Arguably, advancement of technology has affected the world in various ways. It is worth noting that e-commerce has made the global business activities very dynamic. As a matter of fact, the new technologies continue to shape the e-commerce and other various activities in the world. Electronic commerce is one of the common ways of undertaking business transactions today. The impacts of electronic commerce are far much reaching, and continue to cause changes in the world of business. The e-commerce is a realistic business experience and a crucial aspect of modernization and globalization. The business world is becoming very competitive, and for this reason every organization focuses at obtaining competitive advantage and maximizes profits through the utilization of modern technology and e-commerce. E-commerce is one of the greatest sectors in business that has benefited from technology and coniine to ripe from the technological dynamics. E-commerce has various benefits which include empowerment of employees, facilitation of customers support, reduction of cycle time, maximization of profit, and attainment of competitive advantage. E-commerce has greatly changed the definition of knowledge base, services, relationship, mass customization, outlook of skills, as well as customers and company’s interaction. E-business will affect various areas, which include project management, supply chain management, retailing, entertainment, as well as manufacturing. It is evident that the effects of e-commerce on these areas are both positive and negative. In general perspective, e-commerce has tremendous effects and continues to cause a lot of changes in various organization and business activities.
E-commerce has tremendously influence project management. Ecommerce on project management goes beyond just management of a project; this is because it entails various complex features of e-commerce. Success in an organization is achieved through the integration of e-commerce in project management. The electronic commerce offers various solution during project management activities. It is worth noting that every organizations project is very important and calls for integration of modern technology. Before internet became part of organizations business, projects were planned and executed manually (MacGregor 38). In the modern world, e-commerce has ensured that projects management in the best way possible. In fact, project management has become the best tool to bring success in an organization. E-commerce promotes proper execution of project management in an organization. E-commerce has saves a lot of time, this is because all the information required can easily be found by the management team. This is because the era of periodicals, calendars and manual handling of papers has been eliminated by the e-commerce.
On the same note, e-commerce and online related tools has enabled electronic filling of various information and schedules. His is achieved through central online keeping of information. The information can easily be accessed by the responsible stakeholders in any part of the world (Satterlee 16). E-commerce has also facilitated flexible project management process. This is because it enhances teamwork and global corporation among the responsible stakeholders. The individuals who are responsible with the project management can easily link up their ideas and access related information. There are main positive effects of e-commerce on project management. This positive effects is associated to scope, cost, quality and time.
E-commerce has greatly widened the scope of project management; this means that there is clear understanding and execution of project management. On the same note, the time of execution is also very efficient. E-commerce has enabled the availability of all the available information required in undertaking project management. The cost has also reduced tremendously due to e-commerce (MacGregor 45). Project management always requires a lot of resources, and personnel but the introduction of e-commerce influence few resources are required. The team leaders and the project managers have realized the importance of using technology. The introduction of e-commerce in project management has facilitated proper planning, motivation, control of resources, as well as enhancing organization in order to achieve business goals and objectives.
E-commerce also affects the project management negatively on issues related to human resource. It is worth noting that e-commerce relationship with project management will require individuals who understand the modern technology and has knowledge on the issues related to project management. It is very difficult for organization to get such an individual., the only way is through training, meaning the company will use an extra cost to develop skills and knowledge (Manzoor 12). The scope changes are also another negative impact of e-commerce on project management. E-commerce is very dynamic in nature; hence, the changes taking place affects the execution of project management. The introduction of e-commerce has also led to stiff competition among companies, which leads to decrease on quality output.
Perhaps, supply chain management plays a crucial role in the digital era, especially in the economy. The prevalence of e-commerce has various impacts on the supply chain management. It is evident that the e-commerce is tremendously on the increase; this implies that various aspects of supply chain will also be influenced. The main focus in the e-commerce effects on supply chain management is focused on customization, supplier relationship, pricing, distribution, real-time decision technologies, as well as visibility (Simon 12). E-commerce is basically changing various models and rules of supply chain management. The digital economy continues to change, and e-commerce continues to influence supply chain management in various organizations.
