Strategies and Steps to eBusiness Success

  

Strategies and Steps to

e-Business Success Chou-Hong Chen, Ph.D.

  Professor of MIS School of Business Administration Gonzaga University Spokane, WA 99258, USA

  Senior Consultant, Taskco.com.tw Outline of the Topics 

  Introduction of Information Systems and e-Business Strategies to e-Business Success Steps to e-Business Success

INFORMATION SYSTEMS ORGANIZATIONS TECHNOLOGY

  N Roles of Information Systems Roles of Information Systems

  Automates Automates Innovates/ Transforms Innovates/ Transforms Informates Informates

  IT problems and solutionsResearch and Evaluation Information overload Proliferation of new technologies

   Need for rapid adoption Purchasing and Delivery Need for demos prior to purchaseComplexity of electronic delivery of business class applications Complexity of corporate purchasingTraining Technology changes too quickly to assess and eliminate employees skill

   gaps Updates and Maintenance Shortened release cycles, multiple updates Decentralized workforces with rapidly changing technology needs Knowledge Comprehensive info on new technologies Objective, centralized content Decision, support tools e-Commerce Demos and evaluations E-Channel Engine (order, inventory, asset management) Flexible design for corporate purchasing and global delivery e-Learning Web-based and computer-based training coupled with research and evaluation tools e-Services Comprehensive online update service Centralized and streamlined enterprise- wide deployment of software and data Problem Solution Internet Society – Each Media Reach to 50 Million

  

  Radio 38 years, Television 13 years, Cable TV 10 years, Internet users only took 5 years to reach this goal. Why New Models? 

  We need some new models for how we go about exploring IT for competitive advantage, for IT infrastructure how we create it and manage it for how we acquire, manage and deploy the skills that are needed to run that infrastructure

  eBusiness Key Concepts

  eBusiness

  the strategy of how to automate old business models with the aid of technology to maximize customer value

  eCommerce

  

the process of buying and selling over digital media

(e.g., Internet)

  eCRM (eCustomer Relationship Management)

  the process of building,sustaining, and improving eBusiness relationships with existing and potential customers through digital media

  E-Channel Management Procurement Network Trading Network E-Customer Relationship E-Commerce E-Portal Management E-Services

  SCM/ERP/Legacy Appls B u sin es se s

  1:N M:1 M:N Knowledge Management/Business Intelligence

  Infrastructure for e-Business Applications

B u sin es se s & C on su m er s

  eBusiness Processes WHY Customer Relationship

  Redesign Business WHAT

  Processes (Outside-In) HOW Applying Technology

   Why e-Business? Revolution, Revolution ...

  

The e-Business revolution is impossible to

ignore.

  It is transforming businesses in virtually every industry and reshaping the global economy.

  The e-Business revolution is as fundamental a change to current society as the industrial revolution was to its preceding agrarian society. e-Business ...

  

  The heart of e-business is interconnectivity and interaction.

  The ability to reach more people while sharing information of increasing richness creates new opportunities for value creation in areas such as marketing, customer service, and operations.

  (continued) e-Business

  

  In this new world, status quo is not an option. Companies have to reinvent themselves to survive.

  Given the fast pace of e-business change, actions that once took years to accomplish must now be done in months or weeks. How is e-Business Changing Traditional Business? 

  Globalization of markets One-to-one marketing Customization of site and product Integration of systems with clients New forms of E-Service

  UPS setting up new computers

  Commoditization of products

  Low margins and brand differentiations How is e-Business Changing Business Processes? 

  Increased pre-and post- sale care of customers Increased use of databases and user interfaces Flatter organizational structures Development and use of customer profiles Increased reliance on cooperation software Faster product-to-market strategies Increased reliance on third parties Faster turnaround of cash flows

  Facilitating Services: Delivery, Escrow, Price Comparisons The World Wide Web

  Business Model : E-Catalog, Auctions, Name your price Three key success factors for e-Businesses

  Technology:

Traditional versus e-Business Models?

