Electronic Commerce Capabilities Research Articles

Improve Accuracy of Prediction of User's Future M-commerce Behaviour

Abstract Mobile commerce means “the delivery of electronic commerce capabilities directly into the consumer's hand, anywhere, via wireless technology.” In this paper, we consider a system, called Mobile Commerce Predictor (MCP), for mining and prediction of mobile user behaviours under the context of mobile commerce. The main objective of this framework is to predict future m-commerce behaviour of the user on the basis of his current transaction. Predicting future always associated with risk. By improving prediction accuracy, we can minimize that risk. We present efficient strategy to improve accuracy of prediction by introducing confidence as new parameter in existing prediction strategies of MCP framework. We also present results of applying this strategy to transaction data obtained from sample database (i.e. AdventureWorks) which shows effectiveness of the strategy over existing ones.

Resources, Electronic-Commerce Capabilities and Electronic-Commerce Benefits: Conceptualizing the Links

Past research on electronic commerce (e-commerce) in developing economies (DEs) shows that there is an acute lack of theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence to understand how DE firms orient resources to create e-commerce capabilities and achieve e-commerce benefits amidst their national constraints. This paper uses the resource-based theory and the capability life cycle to investigate how a used-car retail firm in Ghana oriented resources to create e-commerce capabilities and achieve e-commerce benefits. Findings from the longitudinal case study suggest that, first, in DEs, because the institutional foundations are weak and the obstacles are many, managerial capabilities and global information systems (IS) resources enable firms to withstand or circumvent the national constraints and create e-commerce capabilities and benefits. Second, the value of resources to a firm is relatively time and path dependent; changes in the environment can either initiate their renewal or decline in the firm. Having a focus on the strategic orientation of the firm is therefore of more value than focusing on IS resources. The paper proposes a cyclic resource-based model of e-commerce capability evolution which offers new insights into the way in which e-commerce capabilities evolve to create e-commerce benefits.

Evaluation of Use of ERP in E-commerce: Methods and Strategies

Irrespective of whether the company is a multi-national, multi-million dollar organization or a small company with single digit million turnover, the goal of system selection is to source a system that can provide functionality for all of the business processes; that will get complete user acceptance; management approval and, most importantly, can provide significant return on investment for the shareholders. Accordingly, a significant number of packages purporting to be ERP systems have entered into the marketplace since 1990. There are packages at the upper end of the market and a vast quantity of other packages that vendors claim to be ERP Systems. There are also packages that claim to be best of breed for certain processes [such as planning] and sold merely as an add-on to an ERP System. The options are many and this, in reality, creates a problem for the company who has to make a decision. In the last decade, companies have also become interested in enhanced functionality such as customer relationship management and electronic commerce capability. In this study we want to study methods and strategies that have been used in ERP for E-commerce.

Online Auctions and Multichannel Retailing

The Internet enables sellers to offer products through multiple channels simultaneously. In particular, many sellers utilize online auctions in parallel to other online and offline channels. Using an analytical model and data from eBay Motors, we study seller behavior and auction outcomes in the context of multichannel retailing. Our model shows that seller characteristics which affect the distribution and volume of offers in the non-auction channels impact the probability an auction ends in a sale, the probability an item is sold through the auction channel, and the sale price in case of a sale. The impact on the two probabilities can be negative or positive and depends on whether the seller manages the channels jointly or separately. Our empirical analysis examines how the quality of the seller’s retail location and her electronic commerce capabilities (i.e., two seller characteristics influencing demand in non-auction channels) impact the auction channel outcomes. The results confirm the joint channel management strategy considered in the analytical model.

