E-Commerce Operations Management

The following sections are included:

• DEDICATION

• PREFACE

• CONTENTS

• LISTS OF TABLES AND FIGURES

This chapter introduces and defines some of the principle terms that will be used throughout the book. This chapter also tries to help justify why the subject of this book is an important for students of business. The chapter ends with an overview of the book's architecture used to organize the material for student learning purposes.

This chapter provides an extensive review of the research and published literature that deal with e-commerce operations management. In the process of this presentation this chapter explains how managers should develop an operations management strategy that incorporates e-commerce to achieve business success. The chapter ends with a synthesis of research and its relationship to this book's remaining chapters.

This chapter discusses supply chain management in an e-commerce environment. The chapter introduces the concept of supply chain management and related issues, followed by the supply chain design process. The chapter then explains the relevance of e-commerce in supply chain management. It also discusses electronic data interchange and its impact on the traditional supply chain and e-supply chain. Finally, the chapter discusses several important supply chain issues including information technology acquisition in supply chain management, global supply chain management, and trust.

This chapter discusses the topic of product design and process management in an e-commerce setting. The chapter first presents an overview of product design and process management. Next the chapter describes the relevance of e-commerce in product design and process management and how e-commerce can help in enhancing product design and process management by reducing costs. Finally, the chapter explains how “enterprise resource planning” plays an important role in product/process management.

This chapter presents the topic of purchasing management in the context of e-commerce. The chapter presents JIT purchasing principles and talks about purchasing management benchmarking. The chapter then explains why purchasing management is so important in an e-commerce setting. Finally, the chapter concludes with several research models that describe how e-commerce purchasing can be improved.

This chapter presents the topics of forecasting and scheduling management in the context of e-commerce. A discussion of the relationships between JIT and forecasting and scheduling management are also presented. The chapter then relates forecasting and scheduling management to e-commerce. The chapter also examines integration issues of forecasting and scheduling management. Finally, the chapter concludes with intelligent agent applications in scheduling.

This chapter presents the subject of inventory management in an e-commerce context. The chapter presents a brief overview of the basics of inventory management as they relate to differing types of business operations. The chapter then explains how e-commerce operations require the use of inventory management principles in the development of e-commerce business strategy. The chapter concludes with a discussion on a series of articles that describe how inventory management is currently conducted to achieve successful e-commerce operations.

This chapter presents the subject of quality management in an e-commerce context. The chapter presents a brief overview of the basics of quality management as they are applied in both service and manufacturing operations. The chapter then explains why quality management principles are important for e-commerce business operations. Finally, the chapter concludes with a discussion on a series of research articles that describe how quality management research should be used to achieve successful e-commerce operations.

This chapter presents the topic of human resource management (HRM) in an e-commerce setting. The chapter explains the relationships between HRM and Just-in-time management, HRM and business process reengineering, HRM and globalization. Why HRM is so important in the context of e-commerce is also discussed. Finally, the chapter concludes with the impact of virtual teamwork on e-commerce operations.

This chapter presents the subjects of reengineering and consulting management in an e-commerce context. The chapter presents a brief overview of the basics of these approaches to change management. The chapter then explains why reengineering and consulting management is important for e-commerce business operations. Finally, the chapter concludes with a discussion on a series of research articles that describe how reengineering should be used to achieve successful e-commerce operations.

This chapter introduces and defines mobile commerce. This explains its historical origins and how it has evolved to become a critical element of e-commerce operations. A discussion of current research is presented to provide an orientation to current technology uses. The chapter also explains how the infrastructure issues related to mobile commerce.

This chapter introduces and defines cloud computing. This chapter explains its historical origins and how it has evolved to become an important element of ecommerce operations. A discussion of current research is presented to provide an understanding of the different types of cloud computing that applied in ecommerce as well as a discussion on important issues impacting the application of cloud computing.

The following sections are included:

• EPILOGUE: E-JUST-IN-TIME

• INDEX