TEXT BOOK: Schneider, GP 2015, Electronic commerce, 11th edition

MODULE 12 CHAPTER 12

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Name three benefit objectives that a business might decide to measure in an electronic commerce initiative, and then write one paragraph about each in which you explain how the business might measure its accomplishment of that objective.

2. List and briefly describe four activities that a company might undertake in the formation of an online business initiative.

3. No matter how a company measures the benefits provided by an online business implementation, it usually tries to measure those benefits in monetary units. In a paragraph or two, explain why this is a good practice.

CASE STUDY C1 CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS

1. In its first three years of operation, Idealab recruited entrepreneurs to its incubator who had business experience, but who did not know much about the Internet. Explain what benefits Idealab was able to provide to these entrepreneurs and why the incubator environment was beneficial to them.

2. Analyze Idealab's 2000 decision to change its focus from being an incubator to merging its companies in an attempt to compete with Amazon.com. In your analysis, discuss whether the decision was a strategic error or just a case of bad timing.

3. Explain why you think Gross decided to reverse his decision to develop only internally generated ideas. Be sure to consider whether this change will help Idealab succeed in the third wave of electronic commerce.