This Round Table addressed the rapid rise of electronic business, or "e-Business", as an economic organization and e-Business' impact on markets and firms. The discussion focused on how e-Business potentially allows members of a business value chain--manufacturers, suppliers, merchants and customers--to create wealth with substantially reduced transaction costs and significantly increased operational effectiveness. Participating in online bids, speeding up the supply chain, and the capability to reach new market segments were just a few ways mentioned illustrating how e-Business might benefit an enterprise.

In addition, this Round Table dealt with the following questions:

• What is the impact of key technological and non-technological e-Business trends on individual companies and on specific commercial markets?;
  
  
• How do managers integrate salient disparate variables in developing strategies to deal with both opportunities and threats that e-Business may present?; and
  
  
• Ultimately, in general how do e-Business firms achieve outstanding and sustainable competitive success?
  
  

Industry speakers and panelists included:

• Chris Sinton, Director of Cisco Connection Online, Cisco Systems (via video conference);
  
  
• Robert Weinberger, Vice President of Marketing, Open Market. Click here for his presentation.
  
  
• Randy Wiele, Vice President of Electronic Commerce Services, EDS. Click here for his presentation.
  
  
  
  

Institute and faculty speakers, panelists and moderators included:

• Professor Mel Horwitch, Director, Institute for Technology and Enterprise, Chair, Department of Management, Polytechnic University;
  
  
• Ziv Navoth, Executive Director, Institute for Technology and Enterprise. Click here for his presentation.
  
  
• Professor Bharat Rao, Department of Management, Polytechnic University. Click here for his presentation.
  
  

Additional contributions included interviews conducted by Mel Horwitch and Ziv Navoth with:

• Todd Elizalde, Director of Network Commerce, Cisco Systems;
  
  
• Pete Solvik, Chief Information Officer, Cisco Systems; and
  
  
• Sue Stemel, IS Manager for Network Commerce, Cisco Systems.