Are You E-Commerce Ready?
Companies that have decided on how to portray their business
online must assess whether they have the most efficient information
technology (IT) solutions to execute their online exporting programs.
IT embodies a range of computer systems and software applications
for managing a firm's web site, as well as personnel records,
back end databases, etc. With more and more cyber attacks on government
and corporate sites, companies should invest in security technologies
to protect themselves and their customers from identify theft
and denial of service.
An IT assessment should answer the following questions:
- What is the firms current IT usage? Is it at capacity?
What are the plans for additional ITinvestment to upgrade existing
systems?
- What business applications are best suited to move on line
for B2B or B2C electronic?
- What does the cost/benefit analysis of all possible projects
involving IT show?
- What are possible current and future security issues and what is the
action plan for correcting problems?
There are, of course, many other factors to consider in doing
international e-commerce, such as executing orders and payment
issues that have a special e-commerce perspective, which are are
addressed in other parts of this site.