C B

  C B

  C: Individual Consumer B: Business

  Figure : B2C and B2B Internet Commerce in the U.S. (Source: Forrester Research) Billion

  $B il li on $ $0 $200 $400 $600 $800 $1,000 $1,200 $1,400 $1,600 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 B2C B2B

  Benefits of B2B 

  B2B solutions create competitive dynamics through:

  cost savings the composition of cost (product versus process costs)

the number of intermediaries in the supply chain.

new financial (revenue) opportunities

   the rate of industry-wide B2B adoption business model N Why Now? 

  B2B catalysts are now arising to stimulate adoption (mentioned earlier).

  Interactive networks have recently become ubiquitous and inexpensive, accelerating the use of B2B applications.

  A viral effect will spur copycat behavior throughout the market as more companies continue to implement B2B applications. What Makes a B2B e-market Company Succeed? 

  Five Critical Success Factors for e- markets: Business model, market size, industry expertise, branding and distribution, management execution hustle (not just the formulation of strategy) N Solutions for e-Enterprise (e-Power Corp.)

  Organizations  Sellers Streamlines buying and selling between trading

  partners

   MarketSite Maximizes trade efficiency across the entire supply Buyers chain

  Strategic e-commerce capabilities in Internet time Delivers compelling ROI Solutions for Internet Market Makers

  Turn your supply chain into a revenue generation opportunity Leverage your industry

  Your

  domain expertise into

  Portal

  strategic e-commerce solutions Brings e-commerce to businesses of any size, across all industries

   Strategies to e-Business Success

  The Key to successful business on the Internet ... Strategy, strategy, strategy …

  The key to successful business on the Internet is understanding of the formulation of a conceptual strategy and the execution of that strategy

  N Two Major Elements determines Organization’s Success  Core Competency

  A Value-added Business Model

  Value, value, value…

  N

  Detailed Customer Knowledge and Focus Core Competencies customer’s needs. We will seek to understand, anticipate, and be responsive to our We will continuously develop, advance and protect the technical excellence Large-Scale System Integration Learn, Efficient Design and Production Systems that allows us to integrate effectively the systems we design and produce. characterized by efficient use of assets, short time-to market, short flow Our design and production systems will be among the best in the world, times, short cycle times, high quality and high inventory turns.

  Why e-Commerce Model is beneficial to your Business? 

  The e-Commerce model is a basic model of competitive strategy, based on the principles of low costs, high volumes, and comprehensive service, combined with a product range unapproachable through traditional channels. Planning is everything ...

  Products, Services Customers, market, competition Vision guide

  Strategy create develop

  Tactic

  Vision Mission Stages of Policies e-Business Goals (or IS)

  Project Metrics Values Horizon Time Strategic Planning Objectives Time

  Metrics Values Horizon Strategies Tactics N IT Planning: The Relationship Between Business, IS, and IT Strategies

  PORTER’S FIVE COMPETITIVE FORCES NEW MODEL Threats SUBSTITUTE ENTRANTS MARKET & SERVICES PRODUCTS THE FIRM COMPETITORS TRADITIONAL SUPPLIERS CUSTOMERS

  Bargaining power N Porter’s Competitive Forces Strategies  Cost leadership Differentiation

  Focus

  Expanded generic strategies Strategic positioning (e.g., internal efficiency) Customer service and my own view ...

   Innovation

  STRATEGIC INFORMATION SYSTEM: CAN CHANGE GOALS, OPERATIONS

  PRODUCTS, SERVICES ENVIRONMENT

  2.23

  Use of Porter’s Model 

  List players

  

  Analyze business drivers

  

  Devise a strategy

  

  Investigate supportive information technologies

  N The Value Chain Model 

  The model views the firm as a series or "chain" of basic activities that add a margin of value to a firm's products or services, indicating where IS can best be applied to achieve a competitive advantage.

