Strategic Issues of E-Commerce as an Alternative Global Distribution System

Global e-commerce, created by the convergence of information and communication technologies, transcends business boundaries while changing the landscape of the twenty-first century global economy. Although still in an infancy stage its impact has already been colossal in just a few years. Various constituencies (such as individuals, institutions, governments, and nations) around the world are recognizing its benefits. Given its importance and unprecedented growth potential, there is a need for research addressing various e-commerce issues, especially the dimensions influencing its growth and role as a new electronic distribution channel. This article provides a framework for analyzing the issues involved in leveraging the Internet as a global distribution tool. While focusing on this theme, the article also presents the discussion of the key building blocks impacting the diffusion of global e-commerce and future research directions.