Search results

The paper seeks to provide a better understanding of how industrial (B2B) organizations use their web sites as a marketing communication tool to create value through their supply (value) chain relationships.

A review of previous studies on B2B web sites results in the development of the “I‐E‐I (internet‐extranet‐intranet) framework”, with three research questions focusing on how each of the three levels of the I‐E‐I framework can be described. Via these research questions the framework is tested empirically over a ten‐month period in an industrial (B2B) web site setting. A qualitative, case study approach is used utilizing multiple sources of evidence.

It was found that in order to make online (communication) efforts more effective throughout the value chain, an inside‐out communication strategy is needed by the organization. Each level seems to have primary versus secondary stakeholders in terms of the access to and interaction with the web site level in which they are interacting. Overall, it was found that the deeper one went into the I‐E‐I framework, the more value that was created and that such value was both provided to and received from both the organization and the stakeholder.

The I‐E‐I framework developed in this study introduces a framework that can be tested empirically, discussed and debated in other settings and provide a springboard for more in‐depth studies on value creation in B2B web sites for both scholars and practitioners.

The web provides its users with abundant information. Unfortunately, when a web search is performed, both users and search engines must deal with an annoying problem: the presence of spam documents that are ranked among legitimate ones. The mixed results downgrade the performance of search engines and frustrate users who are required to filter out useless information. To improve the quality of web searches, the number of spam documents on the web must be reduced, if they cannot be eradicated entirely. This paper aims to present a novel approach for identifying spam web documents, which have mismatched titles and bodies and/or low percentage of hidden content in markup data structure.

The paper shows that by considering the degree of similarity among the words in the title and body of a web docuemnt D, which is computed by using their word‐correlation factors; using the percentage of hidden context in the markup data structure within D; and/or considering the bigram or trigram phase‐similarity values of D, it is possible to determine whether D is spam with high accuracy

By considering the content and markup of web documents, this paper develops a spam‐detection tool that is: reliable, since we can accurately detect 84.5 percent of spam/legitimate web documents; and computational inexpensive, since the word‐correlation factors used for content analysis are pre‐computed.

Since the bigram‐correlation values employed in the spam‐detection approach are computed by using the unigram‐correlation factors, it imposes additional computational time during the spam‐detection process and could generate higher number of misclassified spam web documents.

The paper verifies that the spam‐detection approach outperforms existing anti‐spam methods by at least 3 percent in terms of F‐measure.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which New Zealand business web sites conform to the provisions of the New Zealand Privacy Act, 1993 as an articulation of the national values on the rights of individuals to information privacy. The secondary aim is to assess whether adherence to these values might be used as criteria that can reflect on the business integrity of the web site sponsor.

The privacy notices and information‐handling practices of New Zealand business web sites were analysed using a content analysis methodology. The analysis was carried out on a sample of 200 companies, selected at random from a published list of the top 800 companies in New Zealand in 2005. Government web sites were excluded.

The first research hypothesis – that New Zealand business web sites demonstrate awareness of the privacy concerns of customers by posting a privacy notice – was not supported. Similarly, the privacy notices on New Zealand business web sites did not reflect the principles of the New Zealand Privacy Act, 1993 as a basis for establishing “value congruence” with customers. Consequently the use of the principles of the Privacy Act to assess business integrity was not demonstrated sufficiently by the investigation.

The lack of a usable convention for evaluating privacy notices on New Zealand business web sites may lead to a loss of value congruence between businesses and their customers, leading to less‐than‐optimal commercial transactions. The principles of the New Zealand Privacy Act 1993 define the national values and privacy rights of online customers. The use of the Privacy Act to assess the information handling practices of New Zealand businesses online could ensure more ethical business practice, demonstrate business integrity and promote customer confidence.

The use of legislated privacy principles as a reflection of established national values on the rights of citizens could provide a useful measure of value congruence and possibly business integrity. The variety of privacy legislation worldwide reflects a global lack of agreement on acceptable principles. Nevertheless, businesses wishing to establish their integrity and value congruence would be advised to ensure that their web sites provide for the growing sensitivity to privacy issues and the way that personal information is gathered and used online.

The purpose of this paper is to theoretically analyze and empirically test the business value of firm web visibility, including its relationship to advertising efficiency and long-term financial performance (i.e. shareholder value).

A conceptual framework is established to analyze firm value of web visibility through its market effects. Hypotheses on the associations between firm web visibility and advertising efficiency and shareholder value are tested by cross-sectional analysis of 1,331 firms in six industries and four industry sectors. The authors control for several firm- and industry-level factors.

The results consistently support the two hypotheses, i.e., first, a positive and significant relationship between firm web visibility and advertising efficiency; and second, a positive and significant relationship between firm web visibility and shareholder value.

