You are working for International Delicacies, which has become ...

[BRWH]

You are working for International Delicacies, which has become successful selling unusual food and gift items at its six retail stores located in Columbus, Ohio. Your manager, Jagdish Singh, wants to add an online store that will complement the companys existing retail outlets. He wants you to lead the internal team for the project. Write a memo to Jagdish of about 300 words in which you outline the steps you will take to staff the internal team, make decisions about internal development versus outsourcing, and choose a hosting service.

Question 2

The Grover Cams Company manufactures cams and other components for diesel engines. As Web site manager for Grover, you created a Web site that allows your smaller customers to order directly from Grover instead of through their local distributors.
  The site also includes information about the companys history, its financial statements, and detailed downloadable technical specifications for most of its main products. You would like to add features to the Web site that allow mobile users to obtain information and order parts using their smartphones or tablet devices. You also have some ideas for using social media along with the Web site to generate interest among potential customers. You created a capital budget proposal for adding these features and submitted it to Grovers board of directors last month. The board always calculates and evaluates a capital projects return on investment before approving it. Grovers CIO, Tom Buckles, told you that the project did not provide a high enough financial return for the board to approve it; however, some of the board members thought the project could improve Grovers future strategic position. Therefore, the board is willing to consider nonmonetary factors as a basis for approving the project. Tom would like to take your project back to the board next month with a solid proposal that includes nonmonetary factors. He asks you to write a memo that outlines nonmonetary factors that could be important to Grovers future strategic position. In addition to considering the discussion in this chapter, you can use your library and the Web Links for this exercise as you prepare your memo.

[kxciann]

Answer to Question 1

You should note that no matter what kind of electronic commerce initiative a company is contemplating, the initiatives success depends on how well it is integrated into and supports the activities in which the business is already engaged. Using internal people to lead all projects helps to ensure that the companys specific needs are addressed and that the initiative is congruent with the goals and the culture of the organization. The key to success is finding the right balance between outside and inside support for the project.

Answer to Question 2

Responses will vary, but should include the following:

• Improvement in customer service


• Improvement in supply chain operation


• Brand building


• Ability to develop a better understanding of customer needs

[BRWH]

Thank you

[kxciann]

Happy to help you