Page 420 - Introduction to Electronic Commerce and Social Commerce

408 12 Implementation Issues: From Globalization to Justification, Privacy, and Regulation

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS making. Customers are not informed about this, nor are
they being asked for permission. (Names are not keyed in.)
1. Your state government is considering an online vehicle Are the clerks’ actions ethical? Compare this with the use
registration system. Develop a set of EC metrics and dis- of cookies.
cuss how these metrics differ from that of the existing 18. Why do many companies and professional organiza-
manual system. tions develop their own codes of ethics? After all, ethics
2. Enter businesscase.com and find material on ROI anal- are generic and “one size may fit all.”
ysis. Discuss how ROI is related to a business case.
3. A craftsperson operates a small business making wooden
musical instruments in a small U.S. town. The business TOPICS FOR CLASS DISCUSSION
owner is considering using EC to increase the business’s AND DEBATES
reach to the nation and the world. How can the business
owner use EC to increase richness to make the products 1. Debate: An airline offers extensive travel services online
more attractive to consumers? including hotels, car rentals, vacations, and so forth all
4. How would you identify competitors of your small busi- over the globe. Its online business should be autonomous.
ness who want to launch an EC project? 2. The stock market success of e-commerce and social
5. Discuss the pros and cons of going global online to sell commerce companies vary greatly from very successful
a physical product. (e.g., Google, LinkedIn) to poor (Groupon, Zynga).
6. Find some SME EC success stories and identify the Examine the IPOs of 2013 through 2016 and try to
common elements in them. explain the CSF. Write a report.
7. Submit three questions regarding EC strategy for small 3. As the principal in a small business that already has an
businesses to linkedin.com and answers.yahoo.com. Get effective Web presence, you are considering taking your
some answers and summarize your experience. company global. Discuss the main issues that you will
8. After viewing the video “FiftyOne Global E-Commerce have to consider in making this strategic decision.
Demo” (2:08 min) at youtube.com/watch?v=2YazivwAm2o 4. Discuss what the RIAA hopes to achieve by using law-
&fea-ture=related, consider the following: FiftyOne suits against college students for copyright infringement.
Global E-Commerce (previously called Borderfree; now Research the issue of how will the proposed Copyright
part of pitneybowes.com), claims to address all major Enforcement Bill, if enacted, support further RIAA law-
issues associated with global EC. Check what they do. suits? Find the status of the bill. Write a report.
9. Discuss how a company embarking on global e-com- 5. The proposed Copyright Enforcement Bill defines every-
merce would approach each challenge such as payments one that creates a website as a publisher and is liable
or logistics, without the assistance of a company like under the Act. Enforcement under this proposed bill for
Borderfree. unintentional use or distribution of copyrighted content
10. Would these challenges be insurmountable? For each on business websites could result in the confiscation of a
challenge, explain why or why not. company’s domain name or server, which in turn could
11. Would the type or size of a business affect whether it potentially disable the company’s e-mail capability—
could successfully navigate these challenges to global substantially killing commerce. What steps should a busi-
e-commerce? Explain your conclusions. ness take to minimize the risk? Discuss.
12. What can EC websites and social networks do to ensure 6. Should shoppers turn off their smartphones when they
the safeguarding of personal information? visit a store or mall? Or does having the phones on lead
13. Privacy is the right to be left alone and free of unreason- to better shopping and shorter lines at cash registers?
able personal intrusions. What are some intrusions that (See Kerr 2014).
you consider “unreasonable”? 7. Many hospitals, health maintenance organizations, and
14. Who should control minors’ access to “offensive” mate- federal agencies are converting, or plan to convert, all
rial on the Internet—parents, the government, or ISPs? patient medical records from paper to electronic storage
Why? (using imaging technology) in compliance with the Patient
15. Discuss the conflict between freedom of speech and the Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPAC), also known
control of offensive websites. as “Obamacare.” The PPAC mandates that all medical
16. Discuss the possible insufficient protection of opt-in and records shall be freely disseminated to insurance compa-
opt-out options. What measures would satisfy you? nies, the U.S. government, and government- approved
17. Clerks at some convenience stores enter their customers’ third-party vendors. Once completed, electronic storage
data (gender, approximate age, and so on) into the com- will enable expeditious access to most records anytime
puter. These data are then processed for improved decision- and from anywhere. However, the availability of these