Electronic commerce personnel in the age of clicks and mortar: toward a framework of individual and project level skills

With the explosive growth of Internet, the need for individuals to build and maintain electronic commerce programs has emerged. E-commerce sites have the dual challenges of appealing enough to users to purchasing online as well as running flawlessly to support secure transactions. Thus, e-commerce personnel need to integrate the creativity of delighting users with reliable technology. This paper examines the staffing of e-commerce teams and particularly focuses on skills needed and how they should be arranged. This paper details how e-commerce staffing should include IT professionals, web publication specialists, and hybrid professionals with skill profiles combining IT and publication abilities. This paper also presents a model of the particular skill set needed for staffing an e-commerce team. Finally, the paper discusses e-commerce positions in light of likely trends in employment and technology.