Electronic Commerce : Strategies and Models for Business-to-Business Trading

Business-to-business electronic commerce is booming but for many companies attempting to do business electronically, it seems like a nightmare journey into the unknown rather than the golden road to competitive advantage. Firms are finding that prices are under pressure, profit margins are hit, new competitors appear from nowhere and benefits are hard to realize. Drawing on case studies of companies such as Marshall Industries, FedEx, Industry.Net, Amazon.com, Citius Belgium and TradeZone, Paul Timmers addresses the critical issues facing managers today as they endeavour to move into a new business environment. Looking at the opportunities and the risks involved, the book provides in-depth practical examples of how innovative companies are developing competitive advantage by doing business on the Internet. The author then goes on to show companies how they can organize their business, by providing a systematic classification of electronic commerce business models and a range of tools for the development of Internet marketing strategies. Finally, a number of scenarios provide a window on the future of business-to-business electronic commerce. In a clear and concise way, this book will help dispel the uncertainty surrounding electronic commerce by explaining how the reader can overcome obstacles and reservations and capitalize on the many benefits on offer.