Task
Case Study
A business owner of a small jewellery store 'Eye of the Jewel', (focusing on unique and handmade jewellery), approaches you about broadening their business through an online presence and potentially sourcing materials and selling their products online. Selling online is not their complete focus but a direction they ultimately wish to pursue.
They currently operate completely offline except for an email address that customers occasionally email with custom made jewellery enquires. They are currently quite successful but wish to expand without losing their unique and 'handmade' image.
Required:
Write a report stating the various options available to the business owner and elements they need to consider in creating an online presence that will benefit their business.
Within this analysis, consider all the facets learned including (but not limited to): online marketplaces, portals, payment mechanisms, security, social commerce and legal considerations.
Finally based on your analysis conclude with what you consider an appropriate first set of steps toward creating an online presence and how this may fit within wider business/strategic goals.
Rationale
The objectives of this assignment are to allow you to :
• Evaluate applications of electronic commerce in an organisation and analyse the barriers to successful implementation of these technologies
• Identify the effects of technology on business results and measure the contribution of technology to firm performance
• Discuss electronic commerce planning processes and the managerial and organisational contingencies affecting the relationship between technology and the organisation.
The prescribed text for this subject is:
Turban, E., King, D., Lee, J., Liang, T., & Turban, D., 2012, Electronic commerce 2012, A Managerial Perspective, Seventh Global Edition, Pearson, New Jersey
Presentation
The style of the report is open to choice. The only stipulation is that standard essay rules exist i.e.
Coverage of relevant required eCommerce factors as they relate to the case. Most of the required eCommerce factors are covered and/or the depth and relevant connection of these factors to this case is lacking. All the required eCommerce factors are covered with relevant and insightful connections between the case and each factor. All the required eCommerce factors are explored with multilevel insight to how they relate to the case including risk and environmental factors. The report covers and fully explores every required factor and includes other relevant factors in the advice provided to this business.
Relevance of the report to the business case. The report addresses some aspects of the scenario raised by the client but overlooks key aspects of the business case and/or the current environment in which the business operates. The report addresses the key aspects of the case but overlooks some smaller aspects that could affect the longer term effectiveness of the advice. The report is highly relevant to the business with little to no omission of any relevant aspects of either the case or the environment in which the business operates. The relevance of the report to the business is flawless. All aspects of the case are covered and thoroughly addressed.
Value of the report to the business. The report provides some value to the client but could have included other key elements and/or higher quality reference materials in making the case for advice provided. No assumptions are made about the effectiveness of any advice. The report provides a well articulated and output driven path that covers all relevant areas of the case through the use of relevant reference material. The advice provided is sound and does not overlook key risk factors. The report provides a very clear, argued and actionable path for the business to take covering all relevant issues while being fully reinforced by appropriate reference material. The report provides an fully argued and articulated solution to this business with highly actionable and relevant steps. All reference material is of high quality and complements the advice provided.
Quality and depth of the reference material and application of this material to the case. The key reference material used isnot from independently researched, academically based source (i.e. was from provided materials) or there is a limited linkage between the high quality reference material and the advice being provided. The key reference material cited is of high quality (and independently researched) and for most part is well applied however its recency or relevancy to the case could have been improved. The reference material used is of a high quality, recent, relevant, independently researched and is overall well linked to the argument being made. A large set of high quality independently researched reference material is used that is relevant to both the circumstances of the case and the advice being provided. 10
Use of relevant academically referenced real world business examples reiterating the reasoning for the advice provided. The business sources while relevant, are of limited value to the business or inadequately connected to the argument being presented. The business example{s} used are of value to case scenario however these could have been more strongly linked to the argument or more relevant examples exist in articulating a similar position. The business examples used are of great value to the report and clearly state the need for action in the advice provided within the report. The multiple referenced business examples are of such value that the business could mimic their actions entirely on the actions of the example for the best outcome.
Professional language, style and correct referencing style used. An incomplete or inappropriate referencing style and/or an unprofessional language or style is used. Referencing is missing some key components or included errors or omissions and/or some parts of the report lack a completely professional language and/or style. The report is fully referenced, professional, (in both language and style) and only contained a few errors. The referencing is flawless and the language and style is professional with very few errors. The referencing and professional language and style used was flawless.