Current State and Trends of E-Commerce in the Construction Industry: Analysis of a Questionnaire Survey

Size: px
Start display at page:

Download "Current State and Trends of E-Commerce in the Construction Industry: Analysis of a Questionnaire Survey"

Transcription

1 Current State and Trends of E-Commerce in the Construction Industry: Analysis of a Questionnaire Survey Syed M. Ahmed Assistant Professor Department of Construction Management Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA Phone: , Fax: ahmeds@fiu.edu Irtishad Ahmad Associate Professor Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Florida International University Miami, Florida USA ahmadi@fiu.edu Salman Azhar Doctoral Candidate Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Florida International University Miami, Florida, USA salman.azhar@fiu.edu Sachinkumar Arunkumar Graduate Student Department of Construction Management Florida International University Miami, Florida USA

2 ABSTRACT Information Technology (IT) revolution has been widely touted as having equal if not greater impact on us than the industrial revolution. The construction industry is now becoming increasingly reliant on new electronic technology as a viable means of doing business. The aim of this paper was to investigate this trend and predict the direction the industry is most likely to take in the future. The methodology employed was a nationwide detailed questionnaire survey targeting the major contractors, project/construction managers and the A/E/C firms. The results indicate that construction industry players are generally lagging in online purchasing of goods and services and online bidding. However, project management web sites are frequently used. Web-based customer assessment programs are also lagging behind other industries. It can be concluded that construction organizations are in general aware of the e- commerce potential but are not ready organizationally to embrace it wholeheartedly. 1. INTRODUCTION The application of electronic commerce has led to many changes in the way business is conducted. By definition electronic commerce or e-commerce is the purchasing or selling of goods or services and the transfer of funds in any way using the electronic communications in inter-company and intra-company business activities. There are two types of e-commerce: business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce involving companies selling products or services to individuals; and business-to-business e-commerce (B2B), in which companies sell to other businesses. E-business, as shown in Fig. 1, by contrast, is an umbrella term that includes e-commerce and refers to the use of the Internet and private intranet to transform a company s value chain (i.e. internal processes, supplier and partner interactions, and customer relationships) with the ultimate goal of creating value for customers. A firm with an effective e-business strategy develops the capabilities needed to improve the flow of information and business intelligence among partners, suppliers, employees and customers. It also aims to solve problems for all parties that comprise its extended value chain. In coming years, business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce is expected to increase dramatically, accounting for an ever-greater share of total e-commerce activity. Industry analysts conservatively estimate that e-commerce will reach $5.7 trillion by 2004 and one study predicts that 11 percent, or $141 billion worth, of construction industry spending will be online by 2004 (IDC, 2000). The use of e-commerce is mainly supported by advancements in information technology or IT, which makes the commerce possible. IT includes, the use of electronic machine and programs for the processing, storage, transfer and presentation of information (Bjork, 1999). This information is sent through what is known as the information super highway, which could be compared to a pipeline feeding off of e-commerce activity. The developments in this field are geared to speed the processing of data and information.

3 E-business Creating customers value by using networked computing to improve communications with and solve problems for customers, employees, suppliers and partners E-commerce Intranets Extranets Marketing and selling Improve internal Improve processes goods or services using processes and com- throughout the value network computing munication through chain via web-enabled and the web network computing network computing B2B E-commerce between businesses B2C E-commerce with individual consumers Fig 1: E-definitions (The Economist Intelligence Unit, 2000) E-commerce is about more than just the procurement of products and services online. It is changing the business processes of the construction and real estate industries by delivering information technology solutions to an industry that still relies heavily on paper-reliant processes. E-commerce is also not just about customer payments, partner payments or online inventory queries. As companies transform themselves into e-businesses, they are beginning to manage procurement, supply chains and partner networks on-line (Moran, 2000). Web-based electronic commerce is an important, strategic business tool that is poised to significantly alter the way the construction industry does business, and it is coming on faster than anyone could have imagined. Companies that choose to ignore the growth of e- commerce as a viable way of doing business do so at their own peril, asserts Chuck Frey of the Construction Industry Manufacturers Association (CIMA, 1999). Using the Internet provides companies enormous advantages in deepening and securing relationships with any and all of its customers and suppliers. Advantages include being more accessible, providing better service and locking in key relationships. And, using the power of the Web enables entire teams to have the ability to manage complex power construction processes. To do this, however, the system needs to be open, so that a company can easily integrate with any of its partners' applications regardless of their platform. Solutions will be required to have built-in features such as content management, order management, dynamic pricing and

4 international payment and trading capabilities. Those businesses that are the most flexible, open (databases, servers and storage devices) and have the quickest response time will win. 2. OBJECTIVES OF THE PAPER The objective of this paper is to present the findings of a research study on the current status of adoption and implementation of e-commerce in the U.S construction industry. Of particular interest is to investigate the usage of e-commerce in online purchasing of goods and services, online bidding, project management, web-based customer assessment and online training programs for employees. Lastly, the aim of this paper is to assess the organizational readiness of the construction companies, construction managers and A/E/C firms with regards to e-commerce and the barriers to implementation in the construction industry 2.1 Scope and Methodology The methodology for the project was carried out by sending questionnaires to all the major participants of the construction sector like the contractors, construction management/project management firms, and the A/E/C. The questionnaires were sent to approximately 500 firms representing the players mentioned above throughout the United States. The companies and the firms were selected from the University database and also from other trade associations like the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) and the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). The questionnaire was uploaded on to the web in November 2001 and the companies were given the URL address of the website. A Web questionnaire was selected as the viable format as it is easier to fill the questionnaire than sending paper questionnaires which is time consuming and the response rate is lesser compared to the web questionnaire which has a higher response rate because of the ease of response. 3. ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRES A total of approximately 500 questionnaires were sent to all the major parties involved in a project namely the contractors, construction management/project management firms and the A/E/Cs in the United States. 71 completed responses were received till March Among the 71 responses received, 29 were from contractors, 20 from CM/PM firms and 22 from A/E/Cs. The rate of response was 14%.

5 3.1 as the Method of Communication To find the extent of usage of as the method of communication in the firms, we can see from Table 1, that 54% of the responses said they use quite frequently to communicate with other parties. 44.5% said they use mainly and only 1.5% said that they do not use very often. Table 1: as the method of communication How often does your company use as the method of communication? Not very often Quite frequently Mainly Contractors CM/PM Firms A/E/C Owners Total Percentage 1.5% 54% 44.5% 3.2 Internet as a Sourcing Tool for Goods and Services In Table 2, we see that only 38% of the firms frequently use Internet to source goods and services, whereas 55% of the firms use it sometimes. 7% of the respondents said they never use Internet to source goods and services. From the above table, we can therefore determine that Internet is growing rapidly as an alternative for sourcing goods and services. Table 2: Internet as a sourcing tool for goods and services Does your company use Internet as a sourcing tool for goods and services? No, never Sometim es Yes, frequently Contractors CM/PM Firms A/E/C Total Percentage 7% 55% 38% 3.3 Online Purchasing of Goods and Services From the survey results shown in Table 3, we can see that 70% of the respondents use Internet sometimes to purchase goods or services. Only 19% said that they frequently use Internet to purchase goods and services online and 11% said they never use Internet to purchase goods or services online. We can therefore conclude that construction firms are lagging behind in their usage of Internet to purchase goods and services.

