Chapter 12 - Managing Electronic Commerce Implementations

What is the evolution of web site functions?

1. 1994 - 1996: static brochure 2. 1996 - 1999: transaction processing 3. 1999 - 2007: enhanced transaction processing 4. 2007 - present: platform and media integration

What are the three types of web sites that are utilized in a project?

1. test version 2. demonstration version 3. production version

one of the most common elements of electronic commerce initiatives that companies outsource using a partial or component outsourcing approach is web hosting activity; the service provider has the continuous staffing and expertise needed to keep an electronic commerce site up and running 24 hours a day, seven days a week (this kind of service is often called _______________)

24/7 operation

an _______________ is a company that performs a function similar to that of an incubator, however, they tend to work with entrepreneurs who have already developed their idea into a business as opposed to incubators, who work with entrepreneurs who are still at the "I have a great idea" stage

accelerator

an _______________ keeps track of multiple web sites in use by a project or keeps track of the projects that will combine to create a larger web site

account manager

investors, often called _______________, fund the initial startup in the hopes that, in general, the business will grow rapidly so that in a short time they can sell their interest in the company at a profit to the next round of investors, called venture capitalists

angel investors

most large businesses have _______________ who maintain accounting, human resources, and logistics software

applications specialists

the _______________ should be a member of the internal staff that sets the objectives for the project

business manager

a _______________ is a company that handles incoming customer telephone calls and emails for other companies

call center

major investments in equipment, personnel, and other assets are called _______________ or _______________

capital projects capital investments

management researchers have developed strategies for _______________, which is the process of helping employees cope with changes that new e-commerce initiatives may bring

change management

a company's top technology manager is its _______________

chief information officer (CIO)

content management functions require that the company hires _______________ to write original content and _______________ or _______________ to purchase existing material and adapt it for use on the site

content creators content managers content editors

_______________ personnel help design and implement customer relationship management activities in the electronic commerce operation

customer service

most electronic commerce sites require a _______________ function to support activities such as transaction processing, order entry, inquiry management, or shipment logistics

database administration

businesses use tactics called _______________ to improve the value that the business provides to its customers

downstream strategies

in many online business projects, the company outsources the initial site design and development to launch the project quickly; the outsourcing team then trains the company's information systems professionals in the new technology before handing the operation of the site over to them; this approach is called _______________

early outsourcing

an _______________ is a company that offers startup companies a physical location with offices, accounting and legal assistance, computers, and Internet connections at a very low monthly cost

incubator

venture capitalists invest large amounts of money hoping that in a few years, the company will be large enough to sell stock to the public in an event called an _______________

initial public offering (IPO)

companies today recognize the value of the accumulated mass of employees' knowledge about the business and its processes; the value of an organization's pool of this type of knowledge is called _______________

intellectual capital

in the more traditional approach to information systems outsourcing, the company's information systems professionals do the initial site design and development work, implement the system, and operate the system until it has become a stable part of the business operation; once the company has gained all the competitive advantage provided by the system, the maintenance of the online business system can be outsourced so that the company's information systems professionals can turn their attention and talents to developing new technologies that will provide further competitive advantage; this approach is called _______________

late outsourcing

the businesses that survive the accelerator application process are entered into a formal program in which the entrepreneurs spend a set period of time working closely with a group of mentors (called a _______________) assembled by the accelerator to convert the idea into a viable business

mentor network

measurements that companies can make to assess the value of benefits are called _______________

metrics

the internal systems administrator also needs sufficient staff to maintain full 24/7 operation and site security; these _______________ staff functions include load estimation and load monitoring, resolving network problems as they arise, designing and implementing fault-resistant technologies, and managing any network operations that are outsourced to service providers or telephone companies

network operations

although many organizations operate their online marketing function out of their traditional marketing departments, employees with the position of _______________ specialize in the specific techniques used to build brands and increase market share using the web site and other online tools such as email marketing

online marketing manager

the foregone benefits that a company could have obtained from an electronic commerce initiative that they chose not to pursue are costs; managers and accountants use the term _______________ to describe such lost benefits from an action not taken

opportunity cost

some companies try to avoid online business site development problems by finding a contractor who can handle the entire project for them; this practice is called _______________

outsourcing

in both the early outsourcing and late outsourcing approaches, a single group is responsible for the entire design, development, and operation of a project - either inside or outside the company; however, electronic commerce initiatives can benefit from _______________, also called _______________, in which the company identifies specific portions of the project that can be completely designed, developed, implemented, and operated by another firm that specializes in a particular function

partial outsourcing component outsourcing

a _______________ (also called a _______________) is a formal review of a project after it is up and running

postimplementation audit postaudit review

_______________ is a collection of formal techniques for planning and controlling the activities undertaken to achieve a specific goal

project management

today, project managers use specific application software called _______________ to help them oversee projects

project management software

a _______________ is a person with specific training or skills in tracking costs and the accomplishment of specific objectives in a project

project manager

_______________ is a technique in which each project is monitored as if it were an investment in a financial portfolio

project portfolio management

the _______________ is usually promoted from the ranks of the project managers and has the responsibility for tracking all ongoing projects and managing them as a portfolio

project portfolio manager

there are many techniques for capital project evaluation, such as the payback method, the net present value method, or the internal rate of return method; these evaluation approaches are called _______________ techniques because they measure the amount of income (return) that will be provided by a specific current expenditure

return on investment (ROI)

many online businesses include a _______________, who is responsible for managing the virtual community elements of the web operation

social networking administrator

a _______________ is someone who understands the server hardware and operating system and who is responsible for the system's reliable and secure operation

systems administrator

many organizations now track costs by activity and calculate the total cost for each activity; these cost numbers, called _______________, include all costs related to the activity

total cost of ownership (TCO)

businesses can pursue _______________ that focus on reducing costs or generating value by working with suppliers or inbound shipping and freight service providers

upstream strategies

_______________ are very wealthy individuals, groups of wealthy individuals, or investment firms that look for small companies that are about to grow rapidly

venture capitalists

a _______________ is a person trained in art, layout, and composition and who also understands how web pages are constructed

web graphics designer

as web sites have become more complicated, the need for _______________ who design and write the underlying code for dynamic database-driven web pages has increased

web programmers