E Commerce Assignment CIT 744 E COMMERCE

E-Commerce Assignment CIT 744: E-COMMERCE

BIT/BCS II – 2015/2016 ACADEMIC YEAR

E-commerce is continually evolving and has become a thriving marketplace not only for products but also for services and content, such as social networks, user-generated content (video, photos, and blogs), and of course, entertainment such as movies, TV, video, music, and games. E-commerce is as much a sociological phenomenon as it is a business and technological phenomenon. In addition to the new social aspect of e-commerce, two major new themes in the electronic markets are the full emergence of the mobile platform, and the increasing emphasis on local e-commerce. We weave social, mobile, and local issues throughout, because they are increasingly impacting all aspects of e-commerce.

E-commerce is the fastest growing retail, service, and entertainment channel. Although e-commerce revenues were relatively flat during the recession, growth resumed in 2010, and has continued since then, outpacing traditional retail by a factor of two or three. There are thousands of job opportunities in e-commerce as traditional firms move onto the Web. Firms and any involved party in business arena should know that the e-commerce revolution is still in the beginning phases. They may have missed the early tumultuous years, but there are many powerful, commercial, and technological forces that will push e-commerce along in the next decades.

The Scenarios

Students have formed their own groups for the CIT 744 (E-Commerce) module in a quest to unleash the opportunities in retail, service and entertainment channel including social entrepreneurship. The module (CIT 744) has five categories of firms

1. SOCIAL ENTERPRISES 2. REAL ESTATE

3. INSURANCE 4. SPORTS

5. AGRIBUSINESS 6. TOURISM; AND 7. ENTERTAINMENT

Requirement

While developing a business entity in the firms category given above, students have to accomplish the following that will be shown in their reports

PART A (20 MARKS)

 Identify and describe the uniqueness of the business type your group has been assigned. How the business is conducted. (Traditionally and electronically if any).  Describe the major types of e-commerce you think is suitable for your business.  Identify the factors that will define the future of e-commerce for your business.

PART B (30 MARKS)

 Identify and describe the key components of e-commerce business models.  Explain the key business concepts and strategies applicable to e-commerce.  Identify the key features of the e-operation (Internet/mobile) audience.

 Discuss the basic concepts of your consumer behavior and purchasing decisions. (assumptions are invited but logical)

 Identify and describe the basic digital commerce marketing and advertising strategies and tools you would use for your business

 Identify and describe the main technologies that support online marketing.

PART C (50 MARKS)

 Discuss the steps you should take, in developing an e-commerce presence.

 Explain the process that should be followed in building an e-commerce presence.  Describe the major issues surrounding the decision to outsource site development

and/or hosting.

 Identify and understand the major considerations in choosing Web server and e-commerce merchant server software.

 Explain the issues involved in choosing the most appropriate hardware for an e-commerce site.

 Identify additional tools that can improve Web site performance.