Guest editorial

Citation

Head, M.M. (2001), "Guest editorial", Internet Research, Vol. 11 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/intr.2001.17211daa.002

Guest editorial

The Internet provides an incredible opportunity for business in electronic commerce. It allows for global reach and instantaneous communication. Not only is the Internet redefining how businesses relate to each other and their customers, it is also redefining how customers relate to each other and to public and private sectors.

During the last year, we witnessed an unprecedented bull market in the tech stocks until the great market correction that began in the spring of 2000. This "boom to the bust" phenomenon has resulted in a more cautions market that focuses on solid business models and performance rather than bold speculation. Although no one can predict the evolution of the economy, most agree that the Internet and electronic commerce are here to stay. Electronic commerce will continue to bring efficiencies in operations and opportunities for growth and competitive advantage. In the future, we will likely lose the "e" in e-commerce and e-business, as it will become the standard means for conducting business.

On 17-19 January 2001, McMaster University's Michael G. DeGroote School of Business sponsored the Second World Congress on the Management of Electronic Commerce. The conference was a truly international forum that brought together over 450 delegates from more than 35 countries. Our congratulations go to the commerce and MBA students that organized this event, which was the most successful conference in McMaster University's 22 years of hosting a business conference.

For survival in today's competitive environment, businesses must rethink their old ways of doing business – from marketing and customer service to establishing long-term partnerships and managing employees. The McMaster World Congress offers academics and corporate leaders a unique environment to share and learn from each other's experiences and research in new e-business approaches. More specifically, the main themes addressed by the conference include:

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  new business models for e-commerce and industry implications;

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  integrating e-commerce with traditional business models;

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  critical success factors for e-commerce;

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  new technologies and their impact on the management of e-commerce;

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  impacts of e-commerce on corporate culture;

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  understanding online customers and meeting their expectations; and

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  the impact of e-commerce on strategic planning.

Nine of the best papers from the conference have been selected for this special issue of Internet Research. The majority of these papers have been modified or extended from their original versions in the conference proceedings, in accordance with reviewers' comments.

Two papers address corporate culture from different viewpoints. Hamilton examines the effects of a new venture's financing method on corporate culture, while Detlor explores the effects of an organization's internal information culture on its e-commerce initiatives and plans.

Electronic retailing is examined for sector opportunities and system requirements. Whewell and Souitaris investigate the impact of the Internet on traditional retailing sectors. They find that e-commerce presents an opportunity rather than a threat to traditional business. Fang and Head present an abstract model for Web-based Information Systems (WIS) in e-retailing. Through this model, WIS requirements and features for success are examined and future areas for research outlined.

Several papers consider the applications and implications of new technologies and tools. Papadopoulou et al. propose an application of agents and virtual reality to facilitate online customer trust. Mullins et al. present a new Web-based training tool to help small and medium sized enterprises implement e-commerce solutions into their business processes. Jonason and Eliasson investigate the Mobile Internet and m-commerce, and present appropriate revenue models for this emerging industry.

Analysis of, and recommendations for, successful e-commerce strategies are addressed in many of the articles presented in this special issue. In particular, Lee presents an analytical framework to help organizations assess critical success factors when formulating e-commerce business models and strategies. Bart examines the application of mission statements, a popular management tool, on public Web sites and proposes their potential effect on future performance success.

The World Congress on the Management of Electronic Commerce seeks to address the challenges and opportunities of the electronic economy through its sharing of research and management issues. We hope that the papers presented in this special issue will stimulate thought and discussion, and will lead to a better understanding of the unlimited "e"-possibilities.

Milena M. Head and Christopher K. BartMichael G. De Groote School of Business,McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada