eBusiness

Question One - What is an IP Address? What is it’s main function?

An IP address is a unique numerical label that is assigned to all devices within a network that are communicating to each other via the Internet. Its main function is to identify where data originates and where it is destined, and to ensure that data is sent and received accordingly.

Question Two - What is Web 2.0, how does it differ from 1.0?

Web 2.0 is the second generation of the World Wide Web. The main difference between the two generations is focused upon interactivity between data and consumers of the data. Web 2.0 is characterised by user participation, openness and the effect of networking, whereas Web 1.0 was focused on a lesser interactive, presentation of solid, unchanging data to the consumer.

Question Three - What is Web 3.0?

Web 3.0 is the future generation of the World Wide Web. Web 3.0 will be a database-formed World Wide Web, where the "tagging" of certain forms of data will allow the Internet to construct profiles of certain goods, services, items, people, events etc. Web 3.0 will show greater integration of data, and could possibly form the evolutionary path to artificial intelligence. Web 3.0 is prophesied to also make use of three-dimensional visions, using 3D spaces as ways to present and store data.

Question Four - Describe the different methods an organisation can use to access information

An organisation has four different ways in which it can access information over the Internet:

• Intranet: an intranet is an internalise portion of the Internet, protected from outside access. Organisations are able to access data and application software through their intranet.
• Extranet: an extranet is an intranet available to the allies of a business, such as customers, suppliers and partners. It is a common area on the Internet where both the business and those associated with it can interact together and share information.
• Portal: a portal is a website that offers a broad range of resources and services, such as email, online discussion boards, search engines and virtual shopping malls.
• Kiosk: a kiosk is a publicly accessible computer that has been set up to allow interactive information browsing.

Question Five - What is eBusiness, how does it differ from eCommerce?

eBusiness is the conduction of business on the Internet. It involves not only buying and selling of products, but also interacting with customers to ascertain their needs and wants, serving customers and collaborating with business partners. eCommerce differs from eBusiness as eCommerce limited only to the online transactions of buying and selling.

Question Six - List and describe the various eBusiness models?

• Business-to-Business (B2B): this model applies to businesses buying and selling to each other over the Internet, where data such as expected shipping date, delivery date and shipping status is shared.
• Business-to-Consumer (B2C): this model applies to any business that sells its products or services to consumers over the Internet.
• Consumer-to-Business (C2B): this model applies to any consumer that sells a product or service to a business over the Internet.
• Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C): this model applies to sites that offer goods and services from consumers to consumers.

Question Seven - List 3 metrics would you use if you were hired to assess the effectiveness and the efficiency of an eBusiness web site?

• Visitor Metrics: these metrics would identify to the business what type of visitors are engaging with the content of their web page. Depending on what type of visitor the consumer is will determine how frequent their visits to the site are, how much information the business knows about the consumer etc.
• Exposure Metrics: these metrics would identify how many pages views the business' page has in a defined period of time, and the number of visitors to the website.
• Visit Metrics: this data would reveal the length of time spent on certain pages of the business' site, as well how many raw pages a visitor is exposed to in one visit to a website.

Question Eight - Outline 2 opportunities and 2 challenges faced by companies doing business online?

Opportunities faced by companies in conducting business online include:

• Increased accessibility, as businesses can operate 24 hours a day online.
• Increases global reach, as businesses can reach into markets they may be geographically isolated from, however, with the assistance of the Internet, are now not isolated from

Challenges faces by companies in conducting business online include:

• Issues with the protection of consumer information, as consumers must be protected from unsolicited goods and communication, illegal or harmful goods, insufficient informational about the goods or suppliers, protection against privacy invasion and cyberfraud.
• Issues with increased liabilities, as the differing laws in different regions across the world may impose greater liabilities upon a business than those imposed within a home region.