J. Paulin, M. Girouard, and S.A. Selouani (Canada)
E-commerce, small and medium-sized enterprises, customer relationship management, e-marketing
The principal perceived obstacle to e-commerce uptake is similar across small business companies. This is mainly related to management capacities and financial abilities to fully integrate the company’s business functions using the Internet. This paper presents the steps that led to an e commerce community model for online shopping developed by the Collectivité ingénieuse de la Péninsule acadienne (CIPA), an Industry Canada's smart communities partner. The model aims to accommodate the specific needs of small business companies in rural regions, in order that they can fully take advantage of the opportunities offered by e-commerce. This model is built in such a way that companies doing e-commerce will share a common virtual space and services. It is expected that the model involves a drastic reducing of costs, increases visibility, and leads to a broader customer base.
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