
8. EIS/ERP System for real-time information sharing: impact and benefits on competitive
advantage
9. Enterprise Information Systems trends
10. INDEPENDENT CHOICE
s/s Mövzu Sualın Sualın Sualın mətni
çətinlik çəkisi
səviyyəsi
1 1 1 (asan) 5 bal Discuss why it is important to study and understand information
systems.
2 1 2 (orta) 10 bal Distinguish data from information and describe the characteristics
used to evaluate the value of data.
3 1 1 (asan) 5 bal Name the components of an information system and describe
several system characteristics.
4 1 1 (asan) 5 bal List the components of a computer-based information system.
5 1 3 (çətin) 20 bal Identify the basic types of business information systems and
discuss who uses them, how they are used, and what kinds of
benefits they deliver.

6 1 2 (orta) 10 bal Identify the major steps of the systems development process and
state the goal of each.
7 1 1 (asan) 5 bal Describe some of the threats to security and privacy that
information systems and the Internet can pose.
8 1 1 (asan) 5 bal Discuss the expanding role and benefits of information systems in
business and industry.
9 2 3 (çətin) 20 bal Describe the role of the central processing unit and main memory.

10 2 1 (asan) 5 bal State the advantages of multiprocessing and parallel computing

systems, and provide examples of the types of problems they
address.

11 2 2 (orta) 10 bal Identify and discuss the speed, functionality, and importance of
various input and output devices.
12 2 2 (orta) 10 bal Describe Moore’s Law and discuss its implications for future
computer hardware developments.
13 2 1 (asan) 5 bal Give an example of recent innovations in computer CPU chips,
memory devices, and input/output devices.
14 2 2 (orta) 10 bal Discuss the opportunities DNA provides for data storage. What
are the main advantages?
15 3 1 (asan) 5 bal Identify and briefly describe the functions of the two basic kinds
of software.
16 3 3 (çətin) 20 bal Outline the role of the operating system and identify the features
of several popular operating systems.
17 3 1 (asan) 5 bal Identify three basic approaches to developing application
software and discuss the pros and cons of each.
18 3 2 (orta) 10 bal Outline the differences between proprietary and off-the-shelf
software types.
19 3 1 (asan) 5 bal What are the advantages and disadvantages of proprietary
software? Which businesses should choose it?
20 3 1 (asan) 5 bal What are the advantages and disadvantages of off-the-shelf
software? Which businesses should choose it?
21 4 2 (orta) 10 bal Define general data management concepts and terms,
highlighting the advantages of the database approach to data
management.

22 4 2 (orta) 10 bal Describe the relational database model and outline its basic
features.
23 4 2 (orta) 10 bal Describe the nonrelational database model and outline its basic
features.
24 4 3 (çətin) 20 bal Identify the common functions performed by all database
management systems, and identify popular database management
systems.

25 4 2 (orta) 10 bal Identify and briefly discuss current database applications.

26 4 2 (orta) 10 bal List the problems arising from traditional file environment.
27 4 3 (çətin) 20 bal list the five types of information obtainable from data mining.
How they are used for managerial decision making?
28 5 1 (asan) 5 bal Define ERP and list its main advantages for businesses.
29 5 2 (orta) 10 bal How can CRM systems improve decision-making?
30 5 2 (orta) 10 bal Define dashboards and explain why they are important for
modern executives.
31 5 1 (asan) 5 bal Why companies migrate to enterprise information systems from
their legacy systems?
32 5 2 (orta) 10 bal Define TPS and DSS and explain the differences between them.
33 5 3 (çətin) 20 bal How can ERP boost profitability and improve decision-making in
an organization?
34 5 2 (orta) 10 bal Define integrated and disparate ERP and list the differences
between them.
35 6 1 (asan) 5 bal Which opportunities does Fintech promise?
36 6 1 (asan) 5 bal What are the risks associated with Fintech adoption?
37 6 2 (orta) 10 bal List the 3 main categories of Fintech and show which one has
better developed. Explain why.
38 6 3 (çətin) 20 bal Explain how Fintech has revolutionized traditional financial
services. Give an example of a typical business process or a
transaction at a traditional finanical institution which has
substantially changed after Fintech adoption.