6 Table 3: Online purchasing of goods and services Does your company purchase goods or services online? No, never Sometimes Yes, frequently Contractors CM/PM Firms A/E/C Total Percentage 11% 70% 19% 3.4 Registration on any Business-to-Business website From the survey, it can be observed in Table 4 that only 34% of the respondents are registered on business-to-business websites and the majority (62%) of the firms are not registered on any business-to-business websites. 4% of the respondents did not answer the above question. Table 4: Registration on any business-to-business websites Is your company registered on any business-to-business Yes No N/A web sites? Contractors CM/PM Firms A/E/C Total Percentage 34% 62% 4% 3.5 Company Turnover In Table 5, we can see that 56% of the firms have a turnover of less than $100 million. 23% of the firms have a turnover between $100m and $500m, and 21% of the firms have a turnover of more than $500 million. This shows that the majority of the firms who participated in this survey are average sized or midsize companies. Table 5: Company Turnover What is your company turnover? < $100 m $100m - $500 m > $500 m Contractors CM/PM Firms A/E/C Total Percentage 56% 23% 21%

7 3.6 Performing Web-Based Market Research Table 6 shows the web-based market research performed by the companies to increase profit and productivity. 53% of the respondents said that they do not perform web-based market research and 3% did not answer that question. Only 44% of the companies said that they perform web-based market research. 3.7 Bidding Online Table 6: Performing Web-based market research Does your company perform web-based Yes No N/A market research? Contractors CM/PM Firms A/E/C Total Percentage 44% 53% 3% When asked whether they bid online for projects, 79% of the companies said no. Only 14% of the companies said they bid online. 7% did not respond to the question. From Table 7, we can see that companies are lagging behind in using Internet to bid work, as compared to other industries where the usage of Internet in bidding is far greater. Does your company bid online? Table 7: Bidding Online Yes No N/A Contractors CM/PM Firms A/E/C Total Percentage 14% 79% 7% 3.8 Project Management or Project Collaboration Websites From Table 8, we can see that 59% of the companies do use project management or project collaboration websites to manage their projects. This shows that in the area of project management, the companies are well established in their e-commerce implementation. 34% of the respondents said that they do not use project management or project collaboration website to do business, and 7% did not respond to the question.

8 Table 8: Using project management or project collaboration websites to do business Does your company do business using any project management or Yes No N/A project collaboration websites? Contractors CM/PM Firms A/E/C Total Percentage 59% 34% 7% 3.9 Maintaining Project Specific Websites for Communication When we asked the respondents if they use project specific websites to share information with other members of the project, 59% said yes. 34% said no, and 7% did not respond to the question as shown in Table 9. This again strengthens our argument that in the area of project management, the companies use e-commerce to communicate and to share information about the project with other members of the project. Table 9: Maintaining project specific websites to communicate with other parties of the project Does your company have project specific websites to share information with the Yes No N/A other parties of the project? Contractors CM/PM Firms A/E/C Total Percentage 59% 34% 7% 3.10 Web-Based Customer Assessment Programs In Table 10, we can see that 75% of the companies do not have web-based customer assessment programs. Only 15% of the respondents said that they have web-based programs to access customer satisfaction. 10% did not answer the question. Table 10: Web-based customer assessment programs Does your company has web-based customer assessment Yes No N/A programs? Contractors CM/PM Firms A/E/C Total Percentage 15% 75% 10%

9 3.11 Online Training Programs for Employees E-commerce can be used to provide training for company employees. There are many webbased courses, which are available on the Internet, that company employees can make use of which have the following advantages: (1) the employees do not have to take these courses through traditional means which are expensive, (2) the employees can access these courses from any place, (3) they can study these courses in their free time. 44% of the companies said that they provide training to their employees using online training programs. 52% said no, and 4% did not respond to the question. Therefore we can see that majority of the companies or firms do not take advantage of these web-based online courses to train their employees. Table 11: Online training programs for employees Does your company provide training to employees using Yes No N/A online training programs? Contractors CM/PM Firms A/E/C Total Percentage 44% 52% 4% 3.12 Managing Inventories over the Internet 89% of the companies said that they do not manage inventories over the Internet. Only 4% of the respondents said that they manage inventories over the Internet, and 7% did not answer the question. This shows that companies still use the traditional method of managing their inventories. Table 12: Managing inventories over the Internet Does your company manage inventories Yes No N/A over the Internet? Contractors CM/PM Firms A/E/C Total Percentage 4% 89% 7% 3.13 Updating Company Websites A company website acts as an online brochure for a company, which an outsider opens to get information or updates about the company. A company which updates and maintains their website regularly doesn t have to spend a lot of dollars on marketing. Having a good and wellinformed company website saves a lot of money on advertising. A good company website also

10 results in increased sales and thereby more profits, as clients first go through a company s website to know about the Contractor, CM/PM or the A/E/C before giving the project to that company or firm. From the survey, we see that 32% of the companies update their website on a monthly basis, and 13% of the respondents said that they update their websites every 2 months. 37% of the companies update their websites every 3 months and 18% of the respondents did not answer the question. From the table, we can conclude that only a small percentage of the companies understand the importance of updating and maintaining their websites. Table 13: Updating company websites How often do you update your company websites? Monthly Every 2 months Every 3 months N/A Contractors CM/PM Firms A/E/C Total Percentage 32% 13% 37% 18% 3.14 Registration with ASP (Application Service Providers) for managing B2B solutions In Table 14, we see that 79% of the companies are not registered with any Application Service Providers for managing their business-to-business solutions. Only 10% are registered with ASPs, and 11% of the respondents didn t know what ASP was. This shows that unlike other industries where companies often register with ASPs to conduct their B2B solutions, construction industry lags in conducting their B2B solutions using Application Service Providers. Table 14: Registration with ASP for managing B2B solutions Is your company registered with any ASP for managing Yes No N/A your B2B solutions? Contractors CM/PM Firms A/E/C Total Percentage 10% 79% 11% 3.15 E-Commerce in bringing Fundamental Change to Business in the next Two years When asked whether they thought e-commerce would bring fundamental change to their business model in the next two years, the majority of the respondents (62%) said yes. This shows that although companies lag behind in their usage of e-commerce to improve their businesses, they are familiar with the importance of e-commerce and the fundamental change it will bring to their business. 32% of the respondents said that they do not believe that e-

11 commerce will bring fundamental change to their business model. 6% did not answer that question. Table 15: E-commerce in bringing fundamental change to business in the next two years 3.16 E-Commerce Performance Measurements Do you think e- commerce will bring fundamental change to your business Yes No N/A model in the next two years? Contractors CM/PM Firms A/E/C Total Percentage 62% 32% 6% Although most companies that participated in our survey plan to use a variety of performance measurements, contractors and CM/PM companies are using the broadest range of them (see Table 16). Table 16: E-commerce performance measurements E-commerce Performance Measurements Contractor CM/PM A/E/C Increase in customer satisfaction Revenues generated from new customer/market Ability to act as truly customer-driven enterprise Enhanced ability to seize new growth or profit opportunities Increase in market share Additional revenue generated from current customers/markets Reduced operating costs The A/E/C firms use the least range of measurements to determine e-commerce performance. Across the participants, the majority said they intend to gauge their e-business efforts based on reduced operating costs, increase in customer satisfaction, revenues generated from new customer/market and enhanced ability to seize new growth or profit opportunities.

