Future E-commerce Research Articles

The Problems of Identifying the Essential Business-to-Business E-Commerce Environment Components

Electronic commerce is treated as one of the most efficientinstruments for business processes optimization,based on more effective control of information flows. Ecommerceinfrastructure is that part of the total economicinfrastructure that is needed to support e-commerce processesand to conduct electronic commerce transactions. Itincludes investment in computers, routers and other computerhardware; satellite, wire and optical communicationsand network channels; system and applicationssoftware. It also includes expenditure for support services,such as web site development and hosting, consulting,electronic payment and certification services as wellas human capital, such as programmers. In essence, ecommerceis the secure trading of goods, information orservices. Contrary to popular opinion, an e-commercesolution is not simply a single component, rather a collectionof individual parts that together allow informationexchange to take place across the electronic networks.The rapidity of e-commerce integration to economyshows that in the nearest future e-commerce will becomethe necessity for any and all business forms. E-commerceevolution is related to rapid perfection of informationtechnologies, their growing possibilities of adoption invarious areas and the cost of use decrease. The spread ofe-commerce in various economy sectors is related to themodern business characteristics: huge and constantlygrowing competition, decreasing variety of competitiveadvantages, durable treatment of profit, as the result ofcost reduction. As electronic commerce develops, it couldhave profound impacts on individual sectors of the economyas well as on macroeconomic performance and economicpolicies. Electronic commerce growth could havesignificant effects on the structure and functioning ofeconomies at the firm, and industry level as well. Thesechanges are likely to have influence on prices as well asthe composition of trade, labour markets and taxationrevenues. E-commerce integration to business processesis considered as realistic possibility to strengthen thecompany’s position in the market, so in near future it isvery believable for e-commerce to become the necessity(market entrance barrier) in some industry sectors, wheree-commerce models can generate considerable cost economy.In that case it can be concluded, that any companyin a small and medium-sized business sector must evaluatepossible benefits from e-commerce adoption in businessprocesses. Traditional competitive advantages likemodern technologies, low cost level or suitable geographicallocation become less significant because ofglobalization process. But before making decisions of ecommerceadoption in the company, it is important todefine and assess the main aspects of e-commerce environment.The paper aims to analyze the problems ofbusiness-to-business e-commerce environment assessmentand to identify the essential elements of this environment.

The customer is always e-right

Many businesses appear to be re-thinking their e-commerce activity in a bid to make their interaction with customers more consistent and personalised. Much of the current redevelopment effort is being driven by the desire to make the best use of information gathered from online, in-store and other sales channels, to cross-sell across these channels and personalise the customer interaction in each. Rather than just selling products, the future of e-commerce is about selling the joys of online retailing to the customer. And post dot-com bubble, smart e-retailers are picking themselves up, dusting down their strategies, and starting again.

A case study of a centrally managed ERP implementation for manufacturing plants of a global corporation

Xerox Corporation implemented a global Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to effectively manage its 52 worldwide manufacturing plants and lay the foundations of future e-commerce solutions. The strategic objective for implementing a global manufacturing ERP system at Xerox is for management to gain insights into real-time financial visibility and total material requirement consolidation. This paper gives an insight into the planning and implementation process of this Oracle Manufacturing and Financial System (OMAF) from the perspective of Xerox's leading electronics manufacturing plant, Southern California Manufacturing Operations, (SCMO) located in El Segundo, California. An efficient implementation model and associated metrics, based on gap analysis, were developed to manage the activities. Gap analysis also proved to be an effective method for balancing the interests of the process owners, end-users, implementers and all other stakeholders of the project.

An overview of online trust: Concepts, elements, and implications

Lack of trust has been repeatedly identified as one of the most formidable barriers to people for engaging in e-commerce, involving transactions in which financial and personal information is submitted to merchants via the Internet. The future of e-commerce is tenuous without a general climate of online trust. Building consumer trust on the Internet presents a challenge for online merchants and is a research topic of increasing interest and importance. This paper provides an overview of the nature and concepts of trust from multi-disciplinary perspectives, and it reviews relevant studies that investigate the elements of online trust. Also, a framework of trust-inducing interface design features articulated from the existing literature is presented. The design features were classified into four dimensions, namely (1) graphic design, (2) structure design, (3) content design, and (4) social-cue design. By applying the design features identified within this framework to e-commerce web site interfaces, online merchants might then anticipate fostering optimal levels of trust in their customers.

Perceptions and Attitudes about E-Commerce Development in China

It is widely recognized that eCommerce represents a critical resource for most business organizations. With over 1.25 billion people and double-digit economic growth, China could potentially emerge as the largest Internet and telecommunications market in the world if certain economic, environmental, and organizational barriers are effectively addressed. This paper develops a descriptive profile of Chinese business managers with respect to their awareness of the technological infrastructure as well as their perceptions and attitudes regarding eCommerce. Management’s viewpoint on a variety of environmental, organizational, and personal factors provides insight into the future of eCommerce in China within the framework of organizational commitment to eCommerce driven innovation. Findings indicate that firms interested in engaging in eCommerce in China will find a knowledgeable and supportive business climate; however, eCommerce initiatives may be hindered by constraints imposed by the current infrastructure.

