URLs can change over time. If any of the sites used in these Internet Exercises change, please visit the Turban Electronic Commerce 2002, 2e Companion Web site at http://www.prenhall.com/turban for an update.

Chapter 7

1. Visit ariba.com and commerceone.com and find the software tools they have for e-markets. Check the capabilities provided by each and comment on their differences.

2. Go to alibaba.com and sign-up (free) as a member. Go to the site map and find the "sample house." Create a product and place it in the sample house. Tell your instructor how to view this product.

3. Compare the services offered by globalsources.com with those offered by alibaba.com, and meetworldtrade.com.

4. Suppose you are a supplier for automakers. How will you react to the Covisint project? How can you achieve a competitively advantageous position in this situation?

5. Enter chemconnect.com and view the demos for different trading alternatives. Evaluate the services from both the buyer and seller points of view. Also, examine policies and legal guidelines. Are they fair? Compare chemconnect.com to chemcross.com.

6. Most of the major exchanges use an ERP/SCM partner. Enter i2.com and view their solutions, such as TradeMatrix. What are the benefits of these solutions?

7. Enter FastParts.com and review all the services offered there. Write a report based on your findings.

8. Investigate the various auctions offered by FreeMarkets.com. Comment on the services provided.

9. Enter isteelasia.com, gsx.com, and e-steel.com and compare their operations and services. These exchanges compete in global markets. Examine the trading platforms, portal capabilities, and support services (e.g., logistics, payments, etc.). In what areas do these companies compete? In what areas do they not compete? What are the advantages of isteelasia.com in dealing with Asian companies? Do we need regional exchanges? If it is good for Asia to have a regional exchange, why not have a Western European exchange, an Eastern European exchange, a Central American exchange, and so on. If we need these regional exchanges, can they work together? How? If there are too many, which will survive? Research this topic and prepare a report.

10. Air Cargo is a rapidly growing business that is heavily dependent on information technology. Indeed, in the last 20 years there have been many attempts to provide appropriate information services to industry partners. Some were successful and others failed. For example, one of the most diversified services is that provided by Traxon (Asia Ltd., Europe Ltd., and World Ltd.).
    Your mission is to design an information portal for the air cargo industry, specifically one that will support the following 16-step process.
    
    STEP 1. Consignee places an order with the shipper and he confirms receipt of the order.
    STEP 2. Shipper places a transport order with the forwarder and then confirms receipt of the order.
    STEP 3. Shipper passes on shipping instructions to the forwarder.
    STEP 4. Forwarder reserves and books freight capacity with the road transporter and confirms the reservation and booking.
    STEP 5. Forwarder reserves and books freight capacity with the airline company and confirms the reservation and booking.
    STEP 6. Forwarder makes up the bill of lading for road transporter and this document goes with the freight during the road transport.
    STEP 7. Forwarder makes up an Air Waybill and this document goes with the air freight from one airport to the other.
    STEP 8. Forwarder gives an assignment to the forwarder at the airport of destination to reserve and book freight capacity with the road transporter and confirms receipt of this assignment.
    STEP 9. Foreign forwarder reserves and books freight capacity at the road transporter and confirms the reservation and booking.
    STEP 10. Forwarder supplies information about the air freight it is sending through customs, and customs provides the forwarder with the necessary documents.
    STEP 11. Airline company provides the agent with a booking list for a specific flight to customs and customs gives confirmation to the agent.
    STEP 12. Agent gives information about the load on a specific flight to customs and customs gives confirmation to the agent.
    STEP 13. Airline company provides the agent with a booking list for a specific flight at the airport of destination.
    STEP 14. Agent at the airport of destination gives details about the load on a specific flight to customs and customs gives confirmation back.
    STEP 15. Forwarder at the airport of destination provides local customs with details about the load and gets information about this from customs in return.
    STEP 16. Forwarder at the airport of destination makes up a bill of lading for road transporter there and this document goes with the freight during the road transport.
    
    The process is shown in Figure 7-10
    
    
11. Some people compare a portal with a TV. And, indeed, for years Caterpillar Corp. has used a telecommunications system called "CAT TV" as a link to its dealers that includes audio and video capabilities. Investigate the role of portals in B2B. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of portals over CAT TV and other similar corporate projects.