12 3.17 Organizational Readiness for E-commerce Organizational structure and management play a crucial role in how a company performs in the new economy. Through our survey, we found that most executives believe their companies aren t as prepared as they should be. As Table 17 shows, all the participants in the survey said that they are retraining their employees to help them in implementing their e- commerce vision. The companies are also convinced that conducting business on the web is changing their company culture dramatically. A vast majority of the companies surveyed do not believe that the web will require their company culture to become more entrepreneurial. Table 17: Organizational readiness for e-commerce implementation Organizational readiness for E-commerce Implementation Contractor CM/PM A/E/C We are retraining our current employees to help us implement our e- commerce vision Embracing a web-based business model will create the need for reorganization within our company We are acquiring people with specialized e- commerce skills The web will require our culture to become more entrepreneurial Conducting business on the web is changing our company culture dramatically The experience of the firms undergoing e-business transformation suggests that unless management implements the organizational changes necessary to operate as an e-business, there is little likelihood that the new strategy will succeed. Companies readiness for e- business also depends on the availability of employees with specialized e-business skills Barriers for E-Commerce Implementation in the Company When asked about the obstacles to implementing e-commerce strategy, executives responded that the greatest barriers are human, organizational and technological. As Table 18 shows, companies lack employees with e-business skills, on both the technical and business sides. Companies have made huge investments in IT over the years, but the Internet requires a new set of skills. The problem seems especially severe among CM/PM firms and contractors. Many companies are unclear about how their customers view the web. Almost all companies reported being unsure of which customers prefer to do business over the Internet. This was of

13 special concern among contractors, CM/PM, and A/E/Cs. Overall, contractors and CM/PM agreed to all the constraints which effect e-commerce implementation in their companies. From Table 18, we can also see that all participants agreed that they worry about the security of the Internet. They also said that customers/clients/subcontractors and suppliers are resisting the web. The change fatigue factor was also agreed by a large number of participants as one of the barriers for e-commerce implementation in their company. Risk of alienating third-party distributors was the least agreed upon factor by all the companies. All companies also agreed that key managers in their companies are not fully aware of various e- commerce issues. Table 18: Barriers for e-commerce implementation in the company Barriers for e-commerce implementation in the company Contractor CM/PM A/E/C a. Technology Constraints: Lack of required IT staff capability Scarce funding for IT implementation Lack of appropriate technological infrastructure b. Customer-related constraints: Don't know which customers prefer to do business over the web Customers/Clients/Subcontractors/Suppliers worry about the security of the internet Customers/Clients/Subcontractors/Suppliers are resisting the web c. Organization-wide constraints: Scarce supply of people with experience in e-commerce Key managers do not fully understand the issues Lack of company-wide agreement on e- business strategy "Change fatigue" exists throughout the company Need to evolve into a "24 x 7" company Risk of alienating third-party distributors 1 - -

14 4. CONCLUSION The Internet is changing the construction industry, gradually but certainly. Companies are contracting by , surfing the Net for supplies and equipment, and considering online techniques to project management. The pace is slow but steady as companies approach the move differently. Some blindly race online and others embrace it with trepidation. E- commerce is likely to impact all facets of the construction supply chain and project life cycle. The survey results indicate that while Internet is being widely used in the construction industry, business to business (B2B) or business to customer (B2C) type applications have not received much acceptance yet. There are indications however, that e-commerce would be the way to do construction business in the near future. An overwhelming majority of the respondents believe that e-commerce will bring fundamental changes in construction over the next two years, although their investment and commitment in e-commerce is not significant. It can be concluded that construction organizations are in general aware of the e-commerce potential but are not ready organizationally to embrace it wholeheartedly. The usual apprehension of testing something new is there along with the difficulty of changing organizational rules and norms. In addition e-commerce requires commitment to considerable investment despite the fact that the return on this investment is intangible as well as long-term. E-commerce is likely to impact all facets of the construction supply chain and project life cycle from briefing, feasibility, scheme design, design, construction, facilities management to refurbishment and demolition. Wireless technologies and communications will reach across the whole industry and benefit everyone. E-commerce s ability to introduce efficiencies into the construction industry will be its greatest contribution. Also, better relationships will develop due to the increases of information exchange and communication. And construction is founded on these relationships and is advanced by their strength. In the 21 st century companies large and small will benefit from the creation of electronic commerce. Though large organizations will be able to afford greater investment and may reap greater returns, proportionally as much benefit can be achieved in small organization. If one thing is sure, the benefits will take place directly from the resources directed to and invested in E-commerce and Information Technology. IT and E-commerce will advance the construction industry and will aid in a rehabilitation of a less than advanced, to highly advanced, state-of-the-art status. Regardless of the approach, all companies should keep in mind a few pointers to reduce the risks and ease the transition: 1. Don t forget the old rules: While the Internet may make doing business faster, easier and even cheaper, it does not change the old precautions read the contract, understand the risks and buyer beware.

15 2. Anticipate problems: Even the best technology will fail sometimes, companies must plan for this by including liability provisions in contracts, and establishing contingency plans for project participants and requiring security precautions in online transactions. 3. Invest in good infrastructure and training: Project web sites and extranets can streamline an operation, but only if a company has the technology and employee knowledge base to use it. As the industry moves online, unforeseen legal and practical issues undoubtedly will emerge, not to mention the concerns that will accompany the significant cultural and behavioral changes the Internet will bring to the industry. However, companies that understand and anticipate the risks of e-commerce will thrive in this new environment and become leaders of the revolution. It would appear that the industry is still in the learning curve, and that the old bricks and mortar way of making a profit will not be soon replaced with the mystical allure of the Web. Those who eventually prosper on the web will be the individuals and firms with solid backgrounds in construction and business, and who have a business plan calling for a profit during this lifetime instead of the next (Berning & Dively-Coyne, 2000).

16 5. REFERENCES 1 B. C. Bjork (1999). Information Technology in Construction: Domain Definitions and Research Issues. International Journal of Computer Integrated Design & Construction, Vol. 1, Issue 1, The Economist Intelligence Unit (2000). E-business Transformation. Research Report 3 Paul W. Berning and Shaye Diveley-Coyne (2000). E-Commerce and the Construction Industry: The Revolution is Here. 4 Construction Industry Manufacturers Association (1999). Rapid Changes in Internet Technology Will Affect Construction Industry Customer Manufacturer Interactions. 5 Brian Moran (2000). The Reality of E-commerce and Real Estate.

