A Framework for Determining Success Factors of an E-Commerce Initiative

Abstract

Businesses and entrepreneurs are rushing to the Internet to do business and reach new markets. While the Internet is used for cutting cost and generating revenue by conducting business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce (EC) and business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce, existing businesses and entrepreneurs are finding tremendous challenges to succeed. This paper examines the factors that are critical to the success of any company's e-commerce initiative and makes recommendations to businesses and entrepreneurs so they can overcome the challenges and exploit the opportunities presented by the Internet.     

Online Privacy Policies and Diffusion Theory Perspectives

ABSTRACT

The use of the Internet and related technologies in data sharing and new product development, which essentially serves as a foundation for the management of data flows for strategic IT, are rapidly expanding. The innovation clusters and frameworks to characterize recent e-commerce sites' privacy policies to ensure confidentiality of personal information have been under increasing academic inquiries. An application of Rogers' (1995) diffusion of innovation or technology concepts as applied to the Internet is used to develop several models of e-commerce related security and privacy concerns. One possible solution discussed is the strategic leveraging of a consortium model, providing for governmental assurances of privacy and security. Unfortunately, the current e-commerce model has no governing body to represent the consumer and e-tailer in terms of privacy and security issues so critical to the continued growth and success of the Internet.     

Business School Curricular Responses to the Emergence of Electronic Commerce

Abstract

The latest innovation to draw the attention of business schools and their stakeholders is electronic commerce (e-commerce). The purpose of this paper is to examine how business schools are responding to the curriculum challenge of e-commerce. The results indicate that business schools are initiating three types of responses: The first concerns programmatic changes. The second concerns changes in the disciplines of management information systems, marketing, operations management, and accounting. The third response is the establishment of centers/institutes of e-commerce. Before we report on these responses, we present an overview of e-commerce. After our responses, we present a summary of our results and predict future trends.     

E-Commerce Adoption: Perceptions of Managers/Owners of Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Thailand

ABSTRACT

E-commerce can be an important source of competitive advantage for most business organizations, especially small- and medium-sized (SMEs) businesses. Recently, researchers have focused on e-commerce adoption both in the United States and other countries. This study examines the factors that influence e-commerce adoption in Thailand. The results show that the major reason behind e-commerce non-adoption is that the organization is not ready to make that change because of cultural, technological, financial, and/or logistical reasons. Additionally, organizational readiness strongly influences e-commerce implementation, and managerial support and financial, logistical, and technological factors weigh heavily in determining if an SME in Thailand can pursue e-commerce implementation. We believe that the e-commerce adoption model in this study will have both managerial implication for practitioners in Thailand, as well as those in other developing countries, and academic implications for researchers who are interested in e-commerce adoption in developing countries.     

The internet as an opportunity to rethink the role of the intermediary

The advent of the Internet and the attending increase in the value chain inter‐linking has been understood as a harbinger of the death of the intermediary. This paper uses Williamson's (1975) forms of specificity (human‐, site and physical asset‐specificity) and the components of the traditional value proposition (content, context and infrastructure) to suggest that the function of the intermediary will be changed, but not eliminated. In this discussion, I draw on the cases of Volvo and Electrolux. Both companies have recently launched web sites in order to regain control of the interface with customers, or context, which thanks to the Internet, can now be virtualised. This allows their intermediaries to focus on their specific advantage, namely handling the activities related to the delivery and logistic infrastructure. The main implication for firms is to re‐examine the various steps along their value chains with a view to bringing in‐house, virtually, those components where the intermediaries had specific advantages‐but which moved to the producer's side as a result of the Internet. Hence intermediaries acquire a more specific and focused role. To the extent that this role lies at the heart of their core competence, involving the provision of convenient locational and infrastructural delivery systems and services they enjoy competitive advantage vis‐a‐vis the producer.     

E-Traveling via Information Technology

ABSTRACT

The travel industry has begun to leverage the Internet by mirroring the electronic ticketing systems used by the airlines enabling hotels and tourism institutions in general to develop IT systems similar to American Airlines' Sabre system. These systems initially allowed travel agents to search for flights electronically. Now the customer is empowered to follow the lines of disintermediation and bypass the travel agent entirely. Thus, the travel industry is in a similar phase that manufacturing companies are dealing with, namely more transparent supply chains and flatter organizational structures-a common theme found in conducting e-commerce. Several models are suggested from industry to leverage connections that sell directly to the customer or buy directly from the manufacturer, although they all present potential risks, especially since this direct contact and transparency makes additional customer-partner contact easier and more likely to occur outside the direct control of the companies involved. The most compelling example of this situation is in the travel industry. In essence, the hospitality industries in general (hotels, airlines, car rental companies, and other travel services) are providing information and reservation systems directly to end consumers, entirely bypassing the traditional intermediary of travel agencies.     

