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1 Review Questions
1. List the major EC activities.
These activities are detailed in Exhibit 2.1.
2. List the major EC mechanisms. These mechanisms are detailed in Exhibit 2.1.
3. Describe the sellingbuying process among a selling company, its suppliers, and
customers (consult Exhibit 2.2).
The company purchases goods from its suppliers (B2B), then prepares them for
external sales (Intrabusiness transactions), then sells them to end customers (B2C).
4. Describe the major steps in the buying process (consult Exhibit 2.3).
These activities are detailed in Exhibit 2.3.
Section 2.2 Review Questions
1. Define e-marketplace and describe its attributes.
An online market, usually B2B, in which buyers and sellers exchange goods or
services; the three types of e-marketplaces are private, public, and consortia.
2. What is the difference between a physical marketplace and an e-marketplace
(marketspace)?
A marketspace is an electronic marketplace. While traditional marketplaces are
constrained by their physical locations, marketspaces use technology to eliminate
this constraint (by being online).
3. List the components of a marketspace.
A marketspace consists of the following components: customers, sellers, goods,
infrastructure, a front end, a back end, intermediaries/business partners and
support services.
4. Define a digital product and provide five examples.
Digital products are goods that can be transformed to digital formats and delivered
over the Internet. Examples of digital products would include e-books, software,
graphics, video clips and electronic documentation.
5. Describe private versus public e-markets.
Private marketspaces are generally owned by a single firm, whereas public
marketspaces are generally owned and managed by independent third parties.
Public marketspaces are also known as exchanges
Section 2.3 Review Questions
1. Describe electronic storefronts and e-malls.
An electronic storefront is a single companys Web site where products and services
are sold. An electronic mall is an online shopping center where many stores are
located.
2. List the various types of stores and e-malls.
There are several different types of stores and malls including: general stores/malls,
specialized stores/malls, regional or global stores and pure online stores or clickand-mortar stores.
3. What are information portals? List the major types.
Information portals are single, personalized online points of access to business
services.
Section 2.6 Review Questions
1. Define blogs and bloggers.
A blog is a weblog, a published personal or corporate Web site. A blogger is the
author or editor of the blog.
2. Discuss the critical features that distinguish a blog from a user-produced regular
Web page.
A blog is differentiated by its personal nature, unique content and frequency of
updates.
3. Describe the potential advantages and risks of blogs.
Blogs are able to focus on niche areas and react quickly. The major risk is in this
quick reaction, where posts may not be as well-thought-out or vetted as desired.
4. Discuss the commercial uses of blogs and wikis.
Corporate uses of blogs mirror some of the characteristics of personal blogs and can
be used for informational or PR purposes. They can be updated regularly and may
put a human face on a firm.
5. Define wikis.
A blog that allows everyone to participate as a peer; anyone may add, delete, or
change content.
6. Define tags, folksonomy, and social bookmarking.
Tag a nonhierarchical keyword or term assigned to a piece of information (such as
an Internet bookmark, digital image, video clip, or any computer document).
Folksonomy the practice and method of collaboratively creating, classifying, and
managing tags to annotate and categorize content. Social Bookmarking Web
service for sharing Internet bookmarks; the sites are a popular way to store,
classify, share, and search links through the practice of folksonomy techniques on
the Internet and intranets.
Section 2.7 Review Questions
1. Define virtual communities and describe their characteristics.
A group of people with similar interests who interact with one another using the
Internet.
2. List the major types of virtual communities.
The major types are detailed in Exhibit 2.9.
3. Define social network.
A special structure made of individuals (or organizations). It includes the ways in
which individuals are connected through various social familiarities.
4. List some major social network sites.
Examples are listed on pages 80 and 81.
5. Describe the global nature of social networks.
Networks can be accessed globally, allowing users to interact with participants
around the world. Social networks are used all over the world.
