Compiled e-biz questions attempted and extra questions:

Ch3:
1. What do you understand by the term ‘web 2.0’? Briefly describe the various
collaborative components of web 2.0 and show how each one exhibits the
participative nature of web 2.0. (2011).

2. Why are many companies beginning to use web 2.0 technologies? Give examples of
the web 2.0 technologies that companies are exploiting? (2012)

3. What is web 2.0? Describe the evolution of ONE of the typical collaborative
components (e.g. blogs, wikis, content-sharing sites, social networking sites). Discuss
the key issues for the component you have chosen. (2013)

4. What do you understand by web 2.0? Why are commercial organisations interested in
web 2.0 for both internal and external activities? (2014)

5. Discuss why and how commercial organisations are using web 2.0 tools as part of
their everyday business. Make use of examples in your answer. (2015, 2016) Discuss
why and how commercial organisations are using web 2.0 tools as part of their
everyday business. Make use of examples in your answer. (2017)

Ch4:
1. Select three examples of ICT platforms and discuss how these ICT
platforms have made the marketplace more competitive. Explain how these
platforms can also be used to reduce competition in the marketplace.

2. Discuss the main challenges faced in the use of e-payment systems. Provide
examples of intermediaries that are successful in mitigating these challenges.
Justify your answer theoretically. (2014)
OR Critically discuss how the impact of ICT on contracting costs might influence
pricing strategies.

essay OR when does ICT offer new market opportunities for intermediaries?
OR Discuss how the relationship between search costs and dynamic pricing in a
company like e-bay impact on the value the company generates for sellers and
buyers. Support with examples (2021).
 OR Transaction costs can be described as frictions in the market. How can ICT
reduce these frictions? Discuss the theoretical model of transaction costs and explain
how and why ICT can reduce or increase transaction costs (2011, C7)

3. How does Facebook add value as an intermediary? How might Facebook be

disintermediated? Justify your answer theoretically. (2016)

4. How do search engines add value as an intermediary? How might a search

engine be disintermediated by a company with a strong brand and presence in
the global market? Justify your answer theoretically. Identify other infomediaries
that you use? and what roles do these play? How important are those roles to e-
business? (2017)
OR identify examples of infomediaries that you regularly use or have come across.
What roles do these infomediaries play? How important are those roles to e-
business?
OR Discuss why Electronic Markets need the support of new intermediaries.
Provide examples of intermediaries which support electronic markets by
reducing search costs. (2014, C5)

5. ‘Disintermediation and reintermediation occur simultaneously within any given

market.’ Discuss with examples. Justify your answer theoretically. (2018, 2019)
OR The impact of ICT on markets has been traditionally described in terms of
disintermediation. Why have many authors recently argued in support of the
idea that ICT increases the role played by intermediation in the exchange
processes. Discuss, making use of examples in your answer (2011, A17)
OR the impact of IT on markets is either seen as a person for the reduction of the
number of intermediaries or as a reason for an increased role played by the
intermediation in the exchange processes (2011).
OR Discuss how and why disintermediation occurs. Discuss whether ICT based
disintermediation is always sustainable.

6. How can transaction cost theory explain disintermediation and info-mediation

which increases intermediation?
OR In the literature, the impact of IT on markets is either seen as a reason for the
reduction of the number of intermediaries or as a reason for an increased role
played by intermediation in the exchange processes. (C6)

7. Referring to transaction costs theory (TCT) and network economic theory (NET)
explain the mechanism by which an intermediary can generate barriers to entry
which will make its services impossible to disintermediate (2020).
OR electronic markets (like B2C) are less competitive than traditional markets.
Discuss under which conditions this statement is true and provide one example to
support your claim (2020 prelim).
 OR the network economic theory can be useful to explain the emergence of
monopolistic competitive markets in the digital economy (2019).

8. Explain, with an example how technology is able to lower transaction cost with e-
business in B2C, B2B, marketing and SCM? (C1)
OR ‘Disintermediation and reintermediation occur simultaneously within any
given market.’ Discuss with examples. Justify your answer theoretically. (2018,
2019)

9. Discuss theoretically when contracting costs can be reduced by ICT with an

example of an intermediary which has been successful in reducing contracting costs
(ch4, ch6 2020)
OR Discuss theoretically when control costs can be reduced by ICT. Give an
example of an intermediary which has been successful in reducing control,
contracting and search costs. (2013)
OR Describe the phases of the transaction life cycle (TLC). Critically analyse,
using example, how ICT can reduce the transaction cost associated to one of the
phases. (2014)
OR Discuss theoretically when contracting costs can be reduced by ICT
(information & communication technology). Give an example of an intermediary
which has been successful in reducing contracting costs. (2013, C6)
OR discuss with examples the reasons of transaction costs and explain why ICT
can help reducing them.
OR The transaction-cost model sees ICT as a factor that can decrease the costs of
transacting, thus improving the functioning of the market or leading to market-
like forms of organisation. Critically discuss this statement providing examples.

