An e-Business Model Ontology for Modeling e-Business

After explaining why business executives and academics should consider thinking about a rigorous approach to e-business models, we introduce a new e-Business Model Ontology. Using the concept of business models can help companies understand, communicate and share, change, measure, simulate and learn more about the different aspects of e-business in their firm. The generic e-Business Model Ontology (a rigorous definition of the e-business issues and their interdependencies in a company’s business model), which we outline in this paper is the foundation for the development of various useful tools for e-business management and IS Requirements Engineering. The e-Business Model Ontology is based on an extensive literature review and describes the logic of a “business system” for creating value in the Internet era. It is composed of four main pillars, which are Product Innovation, Infrastructure Management, Customer Relationship and Financial Aspects. These elements are then further decomposed.e-business models, ontology, e-business, strategy

E-Business Technologies

Internet technologies have revolutionized the business world by creating a global online marketplace. Appropriate understanding for the technologies and the impact of different design choices of technologies (including the Internet and open systems) dramatically affects both functional and non-functional aspects of the e-business solution.e-business, open systems, internet technologies

Insurance Industry and E-Business

亀井利明教授古稀記念特

Mapping the e-business profile and trends in cost management in the UK construction industry

The advancement of e-business applications and IT infrastructure has had massive impact on construction business processes over the last decade. The added effects of globalisation coupled with global economic recession have forced businesses to implement e-business applications within their organisations. It is clear in all industries, that e-business technologies have become a key strategic vehicle in improving performance. In Construction, e-business applications complement most of the business functions and have removed geographical boundaries resulting in a global construction market with increased competition, increased collaboration and have helped reducing the fragmentation of the industry. However, even though the successes are inevitable, it is scrutinized that the advancement is still constrained within the industry. Thus there is a need to undertake an analysis of current construction e-business usage and attitude of construction professionals towards e-business trends to ensure a productive and beneficial implementation of construction e-business tools within organisations. This study acknowledged the niche for research into current e-business usage in UK construction organisations and aimed to determine and map the use of ICT in construction cost management activities, and explore the attitudes of professionals towards e-business approaches. Initially a comprehensive literature review was carried out together with an online web search to identify what ICT and software packages are being used for construction cost management activities. Results from this review aided in developing the research questionnaire and a detailed an online structured survey was carried out using the chartered quantity surveying organisations within the UK. This paper presents the findings of the survey and discusses the ICT usage within construction organisations for cost management activities and the attitude of construction professionals towards BIM and construction e-business trends

SMEs e-business behaviour: a demographics and strategic analysis

The aim of this research was to understand the strategic uses of e-business systems and technologies by classifying companies and particularly small and medium businesses according to demographics as well as e-business behavior variables.The study was based on data from a large quantitative survey of European E-business W@tch for the period 2007 using questionnaire interviews (N=409). We employed two-step cluster analysis, multinomial logistic regression and stepwise descriminant analysis as the most appropriate methods for our analysis. The findings revealed six clusters associated to e-business adoption. The six groups differ in terms of demographic characteristics as well as e-business applications they use. We found that the following clusters exist: (a) Leaders: large companies that extensively use ebusiness in a strategic manner (b) innovators: use e-business in an way that allows them to innovate and differentiate from other companies (c Beginners: small and medium companies across all sectors that only recently start to use e-business (d) Unready Adopters: micro and small companies that lag behind (e) Late Adopters: small-size companies but larger that the Unready Adopters, that appear not to be interest in the advances of ICTs and (f) Laggards: micro companies with little use of e-business.The results of our survey can positively contribute to managers aiming to take advantage of technological advances in electronic business as well as to any researcher who study e-business management and applications

Policy, economic, and industry repercussions of current e-business diffusion rate In European food industry

European policy is focussed on promoting the business techniques and new ways of working which will provide the economic and social foundation of the information society in Europe. To help policy makers define their programmes, and to monitor the effectiveness of these policies, it is essential to examine progress as well as identify areas requiring active support. This study examined the repercussions of e-business progress in the food sector based on the findings of a large quantitative survey that investigated the extent, scope, nature of and factors affecting the speed of e-business development in Europe for the Food, beverages and tobacco sector. For this purpose a pan European survey was conducted by EU market observatory called “European e-Business Market Watch” during the period February and March 2003. This study is based on the findings and reports of “European e-Business Market Watch” which can be accessed in the Internet (www.e-businesswatch.org). This study discusses the economic implications for the individual enterprise, the industry structure as well as policy issues such as quality assurance, promotion of ICT education, training and “cultural” change. Regarding economic implications, e-business has played a indirect role because it has significantly involved only in Large Scale Enterprises which proportionally are a small percentage in food industry. For SMEs, the impact of e-business was mainly to the ICT facilities currently at their disposal: websites, the Internet, and e-mail. Regarding industry implications, e-business has not led to significant structural changes, but it has steamed up certain processes. E-business has armoured supply chain management with advanced but sophisticated network technologies. Regarding policy issues, an e-business solution capable of guaranteeing food safety to consumers and vertically integrating business operations across the supply chain would have a good chance of extraordinary diffusion in the food industry