Information systems and information technology (IS/IT) underpin the operation of most facets of most organizations. IS/IT provide means by which organizations process their transactions, the mechanisms by which business stakeholders communicate, the information required to manage the performance of the business, and the capability for the business to pursue its strategic plans.

The reliance on IS/IT by organisations does, however, involve a broad range of risks to both the IS/IT itself and to the organisation, and these risks need to identified and managed. These risks relate to the correct operation of the systems themselves, the integrity and security of the data, information and intellectual property they manage, the development and implementation of new systems and the improvement of existing systems. Poor management these IS/IT risks can create business risks that have implications for the business’s ability to continue its day to day operations, meet its obligations, it reputation and its strategic plans.

This course investigates these risks in a systematic manner and looks at the current theory, methods and best practice for their identification, assessment, analysis and mitigation. The course will cover areas such as IT security risk management, IT project risk management, business continuity planning and IT and strategic risk assessment. It will also address the IS/IT and business risks associated with e-business and IT outsourcing and will take a risk perspective to recent IS/IT developments such as social media and ‘the cloud’.