Amazon.com Review
In
e-Business 2.0, Ravi Kalakota and Marcia Robinson present a survey of how the processes of business have changed as a result of computer-assisted communications, data storage, and data analysis. They explain recent technological advances--and those that may take place in the near and middle future--and explain how companies that sell products and services might put them to profitable use. With an emphasis on companies that sell things to large numbers of consumers, the authors argue convincingly that information technology isn't an end in itself, but a tool that can facilitate valuable changes in business processes.
This is a book for managers and organizational planners, but it commits none of the sins typical of such books. It neither oversimplifies technical matters nor serves as a mere platform for catchy phrases and obtuse illustrations. e-Business 2.0 is properly focused on the big technologies on which successful companies will capitalize. Kalakota and Robinson argue that it's a good idea to supplement live salespeople with self-service sales facilities, such as those on a Web site. They call this a part of selling-chain management.
The authors also explain how inefficiencies in the selling chain can make it prohibitively expensive to provide built-to-order products, which consumers increasingly want. They then present solutions: Internet and customer relationship management (IRM and CRM) software, sales automation systems, and proposal-automation tools. In each case, they cite specific examples (usually companies and products), enabling readers to dig deeper into specifics if they want. Similar attention goes to enterprise resource planning (ERP), trend-spotting tools, and half a dozen other technologies. Read this guide as you think about how to make strategic changes in your company's operating practices. --David Wall
Topics covered: Recent developments in technology that change the way companies do business, particularly in terms of determining and fulfilling customers' needs and interacting smoothly with vendors. More broadly, this book deals with sharing information efficiently among all relevant parties inside and outside an organization. Technologies covered: Internet sales infrastructures, customer relationship management (CRM) suites, enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, knowledge management tools, and data warehousing and analysis products.
Review
"This book is a must-read for any company who has not completely re-invented itself since the Internet exploded onto the business world a few years ago." -- Alan Taetle, Former Executive Vice President of MindSpring and General Partner of the Venture Capital Firm, Noro-Moseley Partners
"This is the best book on e-Business for the decision-maker. It provides a great overview of the e-Business landscape." -- Andrew B. Whinston, Hugh Cullen Chair Professor of Information Systems, Economics and Computer Science, Graduate School of Business, University of Texas
"This is the book for creating a serious e-Business strategy. A must-read for managers who are creating tomorrow's e-business companies today." -- Dr. Frances Frei, Assistant Professor, Harvard Business School
"This is the first book on e-Business to combine a clarity of vision that will help you to appreciate the true significance of e-Business, with a rigorous roadmap for reinventing your business design. If you want to avoid being blindsided by your competition, you must make this book required reading in your organization." -- Mohanbir Sawhney, Tribune Professor of Electronic Commerce and Technology, Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University
"e-Business is the first book I have read which captures in any depth the full spectrum of business processes that are being re-defined and improved by leveraging the Internet and its associated technologies. Equally important, it relates these re-defined processes to underlying business objectives and benefits. This book is going stimulate a lot of thinking in corporate boardrooms and executive suites." -- David M. Alschuler, Vice President, e-Business and Enterprise Applications, Aberdeen Group, Inc.
"e-Business: Roadmap for Success provides unique insight into the emerging electronic business place. Economies around the world are undergoing a wholesale rejuvenation; businesses are re-inventing themselves. In this new economy, the Internet and technologies like the Java platform have helped businesses streamline business processes, have helped companies compete in new ways and have engendered all together new types of business opportunities. It's clear we're on the cusp of a new era. e-Business: Roadmap for Success serves as a guidebook to the new electronic business place where the rules of engagement are changing and where only one thing is certain: the status quo will not be maintained." -- Dr. Alan Baratz, President, Java Software, Sun Microsystems, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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