17 Appendix A - Copy of the Questionnaire

18 Department of Construction Management West Flagler Street, EAS 2952 Miami, Florida Telephone (305) Fax (305) Overview The purpose of this questionnaire survey is to investigate the status of E-Commerce in the construction industry and in particular finding the extent of usage in the different activities of construction. The results of this questionnaire will provide us with the status of e-commerce implementation in the construction industry. All the information gathered here will be kept strictly confidential and will be used only for research purposes. Your cooperation is important for us and we will gladly provide you with a copy of our results, which are expected to be beneficial for the construction industry. Please check your appropriate answer for the following questions and state your comments if necessary. 1. Name of your company: 2. Address of your company: 3. Your Name and Position: 4. From where do you access the Internet? Only at home Only at work At home and at work 5. How often does your company use as the method of communication? Not very often Quite frequently Mainly 6. Does your company use the Internet as a sourcing tool for goods and services? No, never Sometimes Yes, frequently 7. Does your company purchase goods or services online? No, never Sometimes Yes, frequently

19 8. Is your company registered on any business-to-business web sites? Yes No 9. What B2B Construction web sites have you heard of, or are registered on (if any)? 10. What is your company turnover? < $100m $100m - $500m > $500m 11. Please check the mode or method of performing these activities? Materials control: Mostly manual Partially computerized Highly computerized Purchasing: Mostly manual Partially computerized Highly computerized Scheduling: Mostly manual Partially computerized Highly computerized Bill of quantities: Mostly manual Partially computerized Highly computerized Costing & Budgeting: Mostly manual Partially computerized Highly computerized Technical calculations: Mostly manual Partially computerized Highly computerized Invoicing: Mostly manual Partially computerized Highly computerized Specifications: Mostly manual Partially computerized Highly computerized Bookkeeping: Mostly manual Partially computerized Highly computerized 12. Does your company perform web-based market research? Yes No 13. Does your company bid online? Yes No 14. Does your company do business using any project management or project collaboration web sites? Yes No 15. Does your company has project specific web sites to share information with the other parties of the project? Yes No 16. Does your company has web-based customer assessment programs? Yes No

20 17. Does your company provide training to employees using online training programs? Yes No 18. Does your company manage inventories over the Internet? Yes No 19. How often do you update your company website? Monthly Every 2 months Every 3 months 20. Is your company registered with any ASP (Application Service Providers) for managing your B2B solutions? Yes No 21. Do you think e-commerce will bring fundamental change to your business model in the next two years? Yes No 22. What do you think will be the expected pay off by implementing e-commerce in your business? Circle any one. (Rating from 1 to 7 with 1 being the lowest and 7 being the highest) a. Opportunity value: b. Market expansion: c. Efficiency: d. Advantage creation: e. Effectiveness: What do you think are the primary e-commerce performance measures? (Check all that applies) Increase in customer satisfaction Revenues generated from new customer/market Ability to act as truly customer-driven enterprise Enhanced ability to seize new growth or profit opportunities Increase in market share Additional revenue generated from current customers / markets Reduced operating costs 24. What is your organizational readiness for e-commerce implementation? (Check all that applies) We are retraining our current employees to help us implement our e-commerce vision Embracing a web-based business model will create the need for reorganization within our company We are acquiring people with specialized e-commerce skills

21 The web will require our culture to become more entrepreneurial Conducting business on the web is changing our company culture dramatically 25. What do you think are the barriers for e-commerce implementation in your company? (Check all that applies) a. Technology constraints Lack of required IT staff capability Scarce funding for IT implementation Lack of appropriate technological infrastructure b. Customer-related constraints Don t know which customers prefer to do business over the web Customers/Clients/Subcontractors/Suppliers worry about the security of the internet Customers/Clients/Subcontractors/Suppliers are resisting the web c. Organization-wide constraints Scarce supply of people with experience in e-commerce Key managers do not fully understand the issues Lack of company-wide agreement on e-business strategy Change fatigue exists throughout the company Need to evolve into a 24 x 7 company Risk of alienating third-party distributors --- End of Questionnaire Thank You Very Much ---

Business Intelligence

Business Intelligence S2 Connecting Customers Business Intelligence Microsoft and the Microsoft logo are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation in the US and/or other countries. 2001 Microsoft

More information

IMPLEMENTATION OF ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING (ERP) SYSTEMS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

IMPLEMENTATION OF ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING (ERP) SYSTEMS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IMPLEMENTATION OF ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING (ERP) SYSTEMS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Syed M. Ahmed*, Irtishad Ahmad**, Salman Azhar** and Suneetha Mallikarjuna* * Dept. of Construction Management,

More information

Business-to-Business EIPP: Presentment Models, Part 1 By: The Council for Electronic Billing and Payment

Business-to-Business EIPP: Presentment Models, Part 1 By: The Council for Electronic Billing and Payment Business-to-Business EIPP: Presentment Models, Part 1 By: The Council for Electronic Billing and Payment Abstract In the short time since the release of the first web browser in 1993, the Internet has

More information

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. Introduction

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. Introduction EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction The use of the Internet for business transactions has grown dramatically over the past few years. Approximately three out of five companies are using e-commerce to some extent

More information

1) A complete SCM solution includes customers, service providers and partners. Answer: TRUE Diff: 2 Page Ref: 304

1) A complete SCM solution includes customers, service providers and partners. Answer: TRUE Diff: 2 Page Ref: 304 Enterprise Systems for Management, 2e (Motiwalla/Thompson) Chapter 11 Supply Chain Management 1) A complete SCM solution includes customers, service providers and partners. Diff: 2 Page Ref: 304 2) SCM

More information

Supply Chain Management and Value Creation

Supply Chain Management and Value Creation Supply Chain Management and Value Creation YAN Xi 1, KANG Canhua 2 School of Economics, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China 1. cassie_yan@163.com, 2.kchhua@whut.edu.cn Abstract: In recent

More information

How to Start a Film Commission

How to Start a Film Commission How to Start a Film Commission Starting a film commission is not really any different than starting any new business. You will need to so some research, develop a plan of action, and find people who are

More information

LOCAL INTERNET MARKETING FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS

LOCAL INTERNET MARKETING FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS LOCAL INTERNET MARKETING FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS Presented by: Cline Online Marketing, LLC Dave Cline, Owner 7635 West Ontario Place Littleton, CO 80128 Tel: 720-312-9196 Fax: 303-933-5266 How The Internet

More information

Session 4. The Internet: Evolution and Revolution Basics of doing business on Internet. The Internet: Evolution and Revolution

Session 4. The Internet: Evolution and Revolution Basics of doing business on Internet. The Internet: Evolution and Revolution Session 4 The Internet: Evolution and Revolution Basics of doing business on Internet The Internet: Evolution and Revolution The Internet actually began its journey in the late 1960s as an experiment by

More information

The Company of the Future Frances Cairncross

The Company of the Future Frances Cairncross The Company of the Future Frances Cairncross BOOK OVERVIEW In The Company of the Future: How the Communications Revolution is Changing Management, Frances Cairncross spells out the growing need for managers

More information

Skills Knowledge Energy Time People and decide how to use themto accomplish your objectives.

