Customer Reviews

Realizing E-Business With Application Service Providers

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I have just written my thesis paper on ASPs and know that there is little good literature on the topic. Therefore, I was willing to pay a bit more for one of the few books that is out on the market. In this case this is a big mistake. The promising title does not reveal the actual content of the book. The author only touches the ASP topic and does not really present more than the basics.

I can advise people to buy this book if they are looking for easy literature. For serious academic or business papers it is really not suited.

One of the most challenging jobs I have had to deal with is advising small businesses on just what the ASP model means to them. This book has the basis in advising companies about small businesses and what the role of an AP can mean to them. The concept of breaking out e-marketing, e-commerce and e-operations is innovative and really helps the small businessperson understand what an ASP model can do for them. I think the approach to creating a performance contract with an ASP is also very helpful. The author takes the direction of having Service Level Agreements being just the beginning. Performance incentives needs to be in place for a company to really get their money's worth out of an ASP relationship. This book was very useful in getting small businesses to understand the ASP model.

My company has been looking at Application Service Providers as a potential partner for accounting functions. I found the e-Operations chapters to be full of great ideas on how to get an ASP to deliver on the promises they make, and also how to get them into having a stake in our success. Insightful book that takes a hard look at ASPs and gives you the tools for managing them to get what you want.

This book provides a great example of how to work with ASPs as partners in a business relationship. It is a very good book for guiding companies in creating a web strategy with an ASP.

If you have money to burn, go ahead... Otherwise, all I can say is that reading this book was like reading a glossary on Application Service Providers. The book severely lacks examples or illustrations which are necessary for any reader to understand the contents more effectively. More real world examples or case studies would have helped. Frankly, I was able to learn more from the ASP resource center on pcweek.com than I have reading this book. Very unstructured, very dull writing style, and a total waste of money.

One of the most challenging jobs I have had to deal with is advising small businesses on just what the ASP model means to them. This book has the basis in advising companies about small businesses and what the role of an AP can mean to them. The concept of breaking out e-marketing, e-commerce and e-operations is innovative and really helps the small businessperson understand what an ASP model can do for them. I think the approach to creating a performance contract with an ASP is also very helpful. The author takes the direction of having Service Level Agreements being just the beginning. Performance incentives needs to be in place for a company to really get their money's worth out of an ASP relationship. This book was very useful in getting small businesses to understand the ASP model.

What's refreshing about this book is its' focus on the idea that ASPs are supposed to be business partners with their clients. I found the aspects on developing contracts over just Service Level Agreements valuable. It was worth the reading.

If you have money to burn, go ahead... Otherwise, all I can say is that reading this book was like reading a glossary on Application Service Providers. The book severely lacks examples or illustrations which are necessary for any reader to understand the contents more effectively. More real world examples or case studies would have helped. Frankly, I was able to learn more from the ASP resource center on pcweek.com than I have reading this book. Very unstructured, very dull writing style, and a total waste of money.