Impact of E-commerce Technologies on Business - Assignment Example

Impact of E-commerce Technologies on Business Name Adel Al Hammadi 200305247 Mohamed Salmeen H00007324 Mubark Al Jabri 200212345 Instructor’s Name: Dr. Alexandros Alexandropoulos Course Code & Name: ITEC N415 - Applied Research Skills Date of Submission: Question 2: “Can e-commerce technologies be used to help a business to grow”. The objective of this report attempts to discuss the above thesis statement and focus on the impact of information technology has had on businesses regarding operations management and the options available to businesses. This report used secondary research methods. Journals, newspaper, books and magazines were used to write this report. Previous research on the same topic was conducted by OECD (Retried from http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/236588526334); the aim of the past research was to find economic and social impact of e-commerce technologies. This research that I conducted address the short coming that were found in the past research, in that research it only focuses on the economic and social aspect of e-commerce technologies. But this report has touched on all areas of e-commerce technologies. The impact the study will have on businesses: in the past most businesses particularly small businesses have shy away in adapting e-commerce technologies, and that has been costly to them. This research will help businesses to shed that stigmatization that technologies are expensive and that only large companies can be able to afford them. The objectives of this report included: Role information systems play in the administration of a business or organization; Decision-making processes for changing or implementing new information systems; Factors that may potentially influence the implementation of information systems; Significance of the end-user participating in the decision making process for changing or implementing new information systems; Process of evaluating alternative solutions for changing or implementing new information systems. The most significant objective is the Significance of the end-user participating in the decision making process for changing or implementing new information systems. Most users in the country are not aware of the current trends that appear in the use of e-commerce technologies. Partly, the aim of this report is sensitize people that it is safe to use e-commerce technologies and have many advantages. Activities that have used to develop and finalized the objectives is to involve my fellow students and the community at large to criticized and feedback on the best way this report can be implemented to help businesses that are found within the country. Question 3: The research strategy which was applied in this report was a qualitative strategy. This strategy aim was to gather an in-depth understanding of e-commerce technologies that are being used in business and the reasons why they are being used in the same context. Qualitative method investigates the why and how of decision making, not just what, where, when? of the larger research. I was able to cope with large volume of resources is because each time I came across information that were useful to the report I was able to write them as draft from different sources then I was able to compile all the necessary information. I used a general technique of writing important information then compiling the same information into sensible material that was used in this report. Qualitative research will use different methods of collecting data, such as the narratology, storytelling, grounded theory, shadowing or classical ethnography. Forms of the data collected can include group discussions and interviews, reflection and observation, various texts, pictures, field notes and other materials. Tools that are used in quantitative research include: market segmentation; perceptual mapping; conjoint analysis; price elasticity, telephone survey, mail survey and online survey. The research method which was employed in this report was the use of textbooks, journals, pictures and other materials such as websites. With the help of University College and search engines helped me to correct relevant materials that were used in this report. Question 4: Out of three sources, I found academic papers to be appropriate sources to be used in the paper. This is because, as compared to books or websites, research paper are current sources of information. The three databases were http://libraries.hct.ac.ae/, http://0-site.ebrary.com.library.hct.ac.ae, and http://0-proquest.safaribooksonline.com.library.hct.ac.ae/. The one that provide promising results was http://libraries.hct.ac.ae/ because had relevant materials that could be used in this paper. The author that was most influential was Fulbright (2010). Appropriate information was concerning the topic in questions was found through the writing of the article. The book that was significance about the research paper was “Building eCommerce Applications” by DevZone, D. F. The book contained appropriate information concerning the topic in question. Additionally the book contained new information that enabled me to write the report easily. The internet resource that was significant was “Challenges Facing E-Commerce Businesses” by Fulbright. D, it contained relevant information that was helpful during writing of this report. Out of all the academic articles the most significant one was “Economic and Management” by Gaile-Sarkane, E (2007). It has information that was appropriately used in this paper. Out of all the resources “Economic and Management” by Gaile-Sarkane, E (2007) was most appropriate because almost all the other sources combined, the information were found in this source. In my opinion I will prefer using academic articles instead of books because academic articles are recently written and contain most recent information concerning the topic in question as compared to books. Yes! The range of sources was appropriate used, because all the information about the topic was found in the listed references in the report. The different sources that I used