AMBAI Free Online Distance Course in Management and Business Administration

	American Management and Business Administration Institute 955 Massachusetts Avenue # 3000 - Cambridge, MA 02139-3180 - USA - Fax 1-760-457-3335 Management and Business Administration Online Campus: www.ambai.org email: campus@ambai.org
For Enrolled Students only! For info on AMBAI Certificate Programas click HERE	Study Guide for the Certificate Program in Management and Business Administration.

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Study Guide	This is a Study Guide. As the name implies, it guides the student in the reading of the textbook, The Virtual MBA. The textbook is divided into 12 Chapters and each chapter into several Sections. Sections are numbered consecutively from the beginning to the end of the textbook. We will refer you to the textbook by citing the Section number. This Subject is based on Chapter I of the textbook.
Living through a Revolution	That the Internet and especially the World Wide Web (www, or "the Web") is a stunning phenomenon is widely accepted. The number of users is growing geometrically all over the world. Now please read Sections 1. to 3. of the textbook and return to this point of the Guide. Many of the users of the Internet simply chat, look for sites with specific content, and use the Email. But at an astonishing growth rate more and more people are also using it to purchase goods and services from merchants. This is a very important part of E-commerce, but not the one with the higher potential impact on the economy and on the lives of millions, as we will see later. Please answer the questions.
Self- evaluation questions	Question 1 A) What is E-commerce? Define it in your own words. B) To what 19th. century facility does Peter Drucker compare E-Commerce? See Model Answer A1
	Question 2 The growth of merchant to consumer E-commerce will cause important structural changes. Which one is mentioned in Section 3.? See Model Answer A2
The impact of Firm to Firm Commerce	Put yourself in the place of the buyer of an enterprise. Until a short time ago you could know about possible suppliers and their prices only if a salesperson called or you called them. Imagine now that you can sit in front of your computer screen and find suppliers and instant quotes from all over the world. Nice, but if you are part of a 5 people team of buyers, maybe only 2 will be needed soon. Now imagine you are a salesperson; you will find your customers and prospects much more knowledgeable and difficult to sell to. And certainly your job's description will change a lot. Now please read Sections 4. and 5. of the textbook and return to this point of the Guide. No need to be scared. It has been always true that the only permanent thing is change. But certainly any person participating in business in any form will have to adapt to these very rapid changes. Please answer the questions.
Self- evaluation questions	Question 3 Which operations of GM and Ford will be fully internet based in early 2000? See Model Answer A3
	Question 4 Recall the nature of the changes a manager must adapt to? See Model Answer A4
Managing in the E-commerce Era	The traditional skills of management will still be necessary. New ones will be needed. But most importantly, many of the assumptions a manager may make today are becoming obsolete. Now please read Sections 6. and 7. of the textbook and return to this point of the Guide. A manager who sticks to the type of beliefs mentioned in Section 6. is in denial of reality. Existing enterprises that neglect complementing their traditional sales channels with E-commerce will lose market share. And if they do not use E-commerce for procuring they are damaging competitiveness. Please answer the questions.
Self- evaluation questions	Question 5 The textbook mentions an example of a giant chain of retail stores being seriously confronted by an E-commerce upstart. Which are the chain and the upstart?. See Model Answer A5
	Question 6 Shopping malls will not disappear. A (probably useless) reaction of a mall in St. Louis shows that the owners feel in danger. What strategy is the mall in question implementing? See Model Answer A6
Opportunities for Start-ups The E-boutique vs. the E-department store	What types of upstarts can benefit from E-commerce? Imagination is the limit. Every day me read about new ideas being implemented. It is the era of the dot coms. Not all of them will succeed, of course. But never in the past could so many people attempt to start a new successful business. Now please read Sections 8. to 10. of the textbook and return to this point of the Guide. Strategies on what type of E-store to implement can be very different. No one has shown to be superior. Please answer the questions.
Self- evaluation questions	Question 7 We said E-commerce offers an opportunity for start-ups. What is the opportunity for existing firms? See Model Answer A7
	Question 8 What does the textbook call an E-commerce "boutique"? See Model Answer A8 T
Here we say: So long!	This is the End of the Study Guide for the Subject The New World of E-commerce. The Subject belongs to the Curriculum of the Certificate Program in Management and Business Administration offered by AMBAI as a Public Service.
To access all subjects and the Final Test of this Management and Business Administration Program click here.
A2 - The traditional manufacturer to consumer chain. Back
A1 A) The selling and purchasing of goods via the Internet. B) The railroads Back
A4 - Technological, cultural, social and economical Back
A3 - Their purchasing operations Back
A6 - Prohibit tenants to advertise their E-commerce sites inside the mall. Back
A5 - Barnes & Noble ; Amazon.com. Back
A8 - An E-store specializing in a restricted line of articles Back
A7 - The chance to grow by expanding the market and the market share. Back