One of the positive impacts of e-commerce on supply chain management is the increase of productivity. It is worth noting that the merging of e-commerce and supply chain management has created tremendous opportunities. The supply chain management has improved due to the involvement of e-commerce. It is evident that supply chain management depends of e-commerce on issues of innovation and performance. The focus of e-commerce is to execute most of the supply chain management activities over the internet (Simon 25). It is worth noting that e-commerce affects supply chain management by performing carious activities which include negotiation of contacts, price negotiation, tracking orders, filling and delivering orders, placing and receiving orders, providing product information, as well as receiving payments. Though this activities e-commerce have affects the supply chain management. Organization use e-commerce to enhance supply chain management by displaying its products over the internet to its potential customers. E-commerce also promotes supply chain management by allowing the customers to track their products and packages thought the transportation process.
The presence of e-commerce affects supply chain management by allowing the organizations management team to manage uncertainties that may arise in a better way. E-commerce presents new dynamics to the managers, especially managing the supply chain. The essence of e-commerce on supply chain is based on the emerging themes that help management to conduct business in the modern way. Some of the benefits of e-commerce on supply chain management include information visibility, uncertainty, market structure, speed, as well as connectivity. E-commerce affects supply chain management increases order processing efficiency, reduction of costs, as well as locking of trading partners.
On the other hand, there are negative effects of e-commerce on supply chain management. One of the negative effects is the security issues. There is a lot of internet insecurity in the world. It is worth noting that there are a lot of insecurities in the internet and organization comprehend that there are issues that exposes the consumers from the products. In addition, another negative effect is the change in the business process and other technical related challenges. The issue of automation affects negatively the business process and supply chain management (Simon 38). The e-commerce brings changes on issues of communication and planning, which means that the organization may adjust. Organization must be in a position to share data and information regarding production schedules, promotion plans, forecast, as well as inventory information. Basically, the e-commerce weakens the supply chain links. The aspect of e-commerce may force the small companies to focus on automation yet they cannot cope with modern technology. The development of technology and computer technology is very important and continue to cause a lot of changes in the marketplace. The e-commerce affects the supply chain management and continues to cause a lot of changes. Supply chain management focuses on the coordination and integrated planning.
E-commerce is also part of retailing in the modern organizations and business. It is worth noting that e-business will affect r4eatioling in both the positive and negative way. Studies show that retailing is one of the sectors in business that is affected by modern technology and internet. There are many countries in the world that have reached the peak on e-business effects, which is driven by the aspect of security, attitudes, consumer behavior, price and availability of internet. The retailing has tremendous increased due to e-business (Plant 56). The pr4sence of technology has made it easy to carry out business. Online retailing has been introduced due to e-business, buts one of the critical factor that organizations must understand is that e-business and online retailing is here to stay.
Most of the consumers in the world are going internet; this means that the retailing should go in line with electronic business. In both the developed and developing nation, potential customers of various brands are using the internet. Therefore, the most important place that customers, manufactures, retailers and marketers meet is through the internet. Internet retailing has had tremendous effect on the brick-and-motor stores in the globe. In fact, shoppers prefer re-ordering and ordering various items through the internet.
E-business has positively affected retailing due to increase in information. It is evident that social retailing on the internet is on the rise and these continue to influence the behavior of the consumers. The potential consumers always go online to research on the product they want to buy people making any order. The fact that consumers are more informed has worked negatively for retailers since the trust of consumers are reduced (Satterlee 46). The e-business has affected retailing in the sense that it is more than information source. It is evident that in the modern era e-business is one of the main tools of selling. Retailers have clearly understood the importance of shopping decisions made by consumers in the marketplace, and they are relocating its resources into the internet.
In addition, e-business affects the retailing positively in the sense that organization can met out their cost. The relationship between consumers to consumer has been established well through e-business. E-business has actually reduced the cost of retailing. This is because it is easy and cheaper to build a website that deals with retailing than building a store. The customers in the entire world can be reached though the e-business.
E-business has also affected retailing positively in the sense that it provides multiple channels. The brick-and-mortar operation provides a few channels that are not sufficient for the consumers. E-business has also made buying very convenient. Has compared to traditional retailing, the modern retailing process has become very convenient. E-business has ensured that consumers can buy at anytime, and eliminates the aspect of stores closing sometime. It is very easy for a customer to purchase online, thanks to the presence on online retailing (Plant 23). There is also improved customer and business relationship using retailing. There is crucial customization of consumer and organizations profiles that will enable customers to interact in the easy way possible. On the same note, e-business has influenced retailing positively through inventory efficiency.
