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TopBackground
Gide and Soliman (1998,1999) developed a model for the implementation of e-commerce in manufacturing industry and then studied on the use of e-commerce as a strategic tool in intelligent manufacturing and business operations. This study was one of the first early studies in the field. At the beginning of 2000, Benbasat, Ives and Piccoli conducted a survey of the ISWorld Community on the “Electronic Commerce Top Research Questions” which indicated that e-commerce success was one of the most important e-commerce research issues (Molla & Licker 2001, p.131). Thus, a growing number of studies discussed e-commerce success (Molla & Licker 2001, p.134). By integrating strategy content and process perspectives, researchers begin to more fully explain why, when and how certain firms are successful with e-commerce systems, while others remain hesitant, unwilling or unable to change (Coltman, Devinney & Midgley 2007, p.98).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Common CSFs: A total of fifteen CSFs are identified as common for business satisfaction in the use of e-commerce systems. They might be further used as a global benchmark business performance indicator to develop a better and more effective measure for SMEs successfully adopting e-commerce system.
ESPs: E-Commerce service/solution providers.
Goal-Free Evaluation: No such explicit goals are used which is an inductive and situation driven strategy.
SMEs: Small to medium enterprises.
Goal-Based Evaluation: Explicit goals from the organisational context drive the evaluation used to measure the IT system.
Eyeball Diagram: A diagram is provided to illustrate and identify common CSFs for SMEs to achieve high E-Commerce Business Satisfaction.
Criteria-Based Evaluation: Some explicit general criteria are used as an evaluation yardstick.
Critical Success Factors (CSFs): The limited number of areas in which results, if they are satisfactory, will ensure successful competitive performance for the organization. They are the few key areas where “things must go right” for the business to flourish. If results in these areas are not adequate, the organization’s efforts for the period will be less than desired.
E-Commerce Business Satisfaction (EBS): The overall satisfaction that a business has with an e-commerce system meeting its requirements and expectations.