39 6 3 (çətin) 20 bal Explain how Fintech has revolutionized traditional financial

institutions. Give an example of a financial institution which has
gone through massive transformation as a result of competition
with Fintech firms.

40 6 2 (orta) 10 bal List the advantages of lending marketplaces over traditional loan-
originators.
41 7 1 (asan) 5 bal Briefly talk about blockchain and highlight the value proposition
that is presented by that technology.
42 7 1 (asan) 5 bal Briefly talk about blockchain utilization and list the three levels
of it. Talk about the the level of storage of digital records.
43 7 1 (asan) 5 bal Briefly talk about blockchain utilization and list the three levels
of it. Talk about the the level of exchange of digital assets.
44 7 1 (asan) 5 bal Briefly talk about blockchain utilization and list the three levels
of it. Talk about the the level of recordation and execution of
smart contracts.

45 7 2 (orta) 10 bal How does blockchain work? Briefly explain the logic behind it
and talk about the transactions in blockchain system.
46 7 2 (orta) 10 bal How does blockchain work? Briefly explain the logic behind it
and talk about built-in defence in blockchain system.
47 7 1 (asan) 5 bal Talk about the importance of blockchain in digital age. List some
of the key drivers of blockchain for a modern business.
48 7 1 (asan) 5 bal Talk about the importance of blockchain in digital age. List some
of the key challenges of blockchain for a modern business.
49 7 1 (asan) 5 bal Why should companies operating in financial sector consider
adopting blockchain to their operations? What is the value driven
out of that technology?

50 7 2 (orta) 10 bal List the main differences of cryptocurrencies from traditional

types of money.
51 7 2 (orta) 10 bal What are the potential benefits of cryptocurrencies?
52 7 3 (çətin) 20 bal Which challenges exist against global adoption of
cryptocurrencies as an alternative to traditional monetary system?

53 7 2 (orta) 10 bal What are the potential risks posed by cryptocurrencies?

54 8 1 (asan) 5 bal What is a Firewall and why is it used?
55 8 2 (orta) 10 bal What is the difference between IDS and IPS?
56 8 2 (orta) 10 bal Explain CIA triad.
57 8 2 (orta) 10 bal How is Encryption different from Hashing?
58 8 2 (orta) 10 bal List the most widespread type of cyberattacks and suggest how to
get protected against them.
59 8 2 (orta) 10 bal What is a Brute Force Attack? How can you prevent it?
60 8 1 (asan) 5 bal What are black hat, white hat and grey hat hackers?
61 8 1 (asan) 5 bal Explain Phishing and how to prevent it?
62 8 1 (asan) 5 bal What is Ethical hacking and why modern businesses need it?
63 8 3 (çətin) 20 bal Define GDPR and why modern businesses should comply with it.
64 8 2 (orta) 10 bal List the top 4 strategies used to mitigate majority of cyber
intrusions.
65 8 2 (orta) 10 bal Explain the concept of BYOD.
66 8 3 (çətin) 20 bal List the reasons why securing passwords gains increasing
importance for modern businesses.
67 9 2 (orta) 10 bal Describe the World Wide Web and how it works.
68 9 1 (asan) 5 bal Explain the use of Web browsers, search engines, and other Web
tools.
69 9 1 (asan) 5 bal Outline a process for creating Web content.
70 9 1 (asan) 5 bal Define the terms intranet and extranet and discuss how
organizations are using them.
71 9 1 (asan) 5 bal Identify several issues associated with the use of networks.
72 10 3 (çətin) 20 bal Briefly talk about the concept of interest rates and explain how
the interest rate affects the lending/borrowing decisions. Provide
Excel examples.

73 10 3 (çətin) 20 bal Differentiate the real and nominal interest rates. And strengthen
your answer with practical excel example.
74 10 3 (çətin) 20 bal Differentiate the simple and compounding interest. Using an
excel sheet explain them practically.
75 10 3 (çətin) 20 bal Draw an excel sheet with column and row and titles and make a
simple interest calculator for minimum three years as we did in
the class. Show the excel formulas.