6. Define social network analysis.
Social network analysis the mapping and measuring of relationships and flows
between people, groups, organizations, animals, computers or other information or
knowledge processing entities. The nodes in the network are the people and groups,
whereas the links show relationships or flows between the nodes. SNA provides both
a visual and a mathematical analysis of relationships.
7. Describe social networking.
Networks that are used mostly for creating contacts, providing requirements, and
enlisting members support for problem solving and knowledge sharing.
Section 2.8 Review Questions
1. Define virtual worlds.
A user-defined world in which people can interact, play, and do business. The most
publicized virtual world is Second Life.
2. Describe avatars. Why do we use them?
Avatars are animated computer characters that exhibit humanlike movements and
behaviors that individuals use to portray themselves in virtual worlds.
3. List some business activities in virtual worlds. Categorize them by type.
Some categories include creating and managing virtual businesses, conducting
business activities and providing services.
4. Describe virtual shopping.
Selecting products and e-commerce within a virtual world.
Section 2.9 Review Questions
1. What is Web 3.0, and how will it differ from Web 2.0?
Web 3.0 will be the convergence of Web 2.0 and business applications.
2. Define Semantic Web.
An evolving extension of the Web in which Web content can be expressed not only
in natural language, but also in a form that can be understood, interpreted, and
used by intelligent computer software agents, permitting them to find, share, and
integrate information more easily.
3. List the major potential inhibitors of e-commerce and Web 2.0.
Inhibitors could include: Security concerns Lack of Net Neutrality Copyright issues
Connectivity issues
4. What is Web 4.0?
The Web generation after Web 3.0. It is still an unknown entity. However, it is
envisioned as being based on islands of intelligence and as being ubiquitous.
5. What are the major computing and IT trends?
Examples include increasing speed, visualization, pervasive computing and others
predicted by McKinsey and Carr.
Section 3.1 Review Questions
1. Describe the nature of B2C EC.
B2C e-commerce is concerned with businesses selling products to customers.
2. What sells well in B2C?
A variety of goods sell well online. These goods include: computers and electronics,
sporting goods, office supplies, books and music, toys, health and beauty products,
entertainment, apparel, services and cars.
3. What are the characteristics of high-volume products and services?
The characteristics of high-volume products and services include: high brand
recognition, recognized guarantees, digitized formats, relatively inexpensive items,
frequently purchased items, commodities with standard specifications and wellknown, un-openable packaged items (that do not need to be inspected before
purchase).
Section 3.2 Review Questions
1. List the B2C distribution channel models.
The B2C distribution channel models include: direct marketing, pure-play e-tailers,
and clickand-mortar retailers.
2. Describe how mail-order firms are going online.
Companies are attempting to leverage their existing infrastructures by using a new
marketing system (online), in addition to their existing method (catalogs, etc.).
3. Describe the direct marketing model used by manufacturers.
The direct marketing model takes place without intermediaries between
manufacturers and buyers.
4. Describe virtual e-tailing.
These firms sell to customers over the Internet while not maintaining any type of
physical sales location.
Section 3.3 Review Questions
1. What travel services are available online that are not available off-line?
Some of the additional services provided include: travel tips, electronic travel
magazines, fare comparisons, currency conversion calculators, fare tracking,
worldwide place locators, a travel products store, expert opinions, travel news,
driving maps, chat rooms, bulletin boards and frequent-flyer deals.
2. List the benefits of online travel services to travelers and to service providers.
Online travel services provide the benefits of large amounts of free information,
24/7 availability and the potential for significant reductions in price. Service
providers are able to reach a broader potential market, and provide services that
may be evaluated on more than just price.
3. How do social networks facilitate travel?
Social networks allow for additional marketing through direct and indirect methods,
including word-of-mouth.
4. Describe corporate online travel services.
Corporations can use all the travel services that individuals do, but in addition may
receive extra services to assist with cost control and authorization.
Section 5.1 Review Questions
1. Define e-government.