TASKS FOR "What does it mean to be doing business electronically?"

Task 1: Doing Business Electronically

If "doing business electronically" is not an adequate definition, what is?

• Write down your own definition of what electronic business is and what it means to you

Back to Overview of electronic business

Task 2: What is electronic business like today?

Much of what we call electronic business is about communicating using the telecommunication infrastructure.

· Draw a quick flow diagram which would show a business process online. An example could be the process of a sale occurring online, from the moment someone decides they want something to the moment they finally receive it.

o This is a conceptual flow diagram so there's no need to worry about technology as such

• There should be around 9 or 10 stages to the process

Back to Overview of electronic business

Task 3: Perspectives

Have a think about some of these issues and write some responses down

• What's moving people to do their business online - what are the business and personal drivers?
• Why would someone want to use a particular electronic system - what are the system attributes that would influence him?
• What makes a bricks-and-mortar business need to consider an electronic business approach?
• How do others benefit from a company with an electronic business offering?
• What is it about the Internet that makes electronic business a realistic option?
• Why do you suppose some electronic business approaches fail?
• Why is it risky to use electronic business?

Back to Overview of electronic business

Task 4: Important Players

Have a look at these sites:

http://www.amazon.com/
http://www.expedia.com/
http://www.ebay.com/

You may find there's a localised version of these sites for your country.

• Can you see any common ground between the cases and the sites?
• Are there any very distinctive differences between them?

Task 5: Real World Perspectives 1

You need to speak to a number of people from different walks of life. These conversations need only be a few moments of your time, and should include where possible a mixture of professional workers, students, people who are homemakers, senior citizens and young people still in compulsory education. The aim of the conversation is to find out how electronic business plays a part in their everyday lives.

• Do they engage in any learning using online technologies?
• Do they do their shopping online?
• Is electronic business particularly useful to any one group in society?
• Why do they engage in any of these electronic business activities - is it to save money, time?
• Is there a pattern in user behaviour?
• What are their feelings about doing it online?

Make sure you keep good notes.

Task 6: Real World Perspectives 2

You need to speak (where possible) to people in a business environment. These conversations need only be a few moments of your and their time. You could try someone who owns a store, perhaps someone in a professional business (such as lawyers or an architect), a manager in a large business. Do you know anyone who runs a "dot-com"?

You need to ask similar questions as before and also:

• How is electronic business useful to their organisation?
• How could it be used within their organisations?
• What kind of "not-so-obvious" organisations could take advantage of an electronic business offering?

Once again, make sure you keep good notes

Back to Overview of electronic business

Task 7: The Difference between the Virtual World and the Real World

Have a think about the real world and the virtual world:

• What significant attributes make a virtual organisation different from a physical organisation?

Back to Overview of electronic business

Task 8: Business Processes

Have a think about what you know about new business processes:

• What changes in each of the significant processes have quite clearly occurred since the inception of the Internet?

Back to Overview of electronic business

Task 9: Business Benefits

Have a think about different types of business:

• How small businesses are affected differently compared to these bigger companies?

Task 10: Different Effects

You need to look for a number of businesses that operate in the same industry - for example retailing books, selling pharmaceuticals, or offering a service. You should try and look at about 4 or 5 electronic businesses and about the same number of bricks-and-mortar companies.

• How do they use technology in different ways to help?
• Are there any obvious differences between those that are online and those that are not?

Now take a look at Overview of electronic business tutorial