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Chapter 5 E-business strategy 313

Strategy implementation

Strategy Strategy implementation includes all tactics used to achieve strategic objectives. The main
implementation tactics and actions required are summarized in Figure 5.20. These actions are described in
Planning, actions and
controls needed to more detail in the remainder of Part 2 and in Part 3 as indicated in the figure.
achieve strategic goals. Chapter 10 focuses on approaches to managing the change associated with change man-
agement. Figure 10.2 summarizes different implementation marketing activities that need to
be completed by an online retailer structured according to customer acquisition, conversion
and retention activities.

4.
Strategy implementation

Planning Execution Control

Implementation issues in later chapters
• Supply chain management strategies (Chs 7 and 8)
• E-marketing strategies (Chs 8 and 9)
• Planning, scheduling and change management (Ch 10)
• E-business analysis and design (Ch 11)
• Implementation, maintenance and control (Ch 12)

Figure 5.20 Elements of strategy implementation for the e-business

Mini Case Study 5.5 E-business implementation at Dow Chemical

Damanpour (2001) suggests that the main factors needed for success in e-business implementation are:
flexibility and speed, collaboration and execution, and demand fulfilment (integration of supply chain). Dow
Chemical provides a good example of a successful implementation based on this approach and resulting
from an e-business strategy of combining use of their own site with independent e-marketplaces to com-
municate with existing and potential customers. Their e-business strategy has been recognized by many
industry awards and had resulted in 15% of company revenue being traded electronically by 2007.
The results in 2001 which demonstrate Dow’s success in managing e-business partnerships include the
following.

Creation of industry exchanges
Approximately 200 customer ERP connections exist, covering North America, Europe, Latin America and
some Pacific countries. Dow pioneered the world’s first fully integrated global implementation of the enter-
prise resource planning system SAP in 1996.
Dow has conducted more than 1,400 transactions through chemical exchange, Elemica (www.elemica.com),
transacting with BASF, Bayer, Ciba, HB Fuller and Procter & Gamble on the sell-side; and with BASF, Bayer,
Celanese, CHEMCENTRAL, Ciba, Degussa, Shell and Solvay on the buy-side.