eBusiness and eCommerce_ Managing the Digital Value Chain by Andreas Meier and Henrik Stormer

Over a decade ago, the European Union adopted a “plan of action for a European information society.” Internet technologies should broaden the capacity to act of organizations and of individuals, promote transnational contact and exchange relationships, and lead to an open society with cultural originality and variety. To achieve this, the opportunities and risks of utilizing electronic means of communication must be weighed against each other, and privacy and intellectual property rights must be protected. Due to technological development and the use of Internet technology, the production of information has gained economic significance. An information company creates value primarily by designing, processing, and relaying information; in other words, through the exchange of digital products and services. This textbook progressively describes all of the elements of the value chain for electronic business and electronic commerce. A process-oriented approach is used to present the electronic business transactions that occur between companies, consumers,and public administration, and these are illustrated with case studies. Along with the organization of digital products and services, special attention is paid to marketing, distribution, and customer relationship care.