FACTORS THAT IMPACT TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION ADOPTION AMONG IRISH PROFESSIONAL SERVICE SECTOR SMES

This paper disseminates the findings from a study into the factors impacting technological innovation adoption and diffusion specific to the deployment of electronic-commerce strategies within professional service sector SMEs in Ireland. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed and seven factors relating to a firm's external/internal environment were found to underpin adoption. These are: electronic-commerce capability; willingness to change/rate of response to new technologies; technological opportunity recognition; customer orientation; sensitivity to competitive/customer environments; perceptions of technology feasibility; and e-skills development mechanisms. t-tests revealed differences between adopters and non-adopters, and forward stepwise logistic regression is used to assess the extent to which these seven factors actually predict electronic-commerce adoption. It was found that electronic-commerce capability and the willingness to change/rate of response to new technologies are the two most important factors affecting adoption behaviours.

Factors that impact on the perceived benefits of internet international marketing in Taiwanese SMEs

Effective management of small or medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) internet international marketing (IIM) has become a topic of great interest and has been studied extensively by SME researchers. Yet, there is little research that attempts to explain the perceived benefits of IIM, which is considered a critical factor in encouraging SMEs to or blocking them from adopting and using IIM. To address this gap, this paper proposes a theoretical model to examine the SMEs' perceived benefits of IIM in terms of the extent of their global mindsets, electronic commerce (EC) capabilities, organisational marketing contexts and IT capabilities. Empirical testing of the model is based on a sample of 82 SMEs from the Taiwanese manufacturing industry. The results show that six of the eight hypothesised relationships are supported by empirical data. The implications of the findings for the management of SME IIM are discussed.

A Profile of Adopters and Non-adopters of eCommerce in SME Professional Service Firms

The new spatial possibilities of Internet-based technologies provide a powerful route to innovative marketing strategies. Consequently, firms of all sizes are finding it necessary to establish a Web presence to increase their ability to survive in an increasingly dynamic and competitive business environment. This study reports on the differences between adopters and non-adopters of electronic commerce in SME professional service firms in New Zealand. Six factors relating to a firm's external/internal environment were found to underpin adoption. These are: response to technological environment / opportunities afforded by technology; negative attitudes or perceived barriers/impediments to electronic commerce; electronic commerce capability; response to new technology/innovation; customer orientation; and sensitivity to competitive/customer environments. T-tests reveal differences between adopters and non-adopters, and logistic regression is used to assess the extent to which these six factors actually predict electronic commerce adoption.

An Electronic Commerce Initiative in Regional Sri Lanka: The Vision for the Central Province Electronic Commerce Portal

AbstractThis paper presents the findings from the first stage of a preliminary study which assessed the potential for an electronic commerce portal in Sri Lanka's Central Province. Sri Lanka is an island state of contrasts in terms of its electronic commerce and overall ICT capability. In the Capital of Colombo, ICT and electronic commerce capability are relatively sophisticated while in regional Sri Lanka even the most basic ICT infrastructure is almost non‐existent and/or non‐reliable. The proposed electronic commerce portal in Central Province is well aligned with the key strategic objectives of the E‐Sri Lanka Initiative. The portal will be a resource enabler and facilitator for the adoption of electronic commerce by SMEs and MEs. It is also envisaged that the portal will facilitate the development of regional ICT capability as well as providing significant benefits to general community. This paper concludes with an outline of the infrastructure and implementation plan for the proposed electronic commerce portal in Central Province.

Understanding the Electronic Commerce Cycles of Change

Internet and electronic commerce (EC) technologies continue to create unprecedented capabilities. However, many organizations struggle with how to apply them appropriately. In this article, we describe a model of the effects of rapidly evolving EC capabilities on organizations. The model proposes that Internet and EC Technologies influence Competitive Environments and lead to new EC-based Business Strategies. The information demands of new Business and Organization Models designed to implement these strategies necessitate changes to Information Systems in firms. The model also proposes that two cycles of EC change exist. First is an internal cycle in which Business Strategies drive new Business and Organization Models, which in turn require new Information Systems capabilities. These capabilities enable the implementation of more new Business Strategies. Externally, new Information Systems requirements prompt new Internet and EC Technologies, which further influence the Competitive Environment; hence, second is the external cycle. Some researchers think that these cycles will not only continue, but also accelerate. This research provides a model and suggests avenues for further study of EC-invoked change. It also furnishes organizations with an understanding so that they can better position themselves to compete as EC capabilities are applied in their individual industries.

