Active Learning Model for Teaching B2B e-Marketplaces

Journal of Information Systems Education, Spring 2005 by Gricar, Joze, Pucihar, Andreja, Lenart, Gregor

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we describe experience with teaching e-Commerce courses at the Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Maribor that focus on e-marketplace adoption. E-marketplaces are new business models using recent e-commerce technologies. Our teaching model presents several approaches. Some examples are: European Commission sponsored research projects like eMarketServices, eBusiness and W@tch reports. Also use of e-marketplace technology platforms (Oracle Exchange) for hands-on experiences and prototype development for company-sponsored student projects. This model demonstrates an example of knowledge transfer from research and technology providers to companies and other organizations using student-led projects.

Keywords: e-commerce, e-marketplace, course description, prototype

1.INTRODUCTION

E-marketplaces are new business models using recent e-commerce technologies. ?-marketplace can be defined as a virtual marketplace where buyers and suppliers meet to exchange information about product and service offerings, and to negotiate and implement business transactions (Archer and Gebauer, 2000). Furthermore, in the age of the Internet and with the emergence of new information and communication technologies, the e-marketplace is a Webbased information system; where multiple suppliers and multiple buyers can undertake business transactions via the Internet (Russ, 2001). ?-marketplace uses Internet technologies and standards to distribute product data and to facilitate online transactions (Segev et al., 1999).

E-marketplace enables sellers to enter new markets, to find new buyers, and to increase sales. Conversely, an e-marketplace gives a buyer access to a broader range of products and services offered by sellers. A buyer has the option to quickly compare various offerings by price and performance. ?-marketplace services support the exchange of large amounts of data regarding supply and demand between buyers and sellers, and the implementation of the business transactions (DeSisto, 2000; Lenz, 2000).

Currently there are no business-to-business e-marketplaces operating in Slovenia (Gajsek and Pucihar 2004). However, Telekom Slovenije, various IS providers and some government institutions (Government Center of Informatics), have expressed interest in using an emarketplace environment. In addition, some companies are looking for opportunities to establish private e-marketplaces to involve all their partners within the supply chain.

Some Slovenian organizations have already joined international e-marketplaces. Generally these organizations are manufacturing organizations that export goods. Typically Slovenian organizations enter the e-marketplaee at the request of an important large buyer that wants to find the best offer (Pucihar 2002, Pucihar and Podlogar 2003). One initial success, in 2002, involved Organization Iskraemeco winning an important part of a supply contract for measuring equipment from an e-auction at the FreeMarkets e-marketplace (Pucihar and Pecarz, 2004). There are few examples of Slovenia entering emarketplaces in e-procurement, which is typical for other countries. ?-marketplace procurement enables buyers to be more selective and generally improves savings.

It appears that one of the major reasons for Slovenia's lack of e-marketplaces is lack of knowledge and awareness. Research regarding e-marketplace adoption, using a sample of 119 large Slovenian organizations, shows that few organizations have any knowledge or experience with e-marketplaces. Only 23.5 per cent of companies cited at least one business-to-business e-marketplace that is of interest to their organization. Only 11 per cent of the organizations already have the experiences of doing business in the e-marketplace. Three quarters (75.6 per cent) of the organizations have no experience. Results may be more positive when we survey organizations' about future adoption of e-marketplaces. More than half of the organizations (56.3 per cent) are thinking about adopting e-marketplaces in the near future (Pucihar, 2002; Pucihar and Podlogar 2003).

E-marketplaces become more and more important for Slovenian organizations, Beginning May 1, 2004, Slovenia became a member of European Union. From that moment, Slovenian organizations are challenged to compete in the larger European market. Slovenian organizations export 66 per cent of their annual GDP into EU countries (Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, 2004). Therefore, they should be prepared for innovative approaches to selling goods and services to foreign markets. Organizations must be competitive in every step of business and e-marketplaces definitely enhance competition.

As a learning institution, our mission is to identify the needed business environment knowledge, to create it and to transfer it to our customers - students and companies. In this teaching model, we see the possibility to create awareness about business-to-business e-marketplace innovative e-commerce practices. At the University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences e-marketplace teaching is supported by the use of European Commission sponsored research projects, eMarketServices and eBusiness W@tch reports, by use of e-marketplace technology platforms for hands-on experiences and through student prototype development projects for use in interested companies. Students present results from seminar papers and prototypes to these companies. This new information creates opportunities for companies to achieve competitive advantage by using new business-to-business e-commerce models, such as e-marketplaces.