Towards an e-commerce business strategy

There is a pervasive and continued interest in the fundamentals of formulating an organisational strategy through the opportunities afforded by information systems and technology (IS/IT). One specific classification of IS/IT is recognised in the form of electronic commerce (e-commerce) which organisations are using to revolutionalise their business models [1,2]. This paper defines and analyses such systems and considers their impact on competitive "virtual" trading. It argues, in particular, the relationship between e-commerce and its potential influence on the value chain. The motivation for the paper is to consider the impacts such systems have on business performance [3]. In this respect, it is believed that their nature is recognised as offering different guidelines on approaches to organisational strategy. A number of European illustrative case examples are outlined through a descriptive model. This is augmented with an emphasis upon environmental, political social-cultural and legal factors. The paper concludes with a perspective on current and future organisational developments in this respect.

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