Exploring E-Commerce, Global E-Business, and E-Societies [Paperback]

Over 216 pages of main text, the content covers in overview:

* What is e-commerce- some history, social aspects, defining e-commerce and e-business, research, e-commerce exemplars, management & organizational issues, and competition. Note that IBM's famous FUD-factor for business development (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) has been renamed FDU...

* E-commerce channels to generate profitable revenues- business lifecycles, e-banking, and enabling technologies.

* Structured transformations through e-commerce- manufacturing, societies and governments, business sites, extending market reach, financial industries, and crossing boundaries. Note the interesting provocation bumper sticker- Internet for (US) President- extrapolate and think globally what could be saved in costs and greater effectiveness in having full e-governments!

* Global segmentation- customer relationships, e-business solutions, automotive solutions, e-business value chain, and supply chain.

* Unique management and organizational challenges- e-insurance, security and privacy, extended enterprise, and conclusion.

Strengths include:

* The 14 charts and tables that capture current e-commerce issues (e.g. Figure 9.2- open finance distribution; 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 - scope and stages in e-commerce transformation; 10.5, 10.6 on e-business transformation; 11.3- supply chain; 12.1- 20-step Website useability test; 12.2 - profitability vs effectiveness balance; 13.2,13.3,13.4- virtual business & value chain strategies; 15.7- e-business growth; 20.1- macro-business supply chain).

* The relatively interesting and engaging style.

* The global viewpoint (references to UN, EDC, ISO, European innovations as well as the usual well-publicized US success stories).

* The attempt to provide case studies spanning financial services, manufacturing, and non-profit sectors.

* A few highspots of content (e.g. 10 metrics for web design- correctness, efficiency, flexibility, integrity, interoperability, maintainability, portability, reliability, reusability, and testability; E-commerce designer challenges- context-sensitive GUI, multilingual, monetary & taxation compliance, security & privacy, and personalised e-marketing; discussion on EDI versus extranets (pp.60); discussion on Internet electronic bill presentation and payment (pp.155-163); and an example of aerospace's global lead in use of IT through the Boeing PART system (pp.173-178)).

Weaknesses include: the extreme repetition (probably 35% of book could be cut without losing any content); content often not matching titles or subheadings; piecemeal snapshot rather than integrated change framework structure (i.e. could not use book alone to support e-commerce initiatives); lack of references and superficial further reading list, supporting assertions (apart from throwaway compilation of 78 e-mail press releases over last 2 years); incompletely labeled & repeated figures; throwaway (i.e. not used/elaborated on) figures; multiple repeated definitions of terms throughout text; inconsistent statistics cited (e.g. web users, projected various web revenues); use of dated projections without reference to more current actual values; lack of depth on research & e-societies (as well as other sections); lack of definition of terms and bandying of jargon incorrectly used (e.g. business intelligence); occasional typos; the relative lack of website references; the seemingly continual IBM-sales pitch; non-optimal use of figures, tables, sidebars, and text to communicate content; and the ultimate lack of significant contribution or value-add for the target audience.

Overall, this reviewer expected better quality and content from a Prentice-Hall text- `Exploring E-commerce' could have done with addition of more value-add content, and a final thorough editing & proof-read prior to publication. Despite that, it is a worthwhile introductory E-commerce text for engineering or business undergraduate students, industrialists/business professionals, or consultants.