In addition to increasing web traffic, firm web visibility has business value and helps to enhance advertising efficiency and shareholder value. Managers can use the web references as a valuable tool for marketing success when the use of traditional advertising reaches saturation. Managers should actively monitor and use web visibility as a web management measure in practice.

This research provides convincing evidence to support both short-term and long-term business value of web visibility and suggests that web visibility be recognized and managed as a market-based asset.

This paper explores the endeavours of five small firms to develop Web‐based commerce capabilities within their existing operations. The focus is on the strategic acquisition and exploitation of knowledge which underpins new value creating activities related to Web‐based commerce. A normative Web‐based commerce adoption model developed from a review of the extant literature related to electronic marketing, entrepreneurship, and the diffusion of new innovations was empirically tested. A multiple case study design enabled the exploration of contemporary marketing and entrepreneurship issues within the real life context of five small firms. The model aimed to emphasis best‐practice adoption methods emphasizing the value of a firm’s market orientation and entrepreneurial capabilities. A preliminary test of the model’s theoretical contentions lent support to its overall focus, but found that the firm’s existing learning capabilities were diminished during the adoption of Web‐based commerce, and that a lack of vision and prior knowledge produced sub‐optimal adoption outcomes.

Aims to investigate consumers' shopping values and web site beliefs that influence their intention to shop for cultural products.

Uses the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) as a framework to explain the structural interrelationships among internet shopping value, beliefs about the web site, shopping attitude, and shopping intention. A total of 203 persons responded to an invitation to participate in a web survey for the purpose of data analysis.

Consumers' beliefs about the web site, especially with regard to merchandising, both directly and indirectly influenced their intention to shop for cultural products in the future. The proposed model supported the effectiveness of the extended TRA in the context of cultural product shopping on the internet. Overall, the findings confirmed elements of the TRA such as belief structures as determinants of attitudes and attitudes as determinants of behavioral intention.

Consumers who shop for cultural products on the internet have both hedonic and utilitarian shopping values and both these values must be addressed by internet retailers. Regular changes in products and presentation are vital for maintaining repeat patronage. Future research should explore how shopping values are related to web site attributes in different contexts of shopping.

Offers valuable recommendations to internet retailers, if they are to retain customers in a very specialized arena.

This study looks at the value-relevance of accounting data and measures of web-traffic for Internet firms listed on the Neuer Markt. We show that earnings and cash flows cannot explain the valuation of Internet companies, while we report a positive association between total sales and market capitalisation. In addition, sales and marketing as well as research and development expenses are relevant value-drivers. Furthermore, we find a positive relation between market values and a number of web-metrics such as customer loyalty, reach, page impressions, and unique visitors. We conclude that during the Internet bubble, measures of web-traffic provided at least as much explanatory power for market values as financial statement information.

The worldwide web continues to evolve as a key capability for commercial and human interactions. This paper lays out how the web is likely to evolve and key capabilities businesses must harness to realize the future value of the web.

The article defines five stages of evolution of the web. Web 1.0 was primarily a publishing and transactional environment. Web 2.0 as a space where users co‐create value. Web 3.0 as a semantic space where machine intelligence combines with human intelligence to create new insights. Web 4.0 as a mobile space where users and real and virtual objects are integrated together to create value. Web 5.0 a sensory emotive space where we are able to move the web from an emotionally flat environment to a space of rich interactions. The article outlines how companies must adapt to each stage.

The article presents clear reasons for why the web might evolve across these five stages and what businesses must focus on to harness the web.

Much of the discussion today centers around Web 2.0 and Web 3.0. This article pushes forth to a new space provocatively and with reason to suggest future outlines of the evolution of the internet.

Presents a series of articles on each of the following topics: digital strategy in the next millennium (Digital strategy – a model for the millennium; Searching for the next competitive edge; The technology link; Value web management opportunities; clash of the Titans: communications companies battle for new ground; and a guide through the maze); retailing and distribution in the digital era (The business case for electronic commerce; superdistribution spells major changes; VF Corp. sews up software operation; IBM seeks to harness digital revolution; Egghead’s bold move to a Web‐based strategy; achieving successful Internet banking; and enterprising uses for IT); and the changing shape of the aviation industry (boom times ahead for air cargo; United Airlines flies high through employee ownership; Asian practices to West at Cathay Pacific; and Ryannair strips to the bone).

Defines webs as a cluster of companies which collaborate around a particular technology, and asserts that two preconditions are essential for their formation; states these to be a technological standard and increasing returns, and discusses the implications of these to participants. Sees two possible strategic roles for participants: adaption and shaping, and lists the success factors appropriate to each. Forecasts the development of customer webs, organized around market segments, and market webs, organized around particular transactions.