Skills Knowledge Energy Time People and decide how to use themto accomplish your objectives. Chapter 8 Selling With a Strategy Strategy Defined A strategy is a to assemble your resources Skills Knowledge Energy Time People and decide how to use themto accomplish your objectives. In selling, an

More information

How B2B Customer Self-Service Impacts the Customer and Your Bottom Line. zedsuite

How B2B Customer Self-Service Impacts the Customer and Your Bottom Line. zedsuite How B2B Customer Self-Service Impacts the Customer and Your Bottom Line Introduction For small to mid-sized businesses trying to grow and compete with their larger counterparts, having close relationships

More information

White paper. Implications of digital certificates on trusted e-business.

White paper. Implications of digital certificates on trusted e-business. White paper Implications of digital certificates on trusted e-business. Abstract: To remain ahead of e-business competition, companies must first transform traditional business processes using security

More information

10 Top Strategies for Launching a Successful E-Commerce Site Smart Solutions

10 Top Strategies for Launching a Successful E-Commerce Site Smart Solutions 10 Top Strategies for Launching a Successful E-Commerce Site Smart Solutions With dot-com failures on the rise, you might ask whether it makes sense to spend time, money and resources to create an e-commerce

More information

Information and communication technology use: Are small firms catching up?

Information and communication technology use: Are small firms catching up? Catalogue no. 11-621-MIE No. 009 ISSN: 1707-0503 ISBN: 0-662-36101-6 Analytical Paper Analysis in Brief Information and communication technology use: Are small firms catching up? by Mark Uhrbach and Bryan

More information

Outsourcing Manufacturing: A 20/20 view

Outsourcing Manufacturing: A 20/20 view Outsourcing Manufacturing: A 20/20 view OUTSOURCING MANUFACTURING is becoming a well-established approach for companies that want to strategically manage materials in today s fast-paced business environment.

More information

Big Data Adoption Progress Across Industries

Big Data Adoption Progress Across Industries Wikibon.com - http://wikibon.com Big Data Adoption Progress Across Industries by Ralph Finos - 29 October 2015 http://wikibon.com/big-data-adoption-progress-across-industries/ 1 / 20 Premise The rate of

More information

Effects and Countermeasures of Replacing Business Tax with VAT to Real Estate Industry

Effects and Countermeasures of Replacing Business Tax with VAT to Real Estate Industry Modern Economy, 2016, 7, 586-590 Published Online May 2016 in SciRes. http://www.scirp.org/journal/me http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/me.2016.75064 Effects and Countermeasures of Replacing Business Tax with

More information

Internet Part 2. CS/MIS Department

Internet Part 2. CS/MIS Department Oman College of Management and Technology Course 803202 MDCI Internet Part 2 CS/MIS Department Reasons for Business Presence on the Internet Major reasons why business presence on the Internet is increasing

More information

Computer and Internet Usage at Businesses in Kentucky Steven N. Allen

Computer and Internet Usage at Businesses in Kentucky Steven N. Allen Computer and Internet Usage at Businesses in Kentucky Steven N. Allen Virtually all businesses in Kentucky use computers in some way. Many businesses are also beginning to use the Internet as a communications

More information

Business Proposal for In-House. Software Development and. Consultancy Services

Business Proposal for In-House. Software Development and. Consultancy Services Business Proposal for In-House Software Development and Consultancy Services 1.0 Executive Summary This business plan outlines the strategy and various services that we shall be providing if given an opportunity

More information

The changing role of the IT department in a cloud-based world. Vodafone Power to you

The changing role of the IT department in a cloud-based world. Vodafone Power to you The changing role of the IT department in a cloud-based world Vodafone Power to you 02 Introduction With competitive pressures intensifying and the pace of innovation accelerating, recognising key trends,

More information

Management Information Systems

Management Information Systems Faculty of Foundry Engineering Virtotechnology Management Information Systems Classification, elements, and evolution Agenda Information Systems (IS) IS introduction Classification Integrated IS 2 Information

More information

B2B Integration. Business Value and Adoption Trends. BARCHI GILLAI and TAO YU. Foreword by OpenText (formerly GXS, INC.)

B2B Integration. Business Value and Adoption Trends. BARCHI GILLAI and TAO YU. Foreword by OpenText (formerly GXS, INC.) B2B Integration Business Value and Adoption Trends BARCHI GILLAI and TAO YU Foreword by OpenText (formerly GXS, INC.) June 2013 Foreword Today s businesses can no longer be successful solely operating

More information

ERP (enterprise resource. Erp Works Wonders. With Multi-Application Support. ManageIT

ERP (enterprise resource. Erp Works Wonders. With Multi-Application Support. ManageIT Erp Works Wonders With Multi-Application Support ERP systems must be integrated with other technologies for organisations to reap their full benefits, and maximise profits while doing business @ Internet

More information

Choosing the Right ERP Solution:

Choosing the Right ERP Solution: Choosing the Right ERP Solution: 3 CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS Table of Contents 1 2 Who We Are 3 The Key to Better Business Performance 4 ERP as the Focal Point of Your Business 5 Why Some ERP Solutions Fail

More information

BUILDING A CUSTOMER- FOCUSED VALUE CHAIN

BUILDING A CUSTOMER- FOCUSED VALUE CHAIN BUILDING A CUSTOMER- FOCUSED VALUE CHAIN With the right solutions, a company can implement those pieces they need now and add functionality as business needs expand and grow. INTRODUCTION In most growing

More information

B2B E-COMMERCE: A PRIMER

B2B E-COMMERCE: A PRIMER B2B E-COMMERCE: A PRIMER Bruno Floriani bruno.floriani@lapointerosenstein.com Lapointe Rosenstein Montreal, Quebec Most of us have heard or read headlines about the explosive growth potential of the B2B

More information

Impact of B2B E-procurement Systems A Summary Report

Impact of B2B E-procurement Systems A Summary Report Impact of B2B E-procurement Systems A Summary Report Chandrasekar Subramaniam University of North Carolina at Charlotte csubrama@email.uncc.edu William Qualls University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

More information

The value of partners

The value of partners The value of partners HP engages with partners in a predictable way to enhance our mutual profitability, to grow our combined business, to augment capabilities, to extend market reach, and to increase

More information

Module 6. e-business and e- Commerce

Module 6. e-business and e- Commerce Module 6 e-business and e- Commerce 6.1 e-business systems 6.2 e-commerce systems 6.3 Essential e- commerce processes 6.4 Electronic payment processes 6.5 e-commerce application trends 6.6 Web store requirements

More information

The Evolving Role of Technology in Insurance KEY MANAGEMENT GROUP, INC

The Evolving Role of Technology in Insurance KEY MANAGEMENT GROUP, INC The Evolving Role of Technology in Insurance KEY MANAGEMENT GROUP, INC Key Trends Redefining the Agent s work in Insurance Market Insurance is slowly emerging from its traditional underwriting methods

More information

Conceptual Design of an E-Marketplace for Small and Medium Enterprises in the Turkish Machinery Industry

Conceptual Design of an E-Marketplace for Small and Medium Enterprises in the Turkish Machinery Industry Conceptual Design of an E-Marketplace for Small and Medium Enterprises in the Turkish Machinery Industry Meltem Denizel, Yıldız Arıkan* 1, Gündüz Ulusoy, Bülent Çatay Sabanci University, Orhanli, Tuzla,

More information

Community Development and Training Centre Semester 2 2006 IT 245 Management Information Systems

Community Development and Training Centre Semester 2 2006 IT 245 Management Information Systems Chapter 5 Electronic Commerce System Community Development and Training Centre Semester 2 2006 IT 245 Management Information Systems Electronic Commerce: Electronic commerce encompasses the entire online

More information

IN THIS WHITE PAPER EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. Sponsored by: IBM. September 2004

IN THIS WHITE PAPER EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. Sponsored by: IBM. September 2004 Global Headquarters: 5 Speen Street Framingham, MA 01701 USA P.508.872.8200 F.508.935.4015 www.idc.com WHITE PAPER Total Cost of Ownership for Point-of-Sale and PC Cash Drawer Solutions: A Comparative

More information

Please give us a call toll-free at (888) 238-0952 or visit our website at EasySBA.com for more information on our aggressive loan programs.

