Page 20 - Electronic Commerce

Preface

networking Web sites to increase sales and do market research. The emergence of mobile
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commerce business activities and location-aware online services is discussed. The chapter
also explains how companies are using Web auction sites to sell goods to their customers
and generate advertising revenue.
Chapter 7, “The Environment of Electronic Commerce: Legal, Ethical, and Tax
Issues,” discusses the legal and ethical aspects of intellectual property usage and the
privacy rights of customers. Online crime, terrorism, and warfare are covered as well.
The chapter also explains that the large number of government units that have jurisdic-
tion and power to tax makes it essential that companies doing business on the Web
understand the potential liabilities of doing business with customers in those jurisdictions.

Technologies for Electronic Commerce
The third section of the book includes four chapters that describe the technologies of
electronic commerce and explains how they work. Chapter 8, “Web Server Hardware and
Software,” describes the computers, operating systems, e-mail systems, utility programs,
and Web server software that organizations use in the operation of their electronic com-
merce Web sites, including cloud computing technologies. The chapter describes the
problem of unsolicited commercial e-mail (UCE, or spam) and outlines both technical and
legal solutions to the problem.
Chapter 9, “Electronic Commerce Software,” describes the basic functions that all
electronic commerce Web sites must accomplish and explains the various software
options used to perform those functions by companies of various sizes. This chapter
includes an overview of Web services, database management, shopping cart, cloud com-
puting, and other types of software used in electronic commerce. The chapter also
includes a discussion of Web hosting options for online businesses of various sizes.
Chapter 10, “Electronic Commerce Security,” discusses security threats and
countermeasures that organizations can use to ensure the security of client computers
(and smartphones and tablet devices), communications channels, and Web servers.
The chapter emphasizes the importance of a written security policy and explains how
encryption and digital certificates work. The chapter also includes an update on the most
recent computer viruses, worms, and other threats.
Chapter 11, “Payment Systems for Electronic Commerce,” presents a discussion of
electronic payment systems, including mobile banking, digital cash, digital wallets, and the
technologies used to make stored-value cards, credit cards, debit cards, and charge cards
work. The chapter describes how payment systems operate, including approval of trans-
actions and disbursements to merchants, and describes how banks use Internet technolo-
gies to improve check clearing and payment-processing operations. The use of mobile
technologies for making payments and doing online banking is outlined. The chapter also
includes a discussion of the threats that phishing attacks and identity theft crimes pose
for individuals and online businesses.

Integration
The fourth and final section of the book includes one chapter that integrates the business
and technology strategies used in electronic commerce. Chapter 12, “Planning for
Electronic Commerce,” presents an overview of key elements that are typically included

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