Building a Knowledge-Enabled Electronic Commerce Environment

Companies with electronic commerce (EC) operations have the advantage in capturing more detailed information about their customers; hence they can obtain insightful knowledge about marketplaces. We have developed a framework that enables companies building an electronic commerce site to take advantage of knowledge management practices to enhance existing electronic commerce capabilities. With more in-depth knowledge about customers, companies with a Web presence can offer customized products and services to individual customers rather than to large market segments. This framework may be used to assist the planning and design of a knowledge-enabled electronic commerce environment. A detailed data model that captures information and knowledge about products, customers, and sales is discussed. This model serves as a foundation for building a technical architecture of a knowledge-enabled EC system.

An Emergent Framework To Support Visioning And Strategy Formulation For Electronic Commerce

The research described in this paper reports on some of the outcomes of qualitative and exploratory studies into the experiences of small & medium enterprises (SMEs) with respect to electronic commerce (EC). A framework is subsequently presented, based on empirical findings, to guide and structure the thinking of businesses approaching the planning and implementation of an EC capability. The framework encourages the kind of holistic, systematic and integrated thinking with respect to EC visioning and strategy development that the researchers found was both so necessary but also so often lacking in EC implementations amongst many of the SMEs participating in this study. A discussion of how the framework can be used to shape a “strategic conversation” about the implications and requirements of a move into EC, based on a preliminary action research study, is offered as a conclusion to the paper.

Influences on the corporate adoption of Web technology

Virtually every brick-and-mortar firm has a Web site today, but this has not always been the case. Some companies quickly established a Web presence with thousands of pages of information available on their sites and even early e-commerce features. Others started with a simple Web site establishing a “front window” on the Web. Some companies did not appear on the Web until much later when it became essential for all businesses to do so. This article explores the roles of senior management and firm resources in the early adoption of Web technology. We endeavor to determine what distinguished firms that embraced the Web and established an early Web presence from firms that did not consider the Web important. Although our data, collected during 1996–1997, is somewhat dated, the results of this study, particularly findings concerning management’s role in adoption, can be generalized to other IT innovations besides Web sites, including electronic commerce capabilities, enterprise software, and supply chain management systems, as well as future technologies yet to appear. Previous research suggests that predicting a firm’s response to new technology necessitates an examination of the leadership and strategic direction of senior management. A consistent finding in early research on system implementation is that management support is related to success [9]. A firm that emphasizes technology as a part of its strategy is likely to have recognized the potential importance of the Internet and to have established a site. A firm that has not created a site for the general public is unlikely to have established an intranet or an extranet. Also, firms with more resources are more likely to invest in a Web presence than firms with fewer resources. Knowledge is a major resource, and resource-rich firms are more likely to have personnel knowledgeable about technology and interested in innovation.

Building a World-class Logistics, Distribution and Electronic Commerce Infrastructure

This paper takes a retrospective look at FedEx, a third party logistics intermediary that sought to capitalize on the rise of electronic commerce. By integrating virtual-world information technology and electronic commerce capabilities with real-world physical delivery of products through its air and ground transportation network, FedEx sought to exploit the new opportunities emerging in the digital economy. Through a process of strategic acquisitions in late 1997 and early 1998, FedEx consolidated its position as a leader in the express package delivery business. This set the stage for rapid growth in the fast-emerging industries of electronic commerce and supplies chain management - a new domain in which long-time competitors UPS and DHL were also quickly gaining ground. Simultaneously, many large American firms were beginning to revamp their logistics strategies in order to integrate other elements of the supply chain into their own systems. This significant market trend, in conjunction with several ot...