Characteristics of Internet Users and Their Privacy Concerns

Abstract

Concern about the privacy of online consumers is a global issue. Given the global nature of the Internet, companies planning and implementing e-commerce must understand the differences in privacy concerns of consumers in different cultures with different social/economic contexts to become effective in business. Motivated by this need, this study analyzes and compares the privacy concerns of online consumers in China and the United States, identifies major factors related to these concerns, and discusses the cultural/social/economic backgrounds of the related phenomena found in the study.     

电子商务与商业文化重塑研究

由于电子商务依托互联网,变化快,机遇与挑战并存,需要企业、政府和社会多方协作,共同努力才能构建适合电子商务企业发展的、具有中国特色的商业文化体系,从而为中国电子商务发展提供养分。通过剖析国内外商业文化思想,分析电子商务对传统商业文化的影响因素,进一步提出重塑电子商务企业的商业文化体系路径。     

A Snap Shot of E-Commerce by General Line Industrial Distributors

Abstract

Industrial distributors and manufacturers are constantly in search of methods to increase sales and market share. While e-commerce is not new, its adoption is growing and gaining a foothold in American business. Most attention in the e-commerce realm has been on business-to-consumer-type ventures (Amazon, eBay, etc.); however it is the purpose of this paper to examine how e-commerce is effecting business-to-business transactions, specifically in fields relating to industrial distributors and industrial manufacturers.     

网络环境下的中介信任影响机制研究:以酒店预订网站为例

Electronic intermediaries are recognized as one of the most significant B2C business models in the Internet era. A trustworthy intermediary website functions as both an information intermediary and a credibility intermediary. Given the critical role of trust in driving online purchase behaviors, the technology acceptance model (TAM) has been applied to investigating the impact of technology on online trust from the perspective of users’ perception of Web interface. However, consumers’ trust in an electronic intermediary derives from not only technological factors, but also factors of brand reputation and consumers’ individual experiences. We conducted an experiment in the context of hotel booking websites. Results based on structural equation modeling indicate that the impact of an intermediary’s reputation exceeds that of technology acceptance. Besides, reputation sum and reputation distance, which stand for synthesis effect and the cask effect respectively, are the two mechanisms of trust transfer.     

An Exploratory Study of Perceptions Towards E-Commerce in China (PRC)

ABSTRACT

E-commerce and China are two widely discussed business topics. Despite the political, legal and infrastructure obstacles, the potential of e-commerce in China (PRC) is too great to ignore. This paper addresses the perceptions of Chinese concerning the obstacles and benefits of conducting e-commerce. Analysis identifies the rank-order of benefits and obstacles to conducting e-commerce in China (PRC).     

电子商务信用中介经济功能的实证分析

电子商务信用中介是电子商务市场中的第三方实体机构,其目标是克服电子商务市场的信用障碍与信用风险,提高电子商务市场整体的信用信息与信用意识,形成良好的信用文化.在电子商务实践过程中,第三方信用中介平台扮演了相当重要的角色,它通过制定交易规则、实施交易管理,如实名认证、支付托管、信用评价等手段,构建电子商务市场中的信用机制,从而实现维护公平交易环境、促进交易达成的目标.本文采用调查问卷的方法,通过构建结构方程式模型对第三方信用中介的作用机理进行实证研究.研究结果显示,除实名认证对网站信任的作用未通过验证外,其他研究假设均得到了验证.信用反馈机制的有效性、第三方支付工具的有效性、沟通及互动机制的有效性对交易主体对电子商务网站的信任有正向影响;电子商务网站平台的信任对交易主体的最终购买意向有正向影响.     

Transforming Educational and Business Practices in Belarus

Abstract

The Bryant College Collaborative Learning at a Distance (CLD) Program in Belarus was designed to promote collaboration across diverse cultural, political, and philosophical boundaries. CLD programs can assist the Newly Independent States (NIS) in meeting the political, social, and economic challenges associated with the transition from a centralized, administrative command economytoa more democratic and diversified society. Cost-effective, collaborative distance learning projects can help to address the problem of limited educational resources and prepare faculty, undergraduates, entrepreneurs, and NGO leaders for better understanding the role of civic responsibility as a foundation for western business practices.

The ongoing Internet-based, Bryant College CLD Program, including educational institutions, research facilities and business firms, focuses on a non-hierarchical model, emphasizing reciprocal, interactive learning and problem-solving. Components include Web-based courses, International Virtual Roundtable Discussions via E-mail, seminars on business skills and Web design, Internet protocol video conferencing between the U.S. and Belarus, a faculty exchange and training project, and a business internship program aimed at providing hands-on experience with business and NGO leaders in the U.S. This project demonstrates that Internet-based, collaborative learning can transcend cultural and language barriers and advance the development of a business environment supportive to the entrepreneurial spirit.     

创新我国移动互联网商业模式的探析

移动互联网是各种移动终端通过移动通信网络与互联网结合的产物,在我国有着广阔的发展前景。我国目前在该领域处于领先地位,但鉴于缺少可借鉴的成功经验,其商业模式更多的来自于桌面互联网的移植。本文从我国移动互联网现状出发,阐述了广告、游戏、移动电商、入口、硬件平台结合内容服务等几种商业模式,并在分析制约创新移动互联网商业模式的障碍的基础上提出相关对策,力图为我国移动互联网从业者提供参考,以促进我国移动互联网产业的发展。     

What factors determine e-satisfaction and consumer spending in e-commerce retailing?