10. Referring to transaction costs theory and network economic theory explain the
mechanism by which an intermediary can generate barriers to entry which will
make its services impossible to disintermediate. (2020)
OR Discuss why consumers are increasingly buying physical goods online and
discuss how conventional shops are responding to this threat to their business.
(2015)
OR when does disintermediation occur in the digital economy? (2018)
OR discuss why intermediaries are major players in the digital economy. (2019)

11. Discuss the key concepts of network economics theory and explain why a new
entrant in the digital economy might struggle to build critical mass. Support
your argument with relevant examples. (2021)

12. Discuss why switching cost can increase barriers to entry in a market and
favour the emergence of oligopolistic competition.

13. Discuss how ICT supports the generation of network effects. Provide examples
 to justify your answer. (2022): Explain Network Effect created based on • Google
search engine – Accurate search results • Amazon – Choice of products, Feedback •
Spotify – The songs and subscribers.

14. Outline the myths that circulate around the dot.com boom.

Ch5:
1. What is the general online value proposition (OVP) for B2C e-business? Illustrate
this value proposition by applying it to one particular sector (e.g. books). Describe the
problem of channel conflict and cannibalisation. How can retailers alleviate this
problem? (2011 ZB, A6) (OR) Why do some retailers adopt a ‘clicks-and-mortar’
strategy where they offer both a physical channel and an e-business channel to
customers? What are the risks with this strategy? Give examples. (2013 ZB) (OR)
Discuss two ways by which a ‘brick and mortar’ groceries retailer can fight back
against the advance of online business. Justify your answer using transaction costs
theory. (2021 ZB, ch4, ch5, A6, google some answer) (OR) Why do consumers buy
online? What do you believe is the most important recent development in the B2C
market. (A6)

2. You are employed as a consultant to advise on the practical challenges and

concerns in implementing B2C systems? (A18).

3. You have been asked as a consultant, to begin work on an e-business strategy for a
new pure-play, online, B2C retailer. What areas would you examine regarding this
strategy? For each area, briefly discuss an issue that you feel is likely to be important
in this context? (2012, A8) (OR) what are the 6 generic sell-side strategies? Identify
a good example of a company that has successfully adopted that strategy.

4. Briefly describe the different types of website visitors who are likely to visit
consumer-facing websites and discuss what each type of visitor is likely to be
seeking from the website? Why should website designers try to meet the demands
of visitors who are unlikely to buy products or services from the website? (2014
ZB, A3) (OR) companies engaged in B2C e-business need to understand
shoppers, technology and their industry. Discuss with example. (OR) Why do B2C
e-business need to understand shopper’s behaviours? Illustrate with examples why
some B2C businesses succeeded while others failed. (OR) Why does website design
an important aspect of B2C e-business? Make use of examples in your answer.
2012, ZB)

5. Discuss why consumers are increasingly buying physical goods online and discuss
how conventional shops are responding to this threat to their business. Make use of
 examples in your answer. (2015 ZB, A6, SAME QN IN CHAPTER 4)
an in
6. Discuss whether the growth of B2C e-business is likely to lead to the death of
traditional shopping centres. (2016 ZB, A2) (OR) During the Coronavirus
pandemic, online retail (B2C e-business) was a lifeline for many consumers
around the world. Discuss the extent to which these new users of B2C e-business
are likely to stay online or return to conventional forms of shopping. (2021 ZB,
D4, A2, google for the covid answer) (OR) An omnichannel approach to retailing
refers to the integration of online and conventional retail channels. Why are retailers
increasingly adopting an omnichannel approach and what are the problems
frequently faced in adopting this approach? Justify your answer theoretically. Use
examples to support your argument. (2018 ZB, A2)
(OR) “Logistics hubs are rising from the rubble of dead suburban shopping malls.”
Discuss the validity of this statement. What caused the shopping malls to die? Why
are they being replaced by logistics hubs? (same ans just extra para for “why are
they being replaced by logistic hubs”)

7. Traditional shopping centres (malls and High Streets) are widely perceived to be
under threat from online business-to-consumer developments. Why is this the
case? Why is this a problem for the operators of the shopping centres and for
local communities? What can the operators of these traditional shopping centres
do to reduce this threat? (2020, see Clarice notes)

