E-Business

1. COURSE JUSTIFICATION:
The study of electronic business is concerned with the strategic and operational aspects of creating
and structuring an overall digital procurement and implementation as a necessary business function
that is constantly evolving in response to the changing nature of the digital economy. Students will
discover issues and implications from a cross-cultural perspective and will explore marketing,
strategy and technological trends.
The course will balance academic rigor with analytic frameworks of decision-making, based on
recent developments in the field through: readings, class activities and case studies. As a result, it
aims to provide students with the latest understanding of global issues, disciplines, competencies
and necessary skills in making strategic decisions based on a global perspective.
2. GENERAL OBJECTIVE OF THE COURSE
The objective of this course is to provide students with the knowledge, abilities and tools to develop
e business strategies considering the current global environment and their managerial implications,
taking into consideration the planning, analyzing and implementation process of an overall strategy
supported in Information and technology tools.
• To understand the principles associated with the e business environment, electronic
commerce and digital marketing.
• To understand how to use the different electronic channels, to support the company´s
internationalization process.
• To develop an electronic business strategy.
• To understand the ethical implications in the construction and implementation of a e
business.
3. ANALYTICAL DESCRIPTION OF CONTENTS
I. Understanding the Electronic Business Environment.
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To understand the introductory elements of the e business environment, taking into consideration
the differences with a brick and mortars business models and defining the different roles and
responsibilities in the e business environment.
Specific objectives:
- To develop critical thinking in the fast moving pace of the e business environment.
- To understand the basic concepts related to e business.
- To identify the different types of sell side e commerce and revenue models.
- To identify the business model in the e commerce environment.
- To recognize the component of the digital economy.
- To understand the digital landscape, internet concepts and how to access the internet.
- To understand the web 2.0 and the .com boom.
Topics covered in section:
- Introduction to E business and e commerce.
- E Business fundamentals.
- E business environment.
Teaching-learning strategies: Professor lectures, class discussion, student readings and mini case
studies.
Bibliography: Turban. Chapter 1
II. Understanding E business protocols and Infrastructure
To integrate the concepts of e business protocols and infrastructure, in order to understand how to
the adaptation of the business main technological components impact the coordination with clients,
customers and stakeholder.
Specific objectives:
- To identify and outline how hardware and software requirements are important to support
the e business model.
- To identify how to plan and structure the e business infrastructure.
- To understand the concepts associated to the e business infrascture: IP, protocols, markup
language, servers and networks.
Topics covered in section:
- E Business infrastructure.
- E business hardware, software and content.
- E business infrastructure concepts.
Teaching-learning strategies: Professor lectures, class discussion, student readings and mini case
studies.
Bibliography: Chaffey. Chapter 2, 3
III. Developing the E Business strategy
To understand the process of creating an e business strategy that is aligned with the overall
business strategy, using different planning tools in order to recognize how collaboration, technology
and resources are crucial in the definition of the strategy.
Specific objectives:
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- To discover primary and secondary sources of information in the e business context.
- To define tools for defining the strategy, including the different phases in the process:
analyzing, developing, implementing and measuring the strategy.
- To develop a practical case to create a strategy in coordination with groups defined.
- To define strategic objective and alignment with the corporate strategy.
Topics covered in section:
- E Business strategic framework.
- E Business strategy environment.
- E business strategy alignment with overall corporate strategy.
Teaching-learning strategies: Professor lectures, class discussion, student readings and mini case
studies.
Bibliography: Chaffey. Chapter 5
Bibliography: Turban. Chapter 5
IV. Online Retail and Payments methods
To understand the process of online retailing (e tailing), and, how to use different intermediaries,
channels and applications to support and implement an e business strategy.
Specific objectives:
- To integrate the concept of retailing to the digital economy.
- To understand the payment methods available online.
- To explain ethical implications on the e business environment.
Teaching-learning strategies: Professor lectures, class discussion, student readings and mini case
studies.
Topics covered in section:
- E tailing concepts and models.
- Fraud.
- Security and payment methods.
Bibliography: Chaffey. Chapter 3
V. Digital Marketing in the e business environment
To develop a deeper understanding about what is involved in making digital marketing decisions,
including product, services, branding, and innovation concepts as part of the online marketing mix.
Specific objective:
- To explore the concept of customer online journey in the digital context.
- To understand the concepts and tools used in creating a digital marketing mix, and the
difference with traditional marketing.
- To define Innovation and its application in digital marketing.
- To create a digital marketing strategy in the e business environment.
- To understand privacy concepts and impact on the implementation of the digital marketing
mix: habeas data, opt in, opt out.
Topics covered in section:
- Introduction to digital marketing.
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- Innovation.
- Search engine optimization (SEO) and Search engine marketing (SEM).
- CRM.
Teaching-learning strategies: Professor lectures, class discussion, student readings and mini case
studies.
Bibliography: Chaffey. Chapter 8
Bibliography: Turban. Chapter 8
VI. Implementing the e business strategy
To identify how to plan, implement and measure the e business strategy.
Specific objective:
- To understand the impact in the supply chain with the implementation of the e business
strategy.
- To identify best options to implement and/or create an e business model.
- To examine the impacts of creating an e business from the managerial implications.
- To examine the impact and changes required for organizations to implement an e business
model.
- To understand the impact in the organizational culture of the implementation of an e
business strategy.
- To understand the metrics and process required to measure the implementation of the e
business strategy.
- To understand the ethical implications in the implementation of the e business strategy.
- To understand the sustainability models in the e business environment.
Topics covered in section:
- Supply chain management and the e business strategy.
- Ethical implications in the e business environment.
- Ware house management systems and the impact in structuring the supply chain.
- Strategy implementation analysis, design and metrics.
Teaching-learning strategies: Professor lectures, class discussion, student readings and mini case
studies.
Bibliography: Chaffey. Chapter 11,12.

4. ASSESSMENT
This course is based on a combination of lectures, discussions, case studies, videos, outside
speakers and country snapshots.
You will be asked individually, and as a member of a team to provide material for in-class
discussions, relevant global marketing articles, written analysis, oral presentations and written
evaluations.
Activities are designed to develop students’ ability to summarize major issues, apply the concepts,
evaluate and provide reasonable solutions in an international business situation.

Class project 20%

Cases 30%

Follow-up 10%

Midterm exam 20%

Final exam 20%