INTRODUCTION TO ECOMMERCE

CEU - SPRING 2010 MADRID, SPAIN

8 – 12 March 2010

DR. KIP BECKER (

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course provides a detailed examination of how businesses cansuccessfully use Internet and Web technology. Students are introducedto the concepts and problems associated with electronic commerce.Topics include comparison of e-commerce procedures, payment mechanisms,applications in different industry sectors, security, the challenges of starting

and maintaining an electronic business site, as well as a comparison withtraditional business practices. To more fully understand Ecommerce issues students create an e-commerce Web siteusing such tools as Dreamweaver and a commercial style blog site using Blogger.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

The objective of the course can be summed up quickly as helping you to appreciate the rapid growth associated with internet enabled business as well as some of the difficulties. It is my objective to introduce you to the general issues, technical (security, WEB and Internet systems, payment mechanisms, etc) and non-technical (strategy, marketing, business development, etc.). In addition I will want you to become acquainted with some development tools. The first is Blogger which is a general communications tool. Blogger is being used by teenagers and private publishers to discuss everything from a teens favorite record to comments by private individuals (and now companies) concerning your company. Politicians, TV anchors and firms have underestimated the power of the Blog. Several have been very sorry for this underestimation. Blogs are easy and kind of fun. They are a rapidly growing national and international communications medium and something you should understand.

The second tool is Dreamweaver which is a commercial grade applications tool. It is not too difficult to learn and is very powerful. Why do I want you to develop a WEB site? My answer is easy and short. I want you to do it so get a sense of how the site works, how almost every thing on it is important down to the picture location and the font size. Unless you have developed a site you will not really look at a site the way I want you to. I want you to leave this course thinking about sites. What makes a good one, a bad one and why that is so. As you start your development you will have to think about what color? Will there be pictures? How many clicks to get a job done are OK? What will keep the prospective buyer on my site? You do not get the same feel just looking at sites that you do when you develop one. Also for those of you that have not done site development this is something that you will feel good about. I always feel that being able to do something is very important as an outcome in every course I teach.

In pursuing these objectives, the course will employ the following:

  1. Lectures
  2. Development of a Blog and a Web site
  3. Case Studies to illustrate how concepts learned in class are being utilized by companies

KIP BECKER

Dr. Kip Becker is an Associate Professor and the Chairman of the Department of Administrative Sciences. He has published over thirty articles and book chapters both nationally and internationally in the areas of international management, Electronic Commerce, strategy, marketing and global service sector issues. He is on the Board of the International Management Development Association and the Editor of the Journal of Transnational Management. He is on the editorial review boards of Marketing and The Journal of Teaching in International Business.. He has owned a waterfront restaurant and is president of Northwind Management International which conducts management training and consulting with companies, governments and associations worldwide. Prior to entering academe' Dr. Becker's experience included positions with: TDX systems of Cable and Wireless Ltd. in marketing and sales, the U.S. Department of Justice, a special task force in the Reagan administration and as a U.S. army helicopter pilot during Viet Nam and Desert Storm. He holds a second degree black belt in TKO Karate. For a complete resume with publications see:

Course Materials:

These cases will be provided to you prior to the class session. It is important that you have read the cases and have taken notes for yourself to bring to class to help you discuss the cases.

  1. Blogging: A new play in your marketing game plan
  2. Connecting the real and the virtual world: Sony BMG’s market entry into second life
  3. A plan to Invent the Marketing We Need Today

COURSE GRADING

Your final grade will be based upon the following:

(1) Weekly ParticipationCase studies, Blog and Assignments:60%

(3) WEB Site Project20%

(6) Comprehensive Exam20%

GRADING PROCESS:

While there is no fixed absolute number of grades in any one level, it is important to note that high grades reflect an excellence in the understanding of class material and organization of thought. In addition, as an important aspect of any class, whether on line or in a classroom, is the shared thoughts and insights of the class members grades will also reflect an individual’s contributions to the class. I will follow the BostonUniversity, MetropolitanCollege, recommendations concerning grading standards. As such, A and A- grades are awarded for superior class work. This generally means that those that receive A level grades have distinguished themselves above others in the class (top 15%). I have no specific grading distribution other than to respect the college’s A level distinction of superior work.

Please Note: the system being used is BostonUniversity’s system meaning that exams are only given once and late work is not accepted.

Class Participation

You are asked to keep up on a weekly basis. The essence of this course is learning a set of ideas and knowing how they apply in international business situations. Mastering the material requires you to assess, think, and form judgments, so high quality on line participation is essential. High-quality participation includes substantive contribution to case discussions, insights into topics we are discussing, questions regarding relevant topics, and on-line interactions with others. There is not much time to accomplish quite a bit so it is essential that you do not fall behind. Please see timely presentation section regarding assignments and due dates. I would recommend that you attempt to keep ahead to provide some individual flexibility in case a problem arises during the course.

NOTE:It is essential that you have read the cases notes for yourself to use in class before the start of our first class.

Exams

There will be a comprehensive final exam. The exam will cover information from lectures, class discussions, videos and cases. The course overall and the exams will be structured to promote and reward learning, thinking and understanding. There will be several short essay questions

WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS

ECOMMERCE TM 648

Course Calendar and Assignments

DUE DATES:

Blog: Last day of class March 12th posted and to be presented

Functional Design Due last day of class March 12th

Website: Websites due posted to server by midnight (Madrid) April 12th

EXAM: Examination Due- emailed to me by midnight (Madrid) April 12th

MONDAY

INTRODUCTION TO STRUCTURE AND FRAMEWORK FOR E-COMMERCE

You are to have read all cases prior to the first class and made notes to be referred to in class.

Introduction to E-commerce

Course requirements, overview of course and topics to be covered as well as assignments and expectations.

Introduction to Ecommerce

Discussion of “Invention” of the Internet, reasons for its development, individuals involved, evolution and the infrastructure structure.

BLOGS FOR BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS

PROJECT: Development of a personal WEB BLOG

Students rate class member Blogs using BLOG RATING FORM from Class web site by

READING: Blogging: A new play in your marketing game plan

TUESDAY

FRAMEWORK FOR E-COMMERCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Security Internet Issues

Web Technologies for Marketing

LAB: DREAMWEAVERExercises on site development, establishing the site, organizing and structure. Connecting site to server.

WEDNESDAY

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS, BRANDING AND METRICS

Business Models

Market Communications and Branding

Social networks

WEB SITE DEVELOPMENT AND DREAMWEAVER©

Dreamweaver continued. Organizing a functional specification.

In Class assignment: Mini functional specification design / your website

READING: Connecting the real and the virtual world: Sony and secondlife

THURSDAY

STRATEGY FORMULATION

Strategy Formulation: Customer Interface

Website consumer interface and design elements / archtypes

Social networking and strategy formulation (myspace, second life etc)

Use of metrics and value clusters to determine customer profiles and business strategy

Review: Internal and external strategy development

Discussion of how the internet has been affected and has shaped Public Policy

International issues and the internet, The internet and the digital divide, Role of legal issues
Public Policy and Laws

READING: A plan to Invent the Marketing We Need Today

CONTINUE WEB PROJECT AND POST TO WEB you are to post your site to the ecommerceclass.org web site this class and have an operational site to present on Friday

FRIDAY

PRESENTATION: Your Blog

Functional Design Turned in today

Continue work on Website – Websites due posted by midnight April 12th

TAKE HOME Examination – Examination to be emailed to me by midnight April 12th