  N

  Support Activities Activities of Value Chain Administrative and Other Administrative and Other Indirect Value Added Indirect Value Added Logistics Inbound Operations Outbound Logistics Sales and Marketing Services

  Primary Activities The Value Chain C om pe titi ve (Value) ta ge A dv an

  A Transformation Model from Market to Customer

   Steps to e-Business Success

  Seven-step Process ...

  

  The following seven-step process can help guide a company through its e- Business transformation.

  Cover the gamut of e-business activities, from conception to operation Seven-step Process (continued)

  1. Start High

  2. Think Fresh

  3. Know Your Market

  4. Set Vision

  5. Define Strategy

  6. Create

  7. Refresh Regularly

  (continued) Seven-step Process

  1. Start High e-Business is more than developing a fancy Website e-Business is a business rather than a technical endeavor radical change (BPR) e-Business initiatives may also cut across corporate

  boundaries, shifting organizational structures, redefining

job descriptions, and upsetting established processes.

  

Only corporate executives can marshal the forces and commitment to launch an e-Business program and respond the concerns of internal and external stakeholders. Seven-step Process (continued)

  2. Think Fresh

  The Internet revolution is radically changing the business game. Start with a fresh viewpoint and assume that everything is open to question and change.

  What your customers are really buying from you? Is how you deliver your product more important than the product itself?

Porter’s model (commodities vs. differentiation from

competitor, e.g., DELL) New ways of pricing your products and services.

  SWAT, outsourcing

  (continued) Seven-step Process

  3. Know your market

  assess your company’s current market needs of your customers, partners, and suppliers

how you can meet or exceed their needs through e-

Business capabilities. expand upon this market awareness by identifying possible new products, services, and business lines encroaching competition from existing and unknown sources formulate your e-Business vision and strategy.

  Knowing your market means exploring your: branding, customers, competition, supply chain, demand chain (e.g., auto online)

  (continued) Seven-step Process

  4. Set Vision

  a long-term vision to guide your company as it enters the e-Business world the vision defines what a company wants to do, what it wants to be. do not rush to strategies, actions, and results

  Vision <--- Mission <--- Goals/objectives <--- Strategies <--- Tactics

Complete executive buy-in is essential; executives must

promote the vision and make it part of the corporate

culture - therefore, employees will be imbued with new

corporate vision

  (continued) Seven-step Process

  5. Define Strategy

  define, select, and prioritize the initiatives needed to implement the company’s e-Business vision the strategy defines how the company is going to get there. incremental actions are not enough expect high potential returns and advantages other factors to consider : process change, organizational change, technical

architectures, creative needs, fit within overall vision

  (continued) Seven-step Process

  6. Create

  a company transforms itself through a set of coordinated initiatives that implement that needed organization, technology, and process changes the most difficult part of an e-Business transformation is

changing the underlying business model (but does not

mean to undercut the importance of technology nor underestimate the complexity of the implementation) when building e-business site, consider: design, content, promotion, legacy integration, development (SDLC), organizational change implementation, training

  (continued) Seven-step Process

  7. Refresh Regularly

  to be viable, a company must continually review, reexamine, and revise its vision, strategies, and implementations.

Speed, innovation, and change are implicit parts of the e-

Business world

survey customers continually to learn if it is meeting their

needs and goals - making money, reaching prospects, satisfying stakeholders - in order to know when and what to change keep company’s Website design and content fresh and

exciting to attract new visitors and to keep them coming

back for more.

  (continued) Seven-step Process (continued)

  7. Refresh Regularly

  launch promotional campaigns to drive traffic to its Website. Products, and services; to maintain and enhance its brand identity; and to garner a greater share of a market where switching costs are low or nonexistent e-Business promises lower prices and better selection for consumers, and unlimited opportunities for new businesses. Conclusion 

  The need for interdisciplinary thinking has never been greater … companies that can continually combine innovative business thinking, creative design and content, and advanced technology will lead the way in e-Business success.