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In response to international competition and pressure from retailers, US apparel manufacturers and their suppliers initiated the Quick Response (QR) program. QR seeks to provide retailers with the exact stock‐keeping units (SKUs) which consumers demand and to deliver these SKUs quickly. An effective QR program requires rapid transmission of data throughout the value chain, from the retailer back to apparel manufacturers, fabric producers and fibre manufacturers. Therefore, electronic data interchange (EDI) is a key component of QR and should be tightly linked with other information systems at each level of the value chain. This research is an empirical study of the degree to which EDI has been implemented by US apparel manufacturers and the extent to which EDI is integrated with other information systems. It was found that apparel manufacturers use EDI to establish tight linkages with their customers, the retailers. Manufacturers are less likely to increase their own efficiencies by linking EDI with internal information systems or by establishing EDI linkages with suppliers. The lack of supplier linkages may reduce manufacturers' ability to replenish retail inventories quickly, which is the primary objective of QR.

Standardization and simplification of trade procedures constitute an urgent need to line up the document flow with the goods flow in international trade. Electronic data interchange (EDI) is a co‐operative inter‐organizational information system providing electronic exchange of messages agreed between trade partners. Outlines a possible implementation procedure for EDI. A first part consists of a six‐step feasibility study. If this study ends with a positive recommendation the implementation procedure can start. Discussions of this process concern several requirements: completely understand about EDI; agree on standards with business partners; modify existing systems; translate data: prepare communications; and management and audit of the whole process. Concerning the cost‐benefit analysis for the EDI application – a step which is mandatory in the feasibility study – gives further details on different types of cost (recurring and non‐recurring, direct and indirect) and on both quantifiable and non‐quantifiable benefits.

To remain competitive in today's global marketplace multinational organizations have to adopt advance computer and communication technologies, such as expert systems, neural networks, and global electronic data interchange (EDI). Global EDI transcends traditional corporate and national boundaries; therefore, to maintain availability, confidentiality and integrity of data, the management must develop internal control mechanisms. This paper discusses both the external and internal risks and control activities related to the standardization of hardware, software, and communication protocols, the availability of global networks, the existence of cultural and language barriers, and the importance of legal considerations. Data confidentiality and integrity controls such as access control, encryption, traffic padding, routing control, cable protection, notarization services, acknowledgment control, and audit trail are important for controlling risk in global EDI.

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is a form of electronic communication designed to permit trading partners (customers and suppliers), in two or more organizations, to exchange business transaction data in electronic, structured formats. Unique to EDI, the electronic transmission of the transaction information can be processed directly by the applications within the receiving computer systems. The transmission of data in machine readable form eliminates the need for manual intervention in the data entry or data manipulation process. EDI is a tool for the electronic transmission and integration of information interorganizationally. A growing number of leading edge engineering and construction companies from around the world are implementing EDI applications to improve operational efficiency, enhance information quality, and achieve reductions in processing time of project critical information. EDI facilitates electronic commerce and is particularly useful in international construction endeavours. This paper provides an overview of EDI, discusses EDI applications in engineering and construction (E & C), outlines the status of international EDI standards development as it relates specifically to the E & C industry, and summarizes corporate benefits commonly attributable to EDI implementation.

Presents an updated version of a paper given by the author at an international conference in Athens 2000. Briefly outlines the development of the internet and e‐commerce and the effect of globalization. Considers the potential for the EU to standardize rules and advance its economic integration agenda. Looks at present EU laws in this area. Covers the unicitral model law on electronic commerce, its merits and its problems. Discusses personal jurisdiction under traditional rules and cyberspace transactions. Concludes that existing legislation must be re‐evaluated in the light of technological advances, the need for a more mobile kind of legal person and the worldwide nature of transactions across territorial boundaries, paperless contracts and digital signatures and the use of self‐regulation are also covered.

Materials for teaching, learning and research are moving into the digital sphere. This move is affecting scholarly communication, teaching and learning in the academic community in important ways. These are significant changes, operating at technical, service, organisational and cultural levels. In this paper we wish to examine some of these changes. However, our aims are modest: we will focus on technical developments and on some of the emerging services that these are making possible.

Electronic commerce (e‐commerce) is the new buzzword for doing business on the Internet. A main problem for business‐to‐business e‐commerce lies in the need for the information systems of the involved organizations to exchange meaningful information. For letting the information systems of business partners accomplish electronic business communication, semantic interoperability is necessary to ensure that exchange of information makes sense – that the provider and receiver of information have a common understanding of the “meaning” of the requested services and data. Traditional EDI is not sufficient to solve electronic business communication problems in an open and dynamic environment. Summarizes the development from traditional EDI towards new advanced electronic business communication approaches offering agent‐based e‐commerce marketplaces in which the meaning of business messages is managed by means of shared repositories for formally specifying the semantics of business messages. Within this framework, XML is the practical foundation for structuring the information to be interchanged.

Selects two of the recent developments in information technology, and those expected in the near future, which suggest major advances in both human‐computer and computer‐computer communications. Explores the internal control and auditing issues which surround two such technologies – end‐user computing and electronic data interchange (one from each of these categories respectively). Notes the growth of end‐user computing, together with the need to balance control against the trust and creativity which it fosters. This implies the need for a less instrumental and more organizational approach to audit and control. Electronic data interchange provides the opportunity for the further development of paper‐minimal systems and the resulting legal, as well as audit and control, problems are discussed. Concludes by suggesting that there may be a need for a review of audit methodologies which, in principle, remain focused on the large bureaucratic paper‐based systems of the early 1950s.

Aim of the present monograph is the economic analysis of the role of MNEs regarding globalisation and digital economy and in parallel there is a reference and examination of some legal aspects concerning MNEs, cyberspace and e‐commerce as the means of expression of the digital economy. The whole effort of the author is focused on the examination of various aspects of MNEs and their impact upon globalisation and vice versa and how and if we are moving towards a global digital economy.

The paper aims to propose a model that attempts to build an innovative common gateway compliant with RosettaNet Standards for the secure message exchange between electronic businesses in this age of internet economy.

The use of RosettaNet Standards is to achieve the effectiveness and efficiency of message exchange, and consequently gain mutual benefits by means of agile response for cross‐organizational co‐operation. This common message gateway is built and implemented as an organization's front‐end interface, but is seamlessly integrated with business's back‐end information systems for the message exchange with the business partners of the organization. The proposed common gateway service model provides organizations with low cost, high efficiency, high security of message exchange and transmission over the internet. A prototyping system is also built and tested in a local network devices manufacturing company with its suppliers to examine its feasibility and efficiency.

The result shows that the service model can help the company to achieve a new level of efficiency and effectiveness of streamlining data flow and creating a seamless link with its business partners in this era of internet economy.

The paper presents a common gateway service system for secure data exchange and transmission over the internet between business partners to build a value‐added supply network.