Page 52 - Introduction to Electronic Commerce and Social Commerce

Internet Exercises 29

Ethics 5. Debate: Will online fashion hurt traditional fashion
Extranet retailers?
Intrabusiness EC 6. Search for information on the enterprise of the future. Start
Intranet with ibm.com. In one or two pages, summarize how the
Sharing economy enterprise of the future differs from today’s enterprise.
Social business 7. Read McDonald’s activities at P&G (McDonald 2011).
Social commerce (SC) Discuss the various e-commerce and other digital activi-
Social computing ties. Discuss the need for such a revolution.
Social (digital) customer 8. Investigate why the one day sales during Singles’ Day in
Social enterprise China generated more than twice the money generated on
Social media Cyber Monday in the USA (see Wang and Pfanner 2013).
Social network 9. Discuss the impacts of EC on the fashion industry.
Social networking
Social networking services (SNSs)
Tendering (bidding) system INTERNET EXERCISES
Value proposition
Virtual (pure-play) organizations 1. Enter www.excitingcommerce.com and find recent
Web 2.0 information about emerging EC models and the future
of the field.
2. Visit amazon.com and locate recent information in the
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS following areas:
(a) Find the five top-selling books on EC.
1. Compare brick-and-mortar and click-and-mortar orga- (b) Find a review of one of these books.
nizations. (c) Review the personalized services you can get from
2. Why is buying with a smart card from a vending machine Amazon.com and describe the benefits you receive
considered EC? from shopping there.
3. Explain how EC can reduce cycle time, improve employ- (d) Review the products directory.
ees’ empowerment, and facilitate customer service. 3. Visit priceline.com and zappos.com and identify the
4. Compare and contrast viral marketing with affiliate various business revenue models used by both. Discuss
marketing. their advantages.

5. Identify the contribution of Web 2.0. What does it add 4. Go to nike.com and design your own shoes. Next, visit
to EC? products.office.com and create your own business card.
6. Discuss the reasons companies embark on social Finally, enter jaguar.com and configure the car of your
commerce. dreams. What are the advantages of each activity? The
7. Distinguish an enterprise social network from a public disadvantages?
one such as Facebook. 5. Try to save on your next purchase. Visit pricegrabber.
8. Carefully examine the non-technological limitations of com, yub.com, and buyerzone.com. Which site do you
EC. Which are company-dependent and which are prefer? Why?
generic? 6. Enter espn.go.com, 123greetings.com, and facebook.
9. Relate the social customer to social business. com and identify and list all the revenue sources on each
of the companies’ sites.
7. Enter philatino.com, stampauctioncentral.com, and
TOPICS FOR CLASS DISCUSSION statusint.com. Identify the business model(s) and reve-
AND DEBATES nue models they use. What are the benefits to sellers? To
buyers?
1. How can EC be both a business pressure and an organiza- 8. Go to zipcar.com. What can this site help you do?
tional response to other business pressures? 9. Enter digitalenterprise.org. Prepare a report regarding
2. Debate: Does digital business eliminate the “human the latest EC models and developments.
touch” in trading? In addition, if “yes,” is it really bad? 10. Visit some websites that offer employment opportuni-
3. Why do companies frequently change their business ties in EC (such as execunet.com and monster.com).
models? What are the advantages? The disadvantages? Compare the EC salaries to salaries offered to accoun-
4. Debate: EC eliminates more jobs than it creates. Should tants. For other information on EC salaries, check
we restrict its use and growth? Computerworld’s annual salary survey and salary.com.