Monday, June 10, 2002		IT Bookshelf

E-Commerce for Managers by Alwyn Didar Singh, Vikas Publishing House, New Delhi. Pages 140. Price Rs 350.

ELECTRONIC commerce, or E-commerce, is the buzzword today-found in magazines, business dailies and everywhere else in the media. It means adopting the electronic process for carrying out transactions. Many organisations have got e-enabled by providing information and services online using the Internet as a medium of communication. E-commerce has added a new dimension to their businesses, thus providing global access, virtual shops, faster communication, more flexibility, etc. The outcome is their growth and expansion.

In E-Commerce for Managers, the author has encouraged developing nations and small and medium enterprises (SME) to use e-commerce as a developmental tool for their growth in the new digital environment. The stress is not just growth but also on their survival. I remember Darwin's theory, which I had read in school-"Survival of the fittest."

Only the fittest, the one who responds to changes, who adopts to the new environment and fits in that framework, is the one who can survive. The thrust is to understand the potentiality of e-commerce as a business tool and to harness its powers to the fullest for the ultimate business objective of growth and development.

This book focuses on these very issues and explains in a simple and readable manner. Divided into three sections, the first gives a basic understanding of e-commerce. Section II highlights the necessary framework for getting e-enabled, while the last section discusses developmental issues and talks of emerging technologies.

E-Commerce has given birth to new e-terms. Some of them are e-business, e-trade, e-competency, e-manager, e-ready, e-shirking and e-democracy. The book defines e-competency as "acquiring the systems and skills within the enterprise at both the managerial and operational levels needed to engage in e-business, e-commerce and e-trade. Don't get mislead by the e-shirking. It does not mean avoiding or shirking from electronic processes. Rather, it is a term for employees using the Internet at office for personal surfing, e-mail, chatting, etc.

Nations can adopt electronic processes for increased, effective and active participation of their citizens. Setting up information networks, creation of national Websites, policy announcements on these sites are some of the measures which will bring a new facet to the democratic process called e-democracy. Such governance is called e-governance. E-governance is simple, moral, accountable, responsible and transparent governance, or we may say SMART governance.

Global e-marketing, use of automated supply procedures, and other online services-resulting in speed, flexibility and better communication-are outcomes of the digital revolution, leading to increase in customer satisfaction as well as business growth.

A very appropriate expression, 'death of distance,' used by the author describes how digital revolution has overcome geographic boundaries. An enterprise located in one part of world can market its products globally by advertising on the Internet.

For all these benefits business organisations need a change from the conventional hierarchical structure to a flatter and collaborative model. Such a flexible, decentralised and team-based model can adapt and respond in a better way to the digital economy.

The issue of policies and rules governing e-transactions is very complex. Each nation has its own legal framework for regulating local commerce, but e-commerce is boundless. The solution is that all nations entering the digital economy should adopt the UNCITRAL (United Nations Commission on International Trade Law) model, a law that resolves contractual issues and legal obstacles related to e-commerce.

For any type of transaction, finance is an integral part. So there is a need for electronic networks between financial institutions, banking laws and regulations that form the required financial framework. Along with it are needed certification of documents, electronic signatures, confidentiality and privacy and other measures necessary for smooth and reliable functioning of e-transactions. For the realisation of potentialities of the digital economy e-literate human resources are required. Thus, e-literacy should be the objective of developing nations.

A burning issue faced by policy makers and business leaders of developing nations is duties imposed on e-transactions. A very inspiring and motivating factor is that till date the World Trade Organisation and its member states have proposed not to impose any duties on e-transactions.

Another factor affecting businesses is security. However, they themselves are responsible for the "privacy and security" of their networks and data that are vulnerable to internal and external threats-software bugs, machine errors, hacking, virus etc.

There is also an increase in cyber crime, defined by the book as "illegal and surreptitious attempts to invade data banks in order to steal or modify records or to release onto computer networks, software or virus that corrupts data and progammes. The book has emphasised the need to combat such challenges. The author has also talked of m-commerce, a second phase of digital revolution. It refers to mobile devices that are Internet enabled for transactions. The book concludes with a discussion on emerging technologies. A very interesting example is of a "talking refrigerator" capable of connecting to the Internet. This could surely share and lessen our burden.

The book motivates managers and business leaders to enter and become part of the digital world. A separate glossary at the end could have been useful. Let's hope for a brighter and enlightened e-future.