Computers and communications networks have been a part of business for decades. Today, however, information and communication technologies (ICT) are no longer just a support mechanism (for data processing or information systems); rather, they now have become the very medium of business. A few years ago, very few managers used electronic mail to communicate with business associates in other companies on a regular basis; very few people in organizations had ever even heard of a “Web page”; and almost nobody would have thought it possible to build a huge business, such as Amazon.com, based firmly upon something called the Internet.

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Preface  v

1 Introduction 1

2 E-Commerce Infrastructure 11

HighWired.com: Hardware Decisions 12

WaveRider Communications Inc.: The Wireless Last Mile 24

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Wireless Strategy 37

Cisco Systems Inc.: Managing Corporate Growth Using an Intranet 55

3 Sourcing of E-Commerce Capabilities 67

OP4.com: Choosing a Web-site Design Agency 68

Enerline Restorations Inc.: Stay with an ASP？ 81

Salesdriver: The Lorimer Request 91

4 Financial Systems and Choices 101

CYBERplex Interactive Media 102

Grocery Gateway.com 133

First Virtual Holdings Incorporated (A) 148

Banking on the Internet: The Advance Bank in Germany 165

5 Business-to-Consumer E-Commerce 189

Homegrocer.com 191

Auto-By-Tel and General Motors: David and Goliath 204

Looks.corn (A): Building Asia's First Health, Beauty and Fashion E-Taller 223

Blinds To Go：Evaluating the blindsToGo.com Retail E-Commerce Venture 240

6 Business-to-Business E-Commerce and E-Commerce

Strategy 252

Ford Motor Company: Supply Chain Strategy 254

Metropolitan Life Insurance: E-Commerce 264

ELance.com: Preventing Disintermediation 282

Reuters' Internet Strategy (A) 292

Reuters' Internet Strategy (B) 304

7 Virtual Work 308

ELance.com: Projects versus Personnel 309

Guru.corn: Power for the Independent Professional 318

Scantran 336

8 Virtual Communities 350

Stockgroup Interactive Media 351

Celebrity Sightings 372

9 Social and Legal Issues 398

DoubleClick Inc.: Gathering Customer Intelligence 400

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce: Digital Employee Privacy 415

iCraveTV.com: A New-Media Upstart 421

Open Test Preferred Listings 438

Euro-Arab Management School 444

Index 455