Developed an outline marketing plan that will help to ensure that the usage of the site is high and generate the required levels is revenue
FACULTY OF MEDIA, INFORMATION
&
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
E-COMMERCE511
Due Date:
Chapters Covered: Internet Platform for Business
The new Economy and e-commerce
B2C
B2B
Business opportunities on the Internet
Maximum Marks: 100
Unique Assignment Number: DIP-ECM 511
Background
This assignment is based on the content to be covered in the first semester. Naturally all material provided or prescribed will be used.
Purpose:
The purpose of the assignment is to:
- Ensure that you come to thorough grip with content, in particular of the provided or prescribed material and
- Gain an in depth understanding of the core concepts and the significance of the theories discussed in the module.
PC TRAINING & BUSINESS COLLEGE
HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING
FACULTY OF MEDIA, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
DIPLOMA IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET: ECOMMERCE511
Name of Learner…………………………………………………….… Student No: …………………………..
Module…………………………………………………………………..…Date: ……………………………………..
ICAS Number……………………………………………………………..Year: ……………………………………..
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
| Question Number | Mark Allocation | Examiner’s Mark | Moderator’s Marks |
| 1 | 50 | ||
| 2 | 30 | ||
| 3 | 20 | ||
| Total | 100 | ||
| Examiner’s Comments | |||
| Moderator’s Comments | |||
NB: All Assignments will be handled in as it forms part of continuous assessment that goes towards the final.
QUESTION ONE [50MARKS]
1.1 Discuss why companies concentrate on revenue models and the analysis of business processes instead of business models when they undertake electronic commerce initiatives. (10)
1.2 Discuss how businesses use value chains and SWOT analysis to identify electronic commerce opportunities. (15)
1.3 Describe three factors that would cause a company to continue doing business in traditional ways and avoid electronic commerce. (15)
1.4 An Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a company that provides a connection to the internet. Explain the factors that must be considered when choosing an ISP (10)
QUESTION TWO [30MARKS]
You are an e-commerce consultant and have been approached by a local publishing business. They currently publish a magazine called Second Hand Car Mart that offers second hand cars for sale. The cars are advertised by both individuals and companies looking to sell them. The magazine is published monthly and has a selling price of $10.00. It currently sells around 3,000 copies per issue.
Due to the economic downturn the sales of new cars have dropped significantly. This has resulted in an increased demand for second hand cars and the publishers are keen to exploit this. They would like to launch an e-commerce site that advertises second hand cars for sale on the Internet. The intention is that prospective buyers will contact the car sellers and make their own arrangements to evaluate and purchase the cars. The site will not be involved in the actual purchasing process, but will simply act as a marketplace through which buyers and sellers can meet.
The publishers have asked you to assist them in developing the initial plan for the site. They would like you to focus upon a number of critical elements as far as the new e-commerce site is concerned:
- What business model should be adopted for the site?
- How should the site be marketed and promoted to potential users?
- How to select an outsourced partner to develop and host the e-commerce site on behalf of the
publisher?
- What specific security threats is the site likely to face and how should these be countered?
They have asked you to investigate these issues and provide them with your recommendations.
Required:
As part of the project you have been asked to undertake the following activities:
2.1 Provide a short report the most suitable revenue model that should be adopted by the e-commerce site, together with your reasons for making this decision. (10)
2.2 Develop an outline marketing plan that will help to ensure that the usage of the site is high and generates the required levels of revenue. (9)
2.3 Identify three potential domain names for the new site. (3)
2.4 Identify the key questions to ask potential e-commerce suppliers in order to select an appropriate company to develop and host the site on behalf of the publishers. (4)
2.5 Produce a list of the key security concerns associated with the use of the e-commerce site and the appropriate countermeasures that can be adopted. (4)
QUESTION THREE [20MARKS]
Bridgewater Engineering Company (BECO), a privately held machine shop, makes industrial quality, heavy duty machinery for assembly lines in other factories. It sells its presses, grinders and milling equipment using a few inside salespeople and telephones. This traditional approach worked well during the company’s start up years, but BECO is getting a lot of competition from abroad. Because you worked for the company during summers of your college years, BECO’s president, Tom Dalton, knows you and realizes that you are Web savvy. He wants to form close relationships with the steel companies and small parts manufacturers that are BECO’s suppliers so that he can tap into their ordering systems and request supplies when he needs them. Tom wants you to investigate how can he use the Internet to set up such electronic relationships.
3.1 Write a report that briefly describes how companies use extranets to link their systems with those of their suppliers, then write an evaluation of at least two companies (using information you have gathered in your Web searches) that could help develop an extranet that would work for Tom. Close the report with an overview of how BECO could use VPN technologies in this type of extranet.
TOTAL MARKS 100