8. Why do you believe that B2C e-business has grown steadily in countries such as
the US? Give example. (OR) B2C e-business is now some 25 years old in the more
mature markets of Europe and North America. Why does it only account for a
relatively small share of total retail sales in these markets? (A10)

9. ‘Shopping is not the same as procurement.’ What does this statement mean in the
context of e-business? Discuss the impact this has on business-to-consumer e-
business. How can e-business retailers counteract this problem? Illustrate your answer
with examples. (2011 ZA, 2018 ZA, ch7, ch5, A1, SAME AS CHAPTER 7
QUESTION)
an8 cu7
10. Compare and contrast the situation of a consumer buying a product or service from
a consumer-facing website with the e-procurement process within a supply chain.
Make use of examples in your answer. (2014 ZA, ch5, ch7)

11. Examine the benefits and disadvantages of personalisation, community building and
direct email. For an organisation of your choice, recommend a suitable balance
between these e-marketing tools. Explain how your suggested solution impacts upon
the company’s transaction costs. (2018 ZB, ch4, ch5)
Ch6:
1. Why is customer relationship management important? How is e-marketing used
within customer relationship management? What are the dangers of customer
relationship management?

2. What is viral marketing? What are the benefits and dangers for companies intending
to use viral marketing as part of a conventional marketing campaign?

3. Online revenue contribution (ORC) can be considered a key objective of an e-

marketing plan. What are the factors that contribute to a company’s online revenue?
Support your answer with relevant examples. (2012, 2018, B9)

4. Discuss why e-marketing can be considered a threat to privacy. Suggest how this
threat can be reduced. (2012, B8) Why is privacy an important, yet slippery, issue for e-
business organisation? What should businesses do about
privacy concerns? (2019) (see also B2, B8)

same
5. What is customer profiling? Explain the pros and cons of customer profiling to
both the business firm and the customers. (B2, B12, B12.2) (also mention B8 e-
marketing can be considered a threat to privacy if this ans doesn’t cross 800)
OR Why is privacy important, yet slippery, issue for e-business organisation?
What should organisations do about privacy concerns.

6. Discuss how ICTs (information and communication technologies) have changed

the nature of marketing activities. Explain what the new challenges are faced by
marketing companies in the digital economy and why these challenges emerge.
Justify your argument theoretically. (2015,B4)
OR Discuss the impact of ICT on marketing. For an organisation of your choice
recommend a suitable use of e-marketing tools. Explain how your suggested
solutions impacts upon the company’s transaction costs. (2020)
OR Discuss the changes faced by marketing in the context of e-business. Provide
examples to justify your answer. (2014)
OR Discuss how e-business can support a retailer to gain access to a global
marketplace. Justify theoretically. (2016)

7. Discuss the impact of ICT on marketing. For an organisation of your choice

recommend a suitable use of e-marketing tools. Explain how your suggested
solution impacts upon the company’s transaction costs. (2020, B5)
OR Discuss why e-marketing can reduce transaction costs. Suggest at least two
successful examples of the reduction of transaction costs provided by e-
marketing activities. (ch4, 6, 2013)
OR What is customer segmentation? How does marketing in e-business with the
 new media contribute to segmentation?
OR Do social networks reduce the costs of customer segmentation and overall
transaction costs? (2021)
OR Examine the benefits and disadvantages of personalisation, community
building and direct email. (2018)

Ch7:
1. Uncertainty is often seen as the key problem for supply chain management. Why
is this so? What types of uncertainty exist in a typical supply chain and what
implications does uncertainty have for the design of a supply chain? (2011, 2017
ZB, assignment 4, B6)

2. Uncertainties and bullwhips are the most fearful aspects of supply chain
management. Identify and explain in brief, the causes and strategies available to
minimise uncertainties and bull whips? (B7)

3. What are the main challenges faced by companies who participate in B2B
marketplaces? Discuss the challenges faced by both buyers and suppliers. How can
these challenges be mitigated? Justify your answer theoretically. (2014, 2016 ZB,
A7)

4. What are the main characteristics of B2B buyer-oriented marketplaces and

supplier-oriented marketplaces? What are the main challenges for these
marketplaces? (2016)

5. Imagine you are a consultant whose job is to design a new B2B (business-to-
business) strategy for a firm which intends to open an intermediary oriented
marketplace. Which factors could put at risk the sustainability of such a marketplace?
Justify your answer theoretically. (2013, 2018 prelim ZB, A9)

6. Briefly describe a traditional supply chain and discuss the problems of managing
traditional supply chains. How do modern supply chains use information and
communications technologies to overcome the problems of traditional supply
chains? (2014 ZB)

