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| e-Xpertise in Industry October 2002 |
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Book review: The authors start by explaining the dot.com bubble of 2000, and use the ensuing melt-down in world markets as the call to arms for all businesses to re-examine their models and strategies, now that the Internet and e-business are simply part of normal commercial practice.
For anyone who is interested in what the e-business boom was, or is, all about, this book provides interesting analysis and builds credible models and arguments for the future of the digital economy. A casual reader can focus on certain areas or technologies of interest, by flicking through relevant chapters and appendices. The more committed business manager or academic can follow the authors from the start in developing their vision of the digital future as a dynamic business ecosystem built around Internet technologies. The large, corporate American focus may deter some readers, but beneath the gloss is some sound and practical advice.
It is, in fact, a book of two halves (plus some useful appendices): Part I discusses the work of recognised leaders in business thinking – Michael Porter’s value chain analysis, Hammer & Champy’s business process re-engineering, for example. It re-builds them into more dynamic, Internet & technology-driven models that are closely aligned to the changing needs of business in the 21st century. On the way, the authors cover emerging technologies and models like electronic marketplaces, peer-to-peer commerce, e-hubs, B2B exchanges, auctions, wireless applications, m-commerce, intelligent agents, B2B consortia, collaborative commerce, digital strategies, essential technologies and Web-services. Part II consists of, “In-depth analyses from the Thought Leaders”, a collection of papers ranging from “Peer-to-Peer Commerce” and “Collaborative Commerce”, through “Portals: Business on the Network Edge” and “Adaptive Strategies for B2B Marketplaces”, to “”B2B Integration: The Message is in the Medium” and “Bringing Visibility to the Extended Supply Chain”.
Part I’s solutions provide some stimulating reading, though some of the proposed solutions are perhaps, even now, looking dated by the inevitable forwards roll of technology. Some of the models are also destined to remain simply as logical visions, as the authors themselves acknowledge - “Building and maintaining such software are monumental tasks beyond the capabilities of individual companies”, (“Bringing it all together”, p126). They call for companies and software suppliers to build the architectures and applications in true partnership using what is available today, but with an eye on what will fit tomorrow.
In Part II, the thought-leaders are often closely-related to their interest areas – from commercial concerns using certain types of technology to standards bodies like the OMG and XML Foundation. They are pro-usage, but provide an interesting, if partial, perspective in-depth on each issue. The appendices also give more background on the crash of 2000, digital commerce in the 21st century and emerging standards like XML, UDDI and UML.
Nick
Ballard Also in this issue: Feature Article:
The next big thing? Hot Topic: Design Data
Operability – A PLM pre-requisite? Cambashi researches best practice and assists IT suppliers in best practice implementation. For more information on Cambashi services please email info@cambashi.com e-Xpertise in Industry operates as an opt-in email. The opt-in policy means we never intentionally send any email to anyone who does not wish to receive it. To subscribe: send an email with the word "subscribe" in the subject line to : expertise@cambashi.com © Copyright 2003 Cambashi Ltd |
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