One of the negative effects of e-business on retailing is that there are products that require physical approach. For example, retailing of clothes will need the consumer to conform the size of the clothes physically. There is tendency of clients returning products due t the fact that it does not fit their descriptions. There are various customers who do not embrace e-business because of privacy (MacGregor 49). It is worth noting that retailing online to some extend violates the privacy of the customers. Online retailing today is associated with various security and fraud issues. This implies that e-business makes the consumers too vulnerable to security issues and fraud. The lack of inspection of merchandise may lead to fraud.
The evolution of global web has also affected the entertainment industry. E-business is a very important component in the modern entertainment industry. E-commerce has enabled the entertainment organizations to break the geographical barriers that existed during the analog era. The entertainment companies have utilized e-business to increase their revenue and consumer interaction. It is worth noting that there are various links between e-business and the entertainment industry (Manzoor 78). E-business has tremendously influenced the entertainment industry through the reduction of marketing costs and increase sell of product. Marketing product through the internet is more efficient and cheap as compared to traditional marketing techniques. The entertainment industry is actually able to conduct various transactions at the best speed possible.
The entertainment industry in the world has undergone a lot of changes. Most of the changes are attributed to e-business and advancement of technology. The entertainment industry includes movies, music, as well as television. The buying of music cassettes and CD is actually something of the past. The e-business has enabled the consumers of music to listen to music online and purchase them online and a convenient way. The presence of e-business enables the music and movie producers to distribute and market their products directly to customers.
The customers who are always associated with book reading and enjoy reading novels are in a position to access their material online. The e-commerce through development of various websites enables individuals to read online and purchase any type of book or novel they require at any time (Satterlee 67). There are very minimal barriers in the industry and this has enabled many entertainers and those to be entertained to enjoy their freedom. In general perspective, it is evident that e-commerce has positives affected the entertainment industry in a positive way. The entertainers can easily meet with their funs online and share ideas. In fact, the consumers of entertainment industry have the opportunity to express what they intent to listen and see. The musicians and actors will streamline their actions to meet the demands of the consumer. The link between the entertainment industry and its consumers has become very strong. This is crucial because the cost of entertainment continue to reduce as the industry increase the utilization of online technology.
The e-commerce has negatively influence the entertainment industry. There is increase on issues of piracy due to e-commerce. It is worth noting that the consumers in the entertainment industry can easily get information non new movies and songs, and download them free. The e-commerce increases consumer sensitization on the entertainment industry leading to more piracy. On the same note, e-commerce does not only entail exchange of entertainment material but it can lead to decrease on privacy issues (MacGregor 78). E-commerce exposes many consumers; hence, eliminating there confidentiality and privacy. Every consumer using the internet is very keen on their privacy, but e-commerce tends to affect it negatively. The morals among the young generation are also at risk due to e-commerce in the entertainment industry. Children can easily assess material that they are beyond their age.
Manufacturing entails the production of goods for sale or to be used though the utilization of chemicals, technology, biological process, labor, as well as machines. In the modern era the transformation of raw material to finished products is enhanced by internet and new technology. The new era of e-commerce has led to positive and negative effects. E-commerce for manufacturing is one of the critical developments in organizations today (Manzoor 56). One of the positive impacts is the reduction of costs. The orders made through the internet are very low costs. In addition, the elimination of errors leads to dew shipment returns. E-commerce has also increase revenue because of 24 hours production in the industry.
The use of e-commerce in manufacturing increases the entire process leading to increase of revenue. In addition, it has also enhanced customer service through improvement of customer’s satisfaction and loyalty. Manufacturers can access the inventory of suppliers and understand all the details required instantly. On the same note, customers get an opportunity to configure their orders according to their demands. The online ordering also makes the customers be able to request for products they are within their scope. In general perspective, e-commerce has improved the entire pace of manufacturing process.
Work cited
MacGregor, Robert C, and Lejla Vrazalic. E-commerce in Regional Small to Medium Enterprises. Hershey, PA: IGI Pub, 2007. Internet resource.
Manzoor, Amir. E-commerce: An Introduction. Saarbrücken: LAP Lambert Acad. Publ, 2010. Print.
Plant, Robert T. Ecommerce: Formulation of Strategy. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Financial Times/Prentice Hall, 2000. Print.
Satterlee, Brian C. E-commerce: A Knowledge Base. San Jose: Writers Club Press, 2001. Print.
Simon R. Croom. "The impact of e-business on supply chain management: An empirical study of key developments", International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 2005, Vol. 25 Iss: 1, pp.55 – 73