7. Identify examples of where ICT doesn’t disintermediate the value chain or supply
chain. Why? (C4)

8. ‘Shopping is not the same as procurement.’ Discuss this statement by comparing

 the motivation and behaviour of consumers to the motivation and behaviour of
procurement staff in a supply chain, with regards to e-business. (2017, 2018, 2011
ZB, A1, CHAPTER 5)

9. Why is it desirable to virtually integrate the diverse companies along the supply
chain? How are supply chain management technologies and strategies being
employed to achieve this virtual integration? What problems are often faced in
seeking supply chain integration? Use examples of the technologies and strategies in
your answer. (2018 ZB, B6, B7, A20)
OR Discuss why integration is an important goal in SCM and describe how
companies are using strategies founded on computer based technologies to
integrate the various elements of a SC. (2015)
OR Effective SC depends upon the close integration of companies within the SC.
Discuss (2011)

10. What is VMI? How are information and communication technologies used to
support VMI? What are the advantages and disadvantages of VMI for suppliers
and retailers? (B1)

11. Why has supply chain management become more uncertain and complicated in
recent years? How are e-business technologies and strategies used to help alleviate
this new uncertainty? (2019 ZA, A19)
rd
OR What were the main reasons for adoption of B2B 3 party e-hub? Explain the
e-hub and their customers, in terms of their organisation, relationships and
responsibilities to each other.

12. What is lean supply chain management? What does this strategy offer
businesses? What are the disadvantages of lean supply chain management? Why
does this strategy work better in some industries rather than others? Make use of
examples in your answer. (2020, B3)
OR Why are some industries moving away from lean supply chains (i.e. optimised
for cost-efficiency) to more flexible configurations? (include reasons for present time
too, 2016 ZB)
OR Why are some industries moving away from lean supply chains? (2016)
OR What other companies deploy lean supply chains which might potentially face
similar or related risks to those encountered by Ericsson?

13. Compare and contrast the performance of lean supply chains with that of
responsive supply chains in today’s (2021) business environment. (2021 ZB)

14. In a B2B marketplace what sort of transaction costs are reduced or increased
and what are the challenges faced? (A15)
OR Explain relevant situation where search cost (or control cost) can be increased
or decreased in B2B markets. Give 2 examples and compare them with theories.
 (2015, A25)

(chapter 4) (using ICT) Search costs can be either increased or decreased in B2B
(business-to-business) markets. Compare two B2B cases that show how search
costs are decreased or increased. Discuss the two cases in the light of the relevant
theory. (2015 ZB, ch4 and ch7)
Control costs can either increase or decrease in B2B (business-to-business)
markets with the introduction of IT. Compare two B2B cases that show how
control costs can increase or decrease, referring to the relevant theory. (2015 ZA, ch4
and ch7)

Ch8:
1. Discuss the impact of ICTs on fixed pricing strategies. OR Discuss with examples
two different impacts of ICTs on companies’ pricing policies. Theoretically
support your discussion. (2020)

2. Why it can be argued that ICTs increase the importance of implementing

effective dynamic pricing strategies? OR Discuss why ICTs can favour the
diffusion of dynamic pricing policies. Provide two examples to support your
argument. Justify your answer theoretically. (2019, mention about the types of
dynamic strategies)

3. What are the major challenges faced by a company that adopts a dynamic
pricing strategy? Can ICT help or not the management of these challenges.

4. Discuss why dynamic pricing is a competitive weapon in the digital economy.

Highlight the major challenges companies face when using dynamic pricing. Justify
your argument with examples. (2022)

Ch9:
1. What are the functions (i.e. purposes) of an organisational form (or structure)?
Describe the problems inherent in traditional organisational forms. Using one or more
examples of new organisational forms, discuss how information & communication
technologies (ICTs) are used to address the problems of organisational structure. What
problems are often encountered with new organisational forms? (2011)

2. What are open source communities in the context of software development? What do
they offer in this context? What are the problems in building and maintaining viable
open source communities? (2012)
 3. Compare and contrast the business models adopted by social networking sites that are
free to users. (2012)

4. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many employees across the world are working
remotely from home, rather than from a city-centre office. Discuss how information
and communications technology has facilitated this change. Is home working likely to
continue after the pandemic and the associated lockdowns have eased? In your
answer, consider the needs and preferences of both managers and office workers
(including professionals) and also the implications for collaboration and productivity.
(2021)

5. Discuss the main organisational threats to e-business security. Support your answer
with examples. (ch9, 10, 2012)

6. Why are organisations increasingly adopting new mobile and social technologies for
internal coordination? What challenges are they likely to face in adopting these
technologies? Make use of examples in your answer. (ch3, 9, 2019)

