E-business marketing is the theory and practice of marketing in the electronic environment. The Internet, the most pervasive electronic environment yet, is the catalyst for this area of study. It has been only since 1994 that the Internet has been a commercially available marketplace. During its infancy, the concept of a new economy fueled by soaring, unparalleled financial markets available over the Internet created uncertainty. How would it become an integral part of a firm's competitive arsenal, and specifically how could it be integrated into marketing science and practice? Although still in its "early days," we now know the Internet brings unprecedented opportunities; yet, the reality of its financial returns has settled in with the "dot.com bust" in the early spring 2000.
The Internet's commercialization generated considerable debate about whether the marketing discipline needed new conceptual frameworks to study this new phenomenon. The rapidly changing, new environment was a challenge to study empirically, since by the time any data were gathered the environment had changed. Students were ,provided with timely examples and practices about e-business marketing, yet because those practices and examples "aged" prematurely in this environment, their education was not timeless. Understanding the Internet's role in marketing requires both timely (situation-relevant) and timeless (part of a larger general concept) information.
With almost a decade of the Internet's commercialization behind us, meaningful research and its translation into a firm's marketing practices have begun to emerge. The slowdown of the financial markets and the compression in this electronic environment has facilitated such research. Thus, the debate on the creation of new models also have settled considerably. The primary focus is to examine a rich body of knowledge within marketing science and to test it in the electronic environment. Often, the existing models are not directly applicable but, through rigorous thought and study, they are adaptable. The ability to scientifically study the Internet, plus the need to provide a timely yet timeless approach to our students in the area of e-business marketing, led to this textbook.
The timeless element of our approach is to adapt marketing models to the Internet environment. We are timely in our approach with eight real companies as examples and practices of their online marketing experiences. Each company has a unique e-business marketing opportunity presented within the context of a marketing model. An Internet-based marketing process is applied to each company's opportunity.
E-business marketing requires an understanding of technological solutions. This does not mean students become programmers; rather, they need to understand how to leverage technology to maximize their marketing efforts. The need for this understanding is addressed by our text as well. Each chapter demonstrates the technological approaches and solutions within the marketing frameworks presented, as well as the case studies. We believe this combined marketing and technology philosophy further enhances the students' education by giving them a cross-discipline foundation that is timely yet timeless.
WHO SHOULD READ THIS BOOK?
We wrote this book for a variety of audiences:
- Upper-division undergraduate and graduate marketing courses in the electronic or Internet environment
- Executive education programs
- E-business marketing managers
- Information technology managers
- Executives seeking e-business direction and strategy for their companies
PEDAGOGICAL ORGANIZATION
Our book has 14 chapters, organized into three sections. The first section (Chapters 1 through 4) examines the conceptual frameworks of e-business marketing. Chapter 1 provides an overview of e-business in general and translates that into existing marketing concepts and models at an introductory level. This enables the students to transition from a general marketing to an electronic marketing orientation. Chapter 2 furthers this translation with the focus on the marketing mix and how it is used as leverage in the Internet environment. Chapter 3 introduces the value bubble Internet marketing process. This is a pivotal chapter as the value bubble is applied to each case study as an analytical and solutions-based tool. Chapter 4 concludes the first section by presenting an adapted communication model for the electronic environment.
The second section (Chapters 5 through 12) presents eight case studies of real companies' e-business challenges and opportunities. The companies, in these cases, have worked in university-based partnerships in excess of two years. Thus, benefit students from the opportunity to study the e-business decision-making process over time and to initially measure the companies' successes and failures. All of the companies have a brick and mortar presence; they represent the types of companies that struggle with the extent to which their business practices should transition into the Internet. Students and practitioners will be able to identify with the e-business marketing challenges and opportunities in the areas of integrated marketing communications, brand management, competitive strategies, pricing, services marketing, channel management (redefinition), and new product development.
The third section (Chapters 13 and 14) examines the future of e-business marketing and suggests extensions for the existing value bubble analytical tool. Chapter 13 examines the concept of customerization and the possibilities for this marketing approach. Chapter 14 gives students a research methodology for conducting online research. It also introduces an extension of the value bubble model.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- End-of-Chapter Features. There are four end-of-chapter features (each described below). They are presented for students to reflect upon the chapter's main points. Instructors may use these for written assignments.
- Collecting Your Knowledge: A Review. Key concepts and terms are presented.
- Questions to Ask. Questions designed to assess students' level of learning and the opportunity to expand the concepts covered in the chapter. It reemphasizes the conceptual framework or timeless orientation of the chapter.
- Application to Business. This section encourages students to take the concepts learned and to apply them into their own business environment or one in which they are familiar. It is intended to focus on the timely application of e-business marketing.
- Web Sites to Visit. A series of applicable Web sites and the rationale for their selection.
- Instructor's Manual. Each chapter contains a chapter outline and key terms along with answers to the sections "Questions You Should Ask" and "How Could You Apply What You Learned in Your Own Business?" plus, additional Web sites that are pertinent to the chapter, suggested semester or course-long
