Abstract

Will e-business ultimately represent a revolution in the way firms operate or rather does it represent a more normal evolution in the operations of some firms? Despite the bursting of the Internet stock bubble, it is important to answer this question. As the Internet continues to grow in size and capability, many firms are implementing Web-based applications and Internet-derived economic change continues to occur. If this change is revolutionary, now or in the near future, then many managers will be required to rethink their firm strategies and managerial responses in a profound way. On the other hand, if the change is simply evolutionary, it will apply more to some firms than to others, and pre-Internet strategies and managerial responses will still be appropriate in many circumstances. While it is premature to categorize e-business as revolutionary, e-business is not a silver bullet, rather it will be a useful tool for some firms and some tasks. There are a number of key questions firms should ask in order to make sense of e-business.