Please give us a call toll-free at (888) 238-0952 or visit our website at EasySBA.com for more information on our aggressive loan programs. February 9, 2015 Dear Intermediary, Diamond Financial would like to thank you for considering us in your future business acquisition financing opportunities. Business Intermediaries are our #1 source of

More information

Epistemologia. Check-mail marketing software and e-commerce customer behavior. Available online at www.epistemologia-journal.com ISSN: 0392-9760

Epistemologia. Check-mail marketing software and e-commerce customer behavior. Available online at www.epistemologia-journal.com ISSN: 0392-9760 Epistemologia Available online at ISSN: 0392-9760 Vol.11, Issue.01, Page: 56-60 (2014) Check-mail marketing software and e-commerce customer behavior Reza ijadi 1, ahmad sanaei 2 1 Professor Of Persian

More information

Reflection and Innovation of Undergraduate Teaching in E-Commerce

Reflection and Innovation of Undergraduate Teaching in E-Commerce Modern Economy, 2016, 7, 732-736 Published Online June 2016 in SciRes. http://www.scirp.org/journal/me http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/me.2016.76077 Reflection and Innovation of Undergraduate Teaching in E-Commerce

More information

Omni- Channel Benefits for B2B Commerce

Omni- Channel Benefits for B2B Commerce i Mtkang/Shutterstock B2B ecommerce trends and tides are signaling a shift towards a B2C- like Omni- Channel eco- system. arvato Systems North America 6 East 32nd Street, New York, New York 10016 United

More information

Fundamentals of Information Systems, Seventh Edition

Fundamentals of Information Systems, Seventh Edition Chapter 1 An Introduction to Information Systems in Organizations 1 Principles and Learning Objectives The value of information is directly linked to how it helps decision makers achieve the organization

More information

BENEFITS AND BARRIERS ON B2B E-MARKETPLACES. e Business Issue

BENEFITS AND BARRIERS ON B2B E-MARKETPLACES. e Business Issue emarket Services makes it easier for you to use electronic marketplaces for international business BENEFITS AND BARRIERS ON B2B E-MARKETPLACES e Business Issue By Sammy El Ghazaly emarket Services - Swedish

More information

PREPARING THE AEC INDUSTRY FOR THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY

PREPARING THE AEC INDUSTRY FOR THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY PREPARING THE AEC INDUSTRY FOR THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY Dharmaraj Veeramani 1 and Jeffrey S. Russell 2? 1 Associate Professor, Dept. of Industrial Eng., University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI 53706. Telephone

More information

Chapter 10 Objectives. Chapter 10 E-Commerce: A Revolution in the Way We Do Business. What Is E-Commerce? What Is E-Commerce? What Is E-Commerce?

Chapter 10 Objectives. Chapter 10 E-Commerce: A Revolution in the Way We Do Business. What Is E-Commerce? What Is E-Commerce? What Is E-Commerce? Chapter 10 Objectives Chapter 10 E-Commerce: A Revolution in the Way We Do Business Understand how e-commerce has changed today s business practices Discuss the positive impact of e-commerce on global

More information

A Software-as-a-Service Primer for Independent Software Vendors

A Software-as-a-Service Primer for Independent Software Vendors A Software-as-a-Service Primer for Independent Software Vendors By, Jeffrey M. Kaplan, Managing Director, THINKstrategies, Inc. Founder, SaaS Showplace Introduction Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is a fundamentally

More information

EXAMINING DIRECT & INTERACTIVE MARKETING APPLICATIONS IN A VARIETY OF SECTORS

EXAMINING DIRECT & INTERACTIVE MARKETING APPLICATIONS IN A VARIETY OF SECTORS 1 CHAPTER 14-2E EXAMINING DIRECT & INTERACTIVE MARKETING APPLICATIONS IN A VARIETY OF SECTORS Summary The applications of direct and interactive marketing are almost endless. This chapter has explored

More information

Introduction To Supply Chain Management

Introduction To Supply Chain Management Introduction To Supply Chain Management Reyhaneh Toodeh Bahambari 1, Zahra Jamali Nokhodchari 2,Roghayeh Fallah Vishkai 3, Faeghe Delavar 4,Maryam Jafari 5, Mohadeseh Bolooki 6 1,2,3,4,5,6-M.A. Student

More information

Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition. Chapter 1 An Introduction to Information Systems in Organizations

Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition. Chapter 1 An Introduction to Information Systems in Organizations Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition Chapter 1 An Introduction to Information Systems in Organizations 1 Principles and Learning Objectives The value of information is directly linked to

More information

Mineral rights ownership what is it and why is it so unique in the USA?

Mineral rights ownership what is it and why is it so unique in the USA? Mineral rights ownership what is it and why is it so unique in the USA? Introduction This document is designed to explain the concept of mineral rights ownership, and how such ownership differs between

More information

Mobile Cloud Computing In Business

Mobile Cloud Computing In Business Mobile Cloud Computing In Business Nilam S. Desai Smt. Chandaben Mohanbhai Patel Institute of Computer Applications, Charotar University of Science and Technology, Changa, Gujarat, India ABSTRACT Cloud

More information

E-BUSINESS VS E-COMMERCE

E-BUSINESS VS E-COMMERCE Chapter 3 E-BUSINESS VS E-COMMERCE Dr. BALAMURUGAN MUTHURAMAN 1 MEANING & DEFINITIONS Electronic business, commonly referred to as "e-business", or an internet business, may be defined as the application

More information

e- Finance in México

e- Finance in México e- Finance in México The purpose o f this paper is to describe the current state of e- finance in México, its origins, its challenges, and the opportunities for the development of e- business that lie

More information

Executive Summary of Mastering Business Growth & Change Made Easy

Executive Summary of Mastering Business Growth & Change Made Easy Executive Summary of Mastering Business Growth & Change Made Easy by David Matteson & Jeff Hansen, June 2008 You stand at a crossroads. A new division of your company is about to be launched, and you need

More information

Introduction to E-Commerce

Introduction to E-Commerce Introduction to E-Commerce 1/12/2016 What is E-commerce? Buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks Online purchase of goods or