The current state and future of e-commerce in Spain: An analysis based on the volume of e-business

La finalitat d'aquest treball es abordar la situacio del comerc electronic a Espanya a partir dels desencadenants i frens que influeixen en el seu desenvolupament. D'una banda, s'identifiquen els factors que incideixen en la penetracio d'Internet entre la poblacio espanyola i com hi influeixen; de l'altra, s'explica la compra per Internet a partir del fenomen anterior, i tambe altres variables rellevants.

E-logistics in China: basic problems, manageable concerns and intractable solutions

This paper examines the reality of issues surrounding e-commerce and logistics in China today. Interviews were conducted with government, business and academic leaders in a major Chinese coastal city. From these interviews, the magnitude of nine major e-commerce and logistics challenges was investigated. Based on the scope of the problems and the scale of potential solutions, the various issues are characterized as basic, manageable or intractable. Conclusions are made about the challenges to be found both today and in the future of e-commerce and logistics in China.

WHAT DRIVES ELECTRONIC COMMERCE? A THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR PERSPECTIVE.

This research aims to predict consumer intentions to transact online, drawing upon the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Consumer intention to transact in e-commerce is proposed as a three-dimensional behavioral intention to (a) receive information, (b) provide requisite personal information, and (c) engage in product purchases. The first stage of the model draws upon the TPB to interrelate the proposed three-dimensional online transaction intentions with attitude and perceived behavioral control. The second stage adds antecedents of attitude and control, while adhering to TPB's nomological structure. Given the uncertainty present in e-commerce, trust in a Web retailer is hypothesized as a salient belief that indirectly influences transaction intentions, both through attitude and also through perceived behavioral control. Also, given the technological unpredictability and newness of the Internet, trust in control mechanisms is also proposed to influence perceived behavioral control. Perceived risk acts as a quasi-moderator, both intensifying the relationship between the two types of trust and perceived control, and also having a direct negative effect on control. In addition, since online transactions entail consumers to use Internet technologies to a great extent, transaction intentions essentially necessitate that consumers perceive Web interfaces to be useful and easy to use. Drawing upon the Technology Acceptance Model, perceived usefulness and ease of use are viewed as behavioral beliefs that indirectly influence consumer transaction intentions through positive attitude, following the theory of reasoned action. Subjective norm, perceived enjoyment, privacy, security, and self-identity add to the explanatory power of the proposed model, while adhering to TPB's nomology. The resulting research model is validated using data from 92 subjects. The results give substantial support for the 18 proposed hypotheses, while explaining 75% of the variation for product purchases, 35% for providing information, 25% for receiving information, 73% for attitude, and 33% for perceived behavioral control. The paper discusses several insights from this exploratory study, describes their implications for theory and research, and concludes with multiple directions for future e-commerce research.

The potential impact of artificial shopping agents in e-commerce markets

This article deals with a possible future of e-commerce, not with how consumers or marketers currently shop on the Internet. In the future, artificial shopping agents may change e-commerce markets by significantly extending the search and evaluation capabilities of consumers. These agents have the potential to change current market relationships because they work on behalf of individual consumers, rather than offer advice to consumers on behalf of retailers. Additionally two types of shopping agents are possible, one of which may result in different patterns of choice than at present. The prospect of consumers relying on artificial agents for shopping decisions has raised concerns about negative impacts on both consumer welfare and the stability of markets. The article evaluates these concerns and concludes that major dislocations in consumer choice patterns are unlikely in the short run, but increasingly possible in the long run.

ECommerce: a critical review

Offers a preliminary assessment of electronic commerce. Rarely has the retail and consumer services sector been faced with a strategic challenge of such significant complexity and uncertainty that is growing so rapidly. Suggests that the academic world is lagging behind the world of practice in terms of supplying rigorous analysis of the topic. Deals with four discrete areas of the new economy as it affects retailers. Explores the extent to which the emergence of new electronic channels to market has led to distinctive means of business differentiation, with particular reference to branding and pricing. Secondly, looks at how business‐to‐business companies can use electronic channels to improve supply chain and productivity requirements. Thirdly, assesses how far we understand some of the organisational change issues. Finally considers the future of eCommerce.

The future of E-commerce

The future of E-commerce

The future of e-commerce: integrate and customize

Internet technology allows companies to overcome many of the physical constraints that often prevent them from doing business in distant markets, which means that an e-commerce market is fundamentally global. Despite the increasing market reach, however, certain emerging trends fragment the Internet-enabled marketplace into countless niche markets. As network and distributed computing technologies advance, killer applications for consumers will be those that allow mixing and matching of products and services on a personal basis and in real time. The author discusses integration and customization as the future of e-commerce.

Voice over Internet protocol and human-assisted e-commerce

By fostering the finalization of open standards and the convergence of voice, video, and data, the Internet protocol provides an ideal driver for the definition of the infrastructure for new multimedia and advanced communications applications. Voice over IP represents not only the chance to achieve cost-effective real-time voice communication over IP-based networks, but also the opportunity to build an integrated and open communications service delivery infrastructure. Developments of Web-based information systems and IP telephony in order to enable future e-commerce applications are summarized.