to gather information were books, websites, journals, and newspapers. I used internet as part of the sources because appropriate information was found in the paper. Majority of information were taken from the internet because all sources have been digitalized through appropriate websites. m. I get information from insert sources because these information cannot be trusted. n. No! all the information were appropriately information used in the context of the paper. o. The first information source used in the paper was Andam, Z. R. (2003). e-commerce and e-business . Retrieved from http://www.apdip.net/publications/iespprimers/eprimer-ecom.pdf. Reason being it was easily available and contained appropriate information for the report. p. My preferred source of information is Research journals because it contains latest information that was used in the report. Question 5 a. Criteria used to select reputable Online sources, was first those online sources that have been preferred by the university and secondly, online sources that are well recognized in the academic industry. b. Internet sources are reliable because they contained references which the authors which can be traced. c. The primary source is the raw data or information and this can be found through interview, data collections, questioners, practices etc. Secondary data can found through books, journals, websites etc. In the report I used secondary data such as books, journals and websites. d. The criteria that I followed to indentify reputable print sources were those with references or had authors cited in them. For example, Bonnett, K. (2000) and Clarke, R. (2001). e. The quality of research was appropriate, because information used in this paper was found in these sources. Question 6 a. The claim that I can make on the report is that it can used by businesses in the country to increase their sales revenues. b. My reason for this claim is because most businesses have been able to expand and increase their sales revenue because they have been able to appropriately employed different e-commerce technologies. c. one of the argument is “The Internet is headed towards rewriting the regulations and rules of entire firms which will have wide opportunities. Lack of these will make firms irrelevant due to the high level of competition. Business competition has been revolutionarized by e-commerce”. d. my counter claim is through for that statement. e. I organize my argument according to the standard procedure of doing this. f. The two strongest arguments that support this claim are as follows: Management of businesses will therefore required to understand electronic technology as an engine of business expansion/growth and turnover rather than expense. However, to succeed in e-commerce, there are a few components which are required of the seller and the buyer, the businesses, the internet and even the government. The seller is required to have a corporate website with efficient e-commerce competences e.g. a server for transactions. g. The two strongest arguments that e-commerce technologies has a negative influences on business are as follows: 1.When any market develops, there is a fine balance between supply and demand. The story is no different in E-commerce, in the U.K whatever a trend starts several individual or companies jump and soon supply start to exceed the demand and that causes all kinds of issues in the market (Milutinovic and Patricelli, 2002). For example, bad business practices are being adopted and employed by many companies trying to survive the game. 2. E-commerce is a very expensive and capital intensive game, and the winner takes the entire market share. Companies that build the scale faster tend to destroy the rest of the players in the E-commerce market. For example, E-bay controls almost 60 per cent of e-auction while the rest of the players share the 40 per cent. This is happening in the U.K, Tesco has torn away from the rest of the retail market, while the rest are trailing this market. h. One area of controversy about the impact of e-commerce to business is Personal service: Although there is little interaction in e-commerce, it cannot provide the richness of interaction that is provided by personal service. For most companies, e-commerce technology provides the equivalent of an information-rich counter attendant rather than a salesperson. This is another reason why people don’t like to do online shopping. I don’t agree with this statement because different e-commerce technologies have increased our interaction on how business is being done. i.from the argument which I have presented which is the most important is: The ability to bargain and participate in online auctions enables the buyers to buy whatever goods they can afford at the best prices. Mass customization: E-commerce has also enabled for mass customization of products. This means that there are certain ordering systems that allow customers to order products which they choose according to their personal specifications. The buyers can make modifications to the product being sold online and the manufacturer effects the modifications to suit the customers unique specifications. For example, if a customer chooses a car online and want it modified, the manufacturer takes it back to the factory to modify it before delivering it Network production: This refers to the means by which manufacturers can parcel out the production of certain goods to contractors who are in different parts of the world but connected together through networks. It enables the work to be done faster and more efficiently because it reduces costs, makes marketing more strategic and facilitates selling of add-on products whenever they are required. E-commerce also acts as an equalizer because it allows any type of enterprise to acquire a place in the global market. This argument will differentiate one business from the other, currently online users are much informed and will try to choose from those online stores that offer quality products at affordable prices. i. From the arguments you have presented in your literature review which one is the most important and why? Read More