More information

Camille Kerr and Corey Rosen, National Center for Employee Ownership

Camille Kerr and Corey Rosen, National Center for Employee Ownership Camille Kerr and Corey Rosen, National Center for Employee Ownership Companies with 1,000 or fewer employees, almost all of which are closely held, provide almost 60% of all private sector jobs in the

More information

Enterprise Release Management

Enterprise Release Management Enterprise Release Management Plutora helps organizations manage complex IT Feature Pipeline, IT Releases and IT Test Environments in a simple and transparent manner. Enterprise Releases Transparency and

More information

THE NEXT NORMAL Five reasons why e-invoicing is fast becoming business as usual

THE NEXT NORMAL Five reasons why e-invoicing is fast becoming business as usual WHITE PAPER THE NEXT NORMAL Five reasons why e-invoicing is fast becoming business as usual October 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. E-INVOICING AND TODAY S BUSINESS NORMS 2. WHERE WE ARE TODAY 3. HOW WE GOT

More information

Entrepreneurship and the Internet

Entrepreneurship and the Internet Entrepreneurship and the Internet Thomas Poulios Technological Education Institute of Larissa Larissa, Greece poulios@teilar.gr 1 E-Commerce Revenue as % of Total Revenue 0,4 in the USA 0,1 in the Western

More information

THE PROFESSIONAL PASSPORT JOBS NETWORK

THE PROFESSIONAL PASSPORT JOBS NETWORK THE PROFESSIONAL PASSPORT JOBS NETWORK HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM HAVING YOUR OWN WHITE LABEL JOB SITE THE NETWORK The Professional Passport Jobs Network The Professional Passport Jobs site has been specifically

More information

Successful Change Management Practices in the Public Sector. How governmental agencies implement organizational change management

Successful Change Management Practices in the Public Sector. How governmental agencies implement organizational change management Successful Change Management Practices in the Public Sector How governmental agencies implement organizational change management Table of Contents Introduction 1 Key Findings Identifying change drivers

More information

THE IMPACT OF E-COMMERCE ON SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES(SME) IN AUSTRALIA

THE IMPACT OF E-COMMERCE ON SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES(SME) IN AUSTRALIA THE IMPACT OF E-COMMERCE ON SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES(SME) IN AUSTRALIA Maruf Hasan and Indra Muljadi School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052,

More information

Operations and Supply Chain Management Prof. G. Srinivasan Department of Management Studies Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Operations and Supply Chain Management Prof. G. Srinivasan Department of Management Studies Indian Institute of Technology Madras Operations and Supply Chain Management Prof. G. Srinivasan Department of Management Studies Indian Institute of Technology Madras Lecture - 41 Value of Information In this lecture, we look at the Value

More information

An Introduction to Dynamic Commerce and Negotiated e-commerce

An Introduction to Dynamic Commerce and Negotiated e-commerce White Paper An Introduction to Dynamic Commerce and Negotiated e-commerce A Review and Analysis of Trends and Opportunities in Commerce on the Internet Prepared by Moai May, 2000 This document is one of

More information

Agent-based Systems: Do They Provide a Competitive Advantage? Onn Shehory IBM Haifa Research Labs

Agent-based Systems: Do They Provide a Competitive Advantage? Onn Shehory IBM Haifa Research Labs Agent-based Systems: Do They Provide a Competitive Advantage? Onn Shehory IBM Haifa Research Labs Organization Portfolio IBM is among the 5 largest companies in the world, yearly income more than 80 Billion

More information

ERP Enterprise Resource Planning

ERP Enterprise Resource Planning ERP Enterprise Resource Planning INTRODUCTION Effective forecasting, planning, and scheduling are fundamental to productivity and ERP is a fundamental way to achieve it. Properly implementing ERP will

More information

XML-Based Business-to-Business E-Commerce

XML-Based Business-to-Business E-Commerce 62-01-97 XML-Based Business-to-Business E-Commerce Michael Blank MOST COMPANIES HAVE ALREADY RECOGNIZED THE BENEFITS of doing business electronically. E-commerce takes many forms and includes supply chain

More information

Make technology your business advantage

Make technology your business advantage Make technology your business advantage $ Make technology your business advantage Microsoft helps small and midsize businesses (SMBs) make the use of technology a business advantage. Modernizing your systems

More information

OPERATIONAL CASE STUDY PRACTICE EXAM ANSWERS

OPERATIONAL CASE STUDY PRACTICE EXAM ANSWERS OPERATIONAL CASE STUDY PRACTICE EXAM ANSWERS The Practice Exam can be viewed at http://www.pearsonvue.com/cima/practiceexams/ These answers have been provided by CIMA for information purposes only. The

More information

Accenture and Oracle: Leading the IoT Revolution

Accenture and Oracle: Leading the IoT Revolution Accenture and Oracle: Leading the IoT Revolution ACCENTURE AND ORACLE The Internet of Things (IoT) is rapidly moving from concept to reality, as companies see the value of connecting a range of sensors,

More information

E-Business Supply Chain Management. Michael J. Shaw

E-Business Supply Chain Management. Michael J. Shaw 1 E-Business Supply Chain Management Michael J. Shaw A Process View of the Supply Chain 2 Supply Chain Planning Information Flows Supplier Product Flows Manufacturing Product Flows Distribution Product

More information

Internet Business Opportunities in the Forest Products Industry

Internet Business Opportunities in the Forest Products Industry Internet Business Opportunities in the Forest Products Industry Richard Vlosky, Ph.D. Professor-Forest Products Marketing Interim Director-Louisiana Forest Products Laboratory School of Renewable Natural

More information

Business ByDesign. The SAP Business ByDesign solution helps you optimize project management

Business ByDesign. The SAP Business ByDesign solution helps you optimize project management SAP Functions in Detail SAP Solutions for Small Businesses and Midsize Companies Efficient Project Management Drive Project Success with SAP Business ByDesign The SAP Business ByDesign solution helps you

More information

Enabling Secure, Diverse Communications for B2B and B2C Organizations

Enabling Secure, Diverse Communications for B2B and B2C Organizations WHITE PAPER Enabling Secure, Diverse Communications for B2B and B2C Organizations Introduction The ability to communicate with customers and business partners quickly, effectively and securely is crucial

More information

Enterprise Resource Planning Analysis of Business Intelligence & Emergence of Mining Objects

Enterprise Resource Planning Analysis of Business Intelligence & Emergence of Mining Objects Enterprise Resource Planning Analysis of Business Intelligence & Emergence of Mining Objects Abstract: Build a model to investigate system and discovering relations that connect variables in a database

More information

Electronic Commerce. Chapter Overview

Electronic Commerce. Chapter Overview Electronic Commerce Chapter Overview This chapter presents an overview of how e-commerce works, from the perspective of the organization and the customer. Businesses and individuals use e-commerce to reduce

More information

BPM 2015: Business Process Management Trends & Observations

BPM 2015: Business Process Management Trends & Observations BPM 2015: Business Process Management Trends & Observations 1 I BPM 2015: Business Process Management Trends & Observations BPM 2015: Business Process Management Trends & Observations Executive Summary

More information

Grooming Your Business for Sale

Grooming Your Business for Sale PRIVATE COMPANIES Grooming Your Business for Sale Plan for the Future but Be Prepared for the Unexpected KPMG ENTERPRISE 2 Grooming Your Business for Sale Grooming Your Business for Sale Plan for the Future

