Until recently, the Internet was a place of chaos. Being exciting and expressive was the thing, not being functional and usable. Although all manner of sites, information and designs made their homes on the web, there was no place for traditional business rules. Breaking the rules was the battle standard and everyone rushed to raise it. Companies knew they had to stake a claim to a piece of the Web, and most jumped headlong into the race with no clear plans. Capital was plentiful and nobody seemed bothered by the lack of accountability or return on investment. Strategy and methodology also found themselves on the outside looking in. In many cases, management led the rush with no clear idea of how to use the new tool that they had been given. Those times are long gone. Even before the September 11 tragedy, the Internet forced a change upon the economy as the dot-com’s disappeared into a self-induced mass grave. In the aftermath, companies are reconsidering what their site means to the company and how they can use it to increase their market share and bottom line. As the dust has settled, B2B companies are realizing the immense potential that the Internet presents for them. On the business side, budgets are being squeezed and CEOs demand returns to justify expenditures. Marketing departments are viewing the web site as another means to generate sales leads for their companies. Traditional business rules have returned with a vengeance. In short, businesses are now adapting their models to incorporate the Internet, so as to harness the limitless ... Download PDF >> Read HTML Version >> |