Customer Reviews

eCommerce: Formulation of Strategy

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

 

 

There is so much about the Internet, and how everyone is making/loosing on the Internet. This book clears all of the clutter with real life examples, and has allowed me to develop a strategy that expands my business, not just opens my checkbook!

The book balances technical and organizational needs into a clear methodological framework of business strategies that I am using in the real world. Helping me understand the relevance of technology as not only the way to change the business, but using technology to build brand, market and service strategies.

I really liked the books scorecard approach that assisted me in the implementation of my Internet strategy.

I think that the book is a good book for the professional to help focus their Internet strategies, and someone just starting to look at developing an Internet plan.

My expectations from this book were twofold: (1) gain insights into the business value of e-commerce so I could have a fuller understanding of how my role as a service delivery consultant fit into the bigger picture, and (2) see the implementation strategy from the business process owner's point of view. This book fully met my expectations and provided further insights that I did not expect.

An an IT professional my point of view is different from the intended audience of this book and this is reflected in my review. First, this book provided my with an opportunity to observe the business forces that drive the systems that I support. I gained a good understanding of the business imperatives, as well as the challenges that the business face when developing an e-commerce strategy. From this I gained an appreciation of how the projects that IT initiate are first conceived and was able to see the direct link between these projects and how they ultimately relate to business objectives. These insights are valuable and inspire me to seek ways to better align my domain, service delivery, to business goals.

I also gained a much greater understanding or the many faces of e-commerce, such as the unique requirements of business-to-customer as contrasted with, for example, business to business. From my vantage point prior to reading this book it was just a collection of applications and interfaces. After reading this book I see beyond the technology itself to the real purposes and their associated goals.

This book also contains information that is directly applicable to my profession. The ownership issues and e-strategy leadership chapters gave me a clear view of who the real stakeholders are, which is of the utmost importance to service delivery. This information sparked some ideas about support strategies and other issues that I need to consider with respect to e-commerce systems from an IT perspective. Equally important is the chapters on the roll out strategy, which is a space where I have a definite role, and the scorecard approach to measuring the effectiveness of an internet strategy. The latter gave me some clear ideas about how to align IT service delivery to business stakeholders in the e-commerce domain.

In my opinion this book is as applicable to IT professionals as it is to business process owners and decision makers. It gives the business side a clear understanding of the factors and issues that go into an e-commerce strategy, and an approach to developing and implementing the strategy. It gives the IT professional some unique insights on that drives the requirement to develop and implement e-commerce systems and shows areas where we can add value to the process and help assure a successful implementation.

Building upon the economic pillars of Milton Freedman and the strategy formulation techniques of Michael Porter, Dr. Robert Plant's "eCommerce: Formulation of Strategy" delivers valuable insight to business professionals who must learn the dynamics of the New Economy in our new millennium.

Based on empirical analysis of the world's cutting edge eCommerce companies and the rapidly evolving brick and mortar powerhouses, Dr. Plant presents an Executive level education for eCommerce strategy formulation. This book should be required reading for all business leaders and professional academics of 21st century business.

The book is excellent but misses out on highlighting the really big successes that established brick and mortar companies gain by adding the Internet as part of their multi-channel marketing, distribution,manfacturing and design and development activities of products and services.

These multi-channel organizations will do 80% of the eCommerce on a global basis. The author should come out with a sequel with a lot of case studies of the incredible success stories of multi-chanel organizations use of Internet technologies.

Fred Held
CEO Site-Tuners, Inc.

This book is very informative on starting an ECommerce site. I especially like the instruction it gives on PLANNING the website and strategy beforehand. The book also discusses the important elements of creating a website, one being Top Management buy in.

I personally have met Dr. Plant, and I would never have purchased this book if it wasn't required for this class. Dr. Plant last worked in industry almost 20 years ago, and has spent those years in an academic silo. He's certainly no expert, and this book is evidence of it. As someone who has actually implemented e-business solutions for a number of large companies, Dr. Plant's 'ideas' are worthless in the real world. This book is more marketing hype and 'internet bubble' dreamery than reality. Save your money. (And if you are forced to take his class, try to get out of it.)

This book opened my eyes to new ways to conduct business through Europe. I was able to kill french competitors through my headquarters in Madrid, Sevilla, Barcelona and Ibiza. My sales grew by 200% 2 weeks, since the book came out, because I must have been the first one to have read it. I like the case studies that are totally applicable to my business "digital DVD". I would like to meet Dr. Plant personally in my next trip to the U.S in order to congratulate him, and get the latest ideas.

A comprehensive manual written by a professional to be used as a guide for novice or expert to guarantee successful e-business activity.