Michael Porter's Five Forces Model
* The level of rivalry among organizations in an industry. The more that companies compete against one another for customers-for example, by lowering the prices of their products or by increasing advertising-the lower is the level of industry profits.
* The potential for entry into an industry. The easier it is for companies to enter an industry-because, for example, barriers to entry, such as brand loyalty, are low -the more likely it is for industry prices and therefore industry profits to be low.
* The power suppliers. If there are only a few suppliers of an important input, then suppliuers can drive up the price of that input, and expensive inputs results in lower profits for the producer.
* The threat of substitute products. Often, the output of one industry is a substitute for the output of another industry. Companies that produce a product with a known substitute cannot demand high prices for their products and this constraint keeps their profits low.
Source:Contemporary Management 3rd Edition by Jones & George
Criteria to be used in analyzing the e-Commerce sites
I. Visual Design and Navigation
Visual design is the appearance of the site. It’s more than just a pretty homepage and it doesn’t have to be cutting edge or trendy. Good visual design high quality, appropriate, and relevant for the audience and the message it is supporting. It communicates a visual experience and may eventually take your breath away.
II. Content and Navigation
Content is the information provided on the site. It is not just text, but music, sound, animation, or video – anything that communicates a sites body of knowledge. Good content should be engaging, relevant, and appropriate for the audience. You can tell it’s been developed for the Web because it’s clear and concise and it works in the medium. Good content takes a stand. It has a voice, a point of view. It may be informative, useful, or funny bit it always leaves you wanting more.
III. Structure and Navigation
Structure and navigation refers to the framework of a site, the organization of content, the prioritization of information, and the method in which you move through the site. Sites with good structure and navigation are consistent, intuitive and transparent. They allow you to form a mental model of the information provided, where to