Discussion: Intranet Systems
1. What are transaction costs and why are they important? Provide one example of how electronic commerce could help change an industry's economic structure from a hierarchy to a network.
2. What is the difference between organizational culture and company climate? What kinds of culture and climate should be developed in an organization to motivate its employees to share their knowledge with others? How would you as a manager motivate your employees to willingly share their knowledge and incorporate it into the organizational knowledge management system (KMS)?
3. You are the administrator of a Web server for an electronic commerce site. The site receives about 12,000 visitors per day, maintains a product catalog of about 4000 items, and processes about 2000 sales per day. The average sale amount is $87. The site accepts four major credit cards and it outsources its payment processing for all of the credit cards to another company. In about 200 words, describe the types of threats that could be launched against your Web server, given the types of activity (catalog presentation, order entry, and payment processing) it handles and the volume of those activities. Consult sources on the Internet or in your library to help you complete this exercise.
4. In about 400 words, describe the similarities and differences between XML and HTML. Provide examples of at least two situations in which you would use XML and two situations in which you would use HTML.
5. You have decided to buy a new printer for your home office. List specific activities that you must undertake as you gather information about printer capabilities and features. Use Web sites of 3-4 office supply retailers to gather information. Write a short summary of the process you undertook so that others who plan to undertake a similar task can use your information.
The response should include a reference list. Double-space, using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.