More information

Second- and Third-Generation Ecommerce

Second- and Third-Generation Ecommerce Second- and Third-Generation Ecommerce A Strategic Investment for Growth in Wholesale Distribution A Special Report from Benfield Consulting Table of Contents Executive Summary.... 3 From B2C to B2B: First-

More information

Partners for Growth Program

Partners for Growth Program Partners for Growth Program PARTNERS FOR GROWTH PROGRAM Accelerate Growth through Partnership Great partnerships are founded on common goals, shared commitments and mutual rewards. Epicor s goal is to

More information

IJMIE Volume 2, Issue 5 ISSN: 2249-0558

IJMIE Volume 2, Issue 5 ISSN: 2249-0558 E-Commerce and its Business Models Er. Nidhi Behl* Er.Vikrant Manocha** ABSTRACT: In the emerging global economy, e-commerce and e-business have increasingly become a necessary component of business strategy

More information

How To Make Internet Available For Free

How To Make Internet Available For Free Is Connectivity A Human Right? For almost ten years, Facebook has been on a mission to make the world more open and connected. For us, that means the entire world not just the richest, most developed countries.

More information

Preparing and Evaluating A Request for Proposals: How to Select a Vendor Andrew Ness, Mercer Investment Consulting

Preparing and Evaluating A Request for Proposals: How to Select a Vendor Andrew Ness, Mercer Investment Consulting Preparing and Evaluating A Request for Proposals: How to Select a Vendor Andrew Ness, Mercer Investment Consulting Although sometimes thought of as a necessary evil for sponsors of defined contribution

More information

Become A Paperless Company In Less Than 90 Days

Become A Paperless Company In Less Than 90 Days Become A Paperless Company In Less Than 90 Days www.docuware.com Become A Paperless Company...... In Less Than 90 Days Organizations around the world feel the pressure to accomplish more and more with

More information

Chapter 1 DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

Chapter 1 DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE Chapter 1 DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE Learning Objectives Understand today s turbulent business environment and describe how organizations survive and even excel in such an environment

More information

Reforming the Energy Vision Demonstration Project Assessment Report

Reforming the Energy Vision Demonstration Project Assessment Report STATE OF NEW YORK PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION Reforming the Energy Vision Demonstration Project Assessment Report Con Edison: Building Efficiency Marketplace November 10, 2015 INTRODUCTION In an order issued

More information

Evaluating and improving quality of administration

Evaluating and improving quality of administration Evaluating and improving quality of administration White Paper by Dr Ilia Bider of IbisSoft (www.ibissoft.se) Abstract. This paper is aimed at creating guidelines for projects that concern quality of administrative

More information

E-PROCUREMENT IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

E-PROCUREMENT IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY E-PROCUREMENT IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY By: Celeste Mozeik Page 1 of 14 Introduction E-Procurement is the electronic management of all procurement activities: it is the use of web communications to facilitate

More information

Integration and Infrastructure Software White Paper. Deploying a single, consolidated platform for e-commerce

Integration and Infrastructure Software White Paper. Deploying a single, consolidated platform for e-commerce Integration and Infrastructure Software White Paper Deploying a single, consolidated platform for e-commerce August 2005 Page 2 Contents 2 Introduction 2 The evolving challenges of e-commerce 4 Good candidates

More information

Digital Transformation In The Age Of The Customer: A Spotlight On B2B

Digital Transformation In The Age Of The Customer: A Spotlight On B2B A Custom Thought Leadership Spotlight Commissioned By Accenture Interactive October 2015 Digital Transformation In The Age Of The Customer: A Spotlight On B2B RESULTS FOCUSING ON B2B FROM THE THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

More information

Pennsylvania Act 129 Phase I Economic Impact Assessment Report

Pennsylvania Act 129 Phase I Economic Impact Assessment Report Pennsylvania Act 129 Phase I Economic Impact Assessment Report Bureau of Technical Utility Services PA Public Utility Commission August 2014 Statement of Intent On February 25, 2014 Commissioner Cawley

More information

After the Reduction in Force: How to Re-Energize Your Team

After the Reduction in Force: How to Re-Energize Your Team Overview This offering will take managers through a five-step process, providing detailed worksheets/activities for each step. The five steps that managers will be guided through are: 1. Personally prepare

More information

CRM MICROSOFT BUSINESS SOLUTIONS AXAPTA. A more efficient organisation overall

CRM MICROSOFT BUSINESS SOLUTIONS AXAPTA. A more efficient organisation overall CRM MICROSOFT BUSINESS SOLUTIONS AXAPTA Microsoft Business Solutions Axapta CRM empowers you to maximise benefits from all of your business relationships and generate profit. Key Benefits: Achieve greater

More information

Social Value briefing

Social Value briefing Social Value briefing About This Briefing This briefing is provided on behalf of the Department for Education s overarching strategic partnership for voluntary, community and social enterprise sector organisations

More information

Asia Insight: Online to Offline The Great Technology Migration

Asia Insight: Online to Offline The Great Technology Migration Asia Insight: Online to Offline The Great Technology Migration July 25, 2015 by Michael Oh of Matthews Asia A few years back, when we last wrote extensively about the significant developments undergone

More information

TRADITIONAL ERP ERP FOR ECOMMERCE?

TRADITIONAL ERP ERP FOR ECOMMERCE? TRADITIONAL ERP < OR > ERP FOR ECOMMERCE? How to evaluate your options to choose the right direction for your retail business. SALESWARP.COM TRADITIONAL ERP OR ERP FOR ECOMMERCE? The retail industry is

More information

Business @ the Speed of Thought

Business @ the Speed of Thought Bill Gates About the author Bill Gates wrote his first software program when he was thirteen years old. Two points about the experience seem clear. First, the ability to control something huge at a time

More information

Pragmatic but exciting view of the Smart world

Pragmatic but exciting view of the Smart world Pragmatic but exciting view of the Smart world major players have their say Executive summary Introduction The new market changes the rules NThere will to be a boom. Development will be gradual Is optimization

More information

DRAFT V5. PFSC 16/05/2014 Appendix 1. Outline Plan to deliver the County Council s investment property Strategy

DRAFT V5. PFSC 16/05/2014 Appendix 1. Outline Plan to deliver the County Council s investment property Strategy PFSC 16/05/2014 Appendix 1 Outline Plan to deliver the County Council s investment property Strategy 1. Strategic Drivers 1.1 The County Council s property investment strategy sets out how its property

More information

E-COMMERCE : ROLE OF E-COMMERCE IN TODAY'S BUSINESS

E-COMMERCE : ROLE OF E-COMMERCE IN TODAY'S BUSINESS International Journal of Computing and Corporate Research ISSN (Online) : 2249-054X Volume 4 Issue 1 January 2014 International Manuscript ID : 2249054XV4I1012014-10 E-COMMERCE : ROLE OF E-COMMERCE IN

More information

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning Objectives Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning Third Edition Chapter Eight ERP and Electronic Commerce After completing this chapter, you will be able to: Describe business-to-business b i e-commerce

More information