Evidently, the Internet has resulted in a fundamental shift in retailing practice, creating a shift in both consumer and business behavior, which has been compared to that of the Industrial Revolution. The purpose of this paper is to analyze customer satisfaction in e-commerce market. In particular, we determine the factors that affect customer e-satisfaction and the relationship between customer satisfaction and consumer spending in e-commerce retailing. We focus on how American based e-commerce firms are impacted by these developments and how marketing practices have reflected the developing e-commerce situation. The results show that customer satisfaction does have an impact on consumer spending in American based e-commerce retailers. Further, the relationship between customer satisfaction and consumer spending is positive, where higher e-satisfaction results in more spending in e-commerce. The results also show that there is a direct relationship among e-service quality, e- satisfaction and e-loyalty in terms of online spending by consumers. However, the analysis shows that e-commerce still faces challenges compared with traditional offline retailers since customers cannot feel and try the products, and may end up choosing the products that they do not want.     

E-Commerce Patterns in South Asia: A Look Beyond Economics

ABSTRACT

Conflicting and complex forces are shaping the diffusion patterns of the Internet and e-commerce in South Asia. Drawing upon the literature on institutional theory, we explore the drivers and inhibitors of the Internet in South Asian countries. We examine the influence of the three pillars of institutions (Scott, 1995) on the digital world of South Asia. The paper discusses how regulatory, normative, and cognitive institution–such as laws, relationships, culture, and habit–have shaped the diffusion patterns of the Internet and e-commerce in South Asia.     

Building a Trust Model in the Online Market Place

ABSTRACT

If demand is not sufficient, a business will not be viable. This basic fact of business survival is intimately related to one of the most popular analytical approach for evaluating the profitability potential of a business, Porter's “Five Forces” model. Locating an online niche that is in sufficient demand to generate adequate revenues and profits is a challenging, but not an impossible, task. The Internet has the unparalleled ability to produce information trails that allow the user to measure the supply and demand for keywords used in online searches, and software has been designed to facilitate the location of potentially profitable niches. This paper provides an overview of this software along with associated strengths and weaknesses, shows examples of the output generated by leading keyword research software (KRS), and provides an extensive listing of KRS vendors and a summary of the capabilities of their products.     

刍议移动互联网传统零售企业营销能力的提升

面对运用现代信息技术而形成的新型商业模式的竞争,传统零售业在经营观念、人才储备、基础设施、创新精神上,都处于不利的位置。传统零售企业可以借助无线互联网技术,借鉴电子商务企业的成功经验,开展营销业务与手段的创新;开展基于LBS服务创新;通过APP占领消费者手机桌面;利用顾客碎片化时间;开设智能商店;提供移动在线客服;加大客户数据挖掘,使无线营销活动更具有针对性。     

The Impact of a Third-Party Assurance Seal in Customer Purchasing Intention

ABSTRACT

Although e-commerce is evolving at an incredible speed, asymmetric information and opportunism have increased online purchasing risks and market inefficiencies. The lack of face-to-face contact and the inability of the customer to touch and feel tangible products necessitate that online business must provide customers with reliable information and convince customers of their trustworthiness. While the research on Third-Party Assurance Seals (TPAS) is not new, the effectiveness of TPAS has not been persuasively addressed by empirical studies. Our study is different from previous efforts in that it is comprehensive because it combines consumer trust, perceived risk, and influences of TPAS in the B2C e-commerce context. The results of the study show that (1) the effects of TPAS on perceived risk are channeled through perceived trustworthiness, thus demonstrating the mediating role of perceived trustworthiness in B2C e-commerce, (2) perceived risk, perceived usefulness of website, and subjective norm appear to be significant predictors of intention to purchase from the website, (3) a third-party assurance seal strongly affects online shoppers' perceived trustworthiness toward online retailers, while the seal appears to have little effect on perceived risk directly; perceived risk is strongly associated with intention to purchase from the website.     

Online retail experience and customer satisfaction: the mediating role of last mile delivery

ABSTRACT

For various industries worldwide, recent years have been defined by the remarkable growth of e-commerce. Enabled by the Internet, retailers can reach more customers, spread much further in the distribution chain, and optimize their resources. In the new market environment, customer experience has become a source of competitive advantage. This study investigates the role of last mile delivery in the customer’s e-retail experience. A quantitative methodology was used, which incorporated a survey that was conducted in Sweden and measured participants’ most recent e-retail experience. The results indicate that the last mile delivery experience mediates the relationship between the customer’s perception of the online shopping experience and customer satisfaction. These conclusions provide ground for further thorough investigations of the role of last mile delivery in the e-retail context and support e-retailers in increasing their customers’ satisfaction.