7. Why are large organisations using new mobile and social technologies to change their
organisational structures? What are the problems they often face in doing this? Justify
your answer theoretically. Use examples in your answer (ZA 2018, D5).
OR Why are organisations increasingly considering new forms of technologies? What
are the problems implementing them?
OR What is the function of an organisational form? Why are many organisations
considering the adoption of new organisational forms? Describe one new
organisational form and show how ICT are used to support it. What are the adv and
disadv of this new organisational form to the employees of the organisations? (2014)

8. “The office is obsolete.” Discuss the validity of this statement in the light of the
recent surge in home working and remote working, caused by the Coronavirus
pandemic. In your answer, consider the needs and preferences of both managers and
office workers (including professionals) and address the implications for internal
collaboration and productivity. Give reasons for your arguments. (ZA 2021, 2022)

Ch10:
1. Discuss how and why biometrics can solve many security related IT problems.
Explain with examples whether there are any shortfalls in biometrics based
security systems.
(OR) ‘Users aren’t enemy’, discuss this statement in the context of information
system security (2016). (D1)
 2. Discuss the main human threats to e-business security. Support your answer with
examples (2018).
(OR) what security threats do organisations face in their e-business operations?
What are the potential consequences of these threats for organisations? Why are
the actual consequences often less severe than the potential consequences? How
do organisations use management strategies to address security threats? (OR)
discuss the role of technology in enforcing information system security. Why is
security a central managerial challenge for every e-business firm? Explain why
more investment in IT doesn’t always lead to more secure information systems.
(OR) why are many organisations introducing new, high profile and well-staffed,
information security department? (2018)

Extra non-pyp questions are:

- Questions un-attempted:
A11: In Business-to-consumer (B2C) e-business the critical success factors may be hidden
and the growth path unpredictable. Discuss with examples.

A12: Why is a multi-disciplinary approach necessary if one hopes to understand and

implement an effective e-business strategy? (OR) Explain what the meaning of “strategic
agility” is and discuss why it is important in the context of ebusiness. Build on an example to
support your argument.

A13: Case study: The South London Museum of Art, a small local museum, has a website
that only provides basic information, such as opening hours and location. The director feels
there must be a way to use it to increase revenue. How would you approach this problem?
What would you advise her?

A14: What are the major differences between the early years of e-commerce and today’s e-
commerce? What factors will help define the future of e-commerce over the next five years?

A16: B2B buyer, supplier and intermediary oriented marketplaces reflect different power
relationships in electronic markets. Discuss, with examples, how and why these power
relationships are shaped and maintained.

A20: The questions below refers to the case study on Elemica system, found in Chaffey
textbook edition-11. This is a good case example that can be use in B2B marketplace & SCM
related questions.

A21: Why do companies formulate e-business strategies? Briefly outline how companies
usually go about formulating these strategies. What are the main problems involved in e-
business strategy formulation? (OR) What is an e-business strategy? Which aspects of a
company’s e-business should it cover? Who should be involved in its preparation? Justify
your answer.
A22: How does e-business strategy differs with traditional business strategy?

A23: What are the implications if e-business strategy is not clearly defined? Why e-business
still failed in spite of careful e-business strategic planning?

A24: What are the likely problems a new B2C e-business face? What are the reasons causing
the problems?

A26: In the context of a B2B transaction, what are the main classes of information processing
costs? Give specific examples of each of these costs, using the example of a shop buying
Christmas trees from a supplier. When, and how, might they be incurred in this case? (2013).

C9: With suitable examples, explain how customer loyalty can reduce transaction cost.

D3: What is internationalization? What are the challenges faced as consequences of

internationalization brought about by e-business? Discuss with examples. (prelim 2013)

D6: What is open-source production? Discuss its benefits and drawbacks with examples.
What are the potential issues when traditional organisations and open source, two diverse
forms of organisation, are encouraged to merge together?

D8: Why are new forms of organising advocated? Discuss the benefits and drawbacks
(including potential problems) of mobile working (2012)

D10: What features and characteristics of virtual communities do you think create an
environment where open source production can flourish? Justify your answer.

D12: What is Business Intelligence (BI)? What benefits can e-business (i.e. technological
driven company) derive from it?

D13: Discuss the similarities and differences between the internet and cloud computing.
B.What are the main business opportunities offered by cloud computing? C.Mobile
technologies offer new business opportunities. D.Discuss, with examples, whether mobile
technologies can be a real substitute for traditional wired technologies.