E-commerce Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

E-commerce - Coursework Example E-commerce is about using the internet to buy and sell goods and services online. Selling through websites is the fastest growing method of trading worldwide (Wigand, R.T. 1997). The two forms which comprise e-commerce are business to business trading where companies trade and exchange information using the worldwide web and the business to customer trading where companies deal directly with customers through web pages, and ordering is carried out online (Wigand, R.T. 1997). This research will primarily be concerned with the impact of building e-commerce website for business activity. Trading online enables business to reach much wider audiences while cutting the costs of traditional retailing methods. Although the website is substantial the potential benefits are enormous in providing most types of business with a competitive advantage. In the organizational landscape, the new and reasonable means that is perhaps the most encouraging of all drivers is E-commerce. It seems to have revolutionized the manner in which business processes and procedures are being undertaken (Margolis, 1999). Some of the goals that it has been able to effectively carry out are the improvement of the dealings among buyers, vendors, and suppliers, greater cost-efficiency and widening E-commerce website's scope in the global economy. This has accorded businesses more opportunities for growth and expansion (PC Week, 1999). Through an advocacy of more personalized approaches in business, it has given a new definition to competitiveness. Customer information and data are now being yielded by vendors from their consumers. The significant volume of data also allows these individuals to leverage on promotional offers and the best buys. Online trading has been successful at endorsing price competitiveness and compels online vendors to work towards this end goal (Munk, 1999). Within the retailing industry, the increased availability and accessibility of cyber trading has been the key to its immense popularity and steady rise. This also implies high cost efficiency, without the necessity of expenses such as rent, manpower cost or labor. The intense competition in physical markets and the very high fixed costs are just grateful for this innovative solution (PC Week, 1999). The broad array of products and services are appreciated and patronized by consumers. The substantial volumes of online data also compel online vendors to leverage on cost. The relative ease accorded by online shopping has allowed consumers to optimize their management of time (Mellahi & Johnson, 2000). Numerous online vendors have adapted the online store and a novel online shopping experience as concepts on the new online age. An outcome of this occurrence is the birth of the terms "cyber shops, virtual shops, e-tail, and online shops" were brought forth (Mellahi & Johnson, 2000). Physi cal vendors are pressured to cope or run the risk of being tagged obsolete. This resulted in the mushrooming of websites (PC Week, 1999). A contemporary investigation conducted by the World Trade Organization has indicated that a specifically promising future is waiting for firms who

Women and Economics during Colonial America and Before and After Essay

Women and Economics during Colonial America and Before and After American Revolution - Essay Example Women in colonial America were suffering tremendously. In the simplest of words, women in early America worked as caretakers of the family, workers in the house and responsible of creating and looking after the home: homemakers. They were not allowed to vote and had little or no chance of attaining an education. Often these women included "indentured servants", these were the migrants who had been allowed a passage into the American colonies. They were forced to work without pay until their contracts, with the individual who paid for their entry, expired. Thus, most of the woman's role was centered at home. If the husband was a farmer or owner of a plantation she could work alongside him on the land. As most of the woman's job centered on child-birth a large amount of her time would be spent in taking care of the children. This included cooking. She had to tend to her own animals, grow her own fruit and vegetables and cook with the limited resources provided by the male member of the house. Candles, soap thread, cloth and clothing (WE)1 were a luxury that had to be produced by the woman herself. Even the most affluent of families had women involved in acts like taking care of the house and cooking for the family. For instance, the characteristics of the society in New York were different to that of other colonies. It consisted of what appears to be a "feudal lord" of today. However, even these women had little to do but sit and sew or knit. She had to tend to her own animals, grow her own fruit and vegetables and cook with the limited resources provided by the male member of the house. Candles, soap thread, cloth and clothing (WE)2 were a luxury that had to be produced by the woman herself. The worse bit of American colonization came during the witch-hunts. The aggrieved Christian colonists needed a reason to explain their defeat at the hands of the "heathen" Indians. Women were the perfect victims to take the blame. In a conservative culture where women had a set and fixed role in the household and society, it was unacceptable for women to break the norms. Thus, if any woman dared to venture outside her prescribed role, the immediate consequence in that time was to blame her alien behavior on mysterious causes: witch-craft. (WE)3 . Despite the limited education, a desire to satisfy physical needs made women proficient at running economically sound households. Women understood the concept of maintaining healthy networks with other females. They adopted the concept of barter with fellow neighbors, friends and relatives. As mentioned previously, women were not educated thus the best teachers were the ones who had served the role of wife themselves. These women taught their own daughters and often took in other young girl students who managed the house in exchange for the skills they performed during this practice. The only job acceptable to women of that time was that of midwife. Though a number of women died in child-birth because very few females had the professional skills needed to carry out proper birth. This occupation was held in the highest respect. The payment was generally in the form of