E-commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

E-commerce - Essay Example The changes brought about by the Internet have even broader implications. With the advent of Internet technology, every company becomes a global company, with the means and opportunity to buy and sell from, or strike an alliance with, any company, anywhere, anytime. This golden opportunity brings with it a level of complexity that surpasses anything that all but the most far-flung global enterprises have experienced to date. The recent explosion of information and information technology (IT) has induced corporate management to utilize its ingenuity in creating the best available means to manage the flow of information, control flow channels, and integrate the different assets (both hardware and software) of IT utilized by the different departments and divisions of the corporation. As companies invest heavily in information-based systems, they are vesting more (Cunningham 23-24). Like many processes, the design of a web site can be broken down into simple steps, and each step can then be further broken down in to tasks and actions. Most researches are based on the principle that most large projects can be reduced to ‘bite-sized chunks’, thus reducing the fear factor and avoiding the sense of being overwhelmed by the gargantuan nature of the task ahead (Coltman 57). Creating an action plan, setting achievable targets within sensible deadlines, and distributing responsibility appropriately, will ensure that the project moves forwards as smoothly as possible. There are four basic stages through which the planner has to move to create an effective project plan: awareness, familiarity, understanding and readiness (Eisenberg et al 38). The web is a publishing and communication medium, and as such it needs to be focused on the audience. As with any strategic development, the company should conduct some basic market research prior to the web site development. This will help keep the company planning process focused on the customer and demonstrate that the company is aware of the wider environment in which web site exists. There are many research tools and services on the web that can assist the company with this process (Eisenberg et al 49). When setting up a web site or e-business, the company should do as much research as it can to find out who is offering similar services on-line (and off-line). It is crucial to use search engines, company lists, newsgroups and word of mouth to get as much information on competitors as the company possibly can. Most importantly, the company should not stop researching once the e-company/dotcom is off the ground. It is important to carry on researching and refining (Nielsen 30). For organizations creating a new brand, or launching themselves on to the web for the first time, the selection of an effective domain name can be a difficult process. All the 'good' names seem to have gone, and the organization's preferred domain name might have been taken by someone with no apparent claim to that name (Lucas 98). Trademark and copyright issues aside, choosing a domain name is often simpler than many organizations think: the most important aspects are that it should be memorable, and easy to spell and type. Issues relating to brand reinforcement and literal, descriptive names are secondary, and can be dealt with by effective marketing and explanatory text on the web