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Advancing the Concepts & Practices of Information Resources Management in Modern Organizations

Interacting with Customers on the Internet: Developing a Model for Small Businesses

Interacting with Customers on the Internet: Developing a Model for Small Businesses
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Author(s): Stephen Burgess (Victoria University of Technology, Australia)and Don Schauder (Monash University, Australia)
Copyright: 2000
Pages: 5
Source title: Challenges of Information Technology Management in the 21st Century
Source Editor(s): Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, D.B.A. (Information Resources Management Association, USA)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-878289-84-1.ch052
ISBN13: 9781878289841
EISBN13: 9781466665316

Abstract

A number of models have been used in the past two decades to assist firms to identify ways that they can use information technology (IT) to add value to their products and services. This paper examines the concept of using IT to add value to products and services and looks at a number of different models that have been used to achieve this. An analysis of the steps of the models reveals that they each possess a number of common steps in their practical application. Some recent models that have been designed specifically for electronic commerce are examined for the same purpose and shown to have a similar set of basic steps. Finally, a model is proposed that attempts to address the needs of small businesses that wish to interact with customers on the internet. A method of testing the model is suggested. Application of the model could provide small businesses with the planning methodology that they often lack to review their internal and external resources and identify a basic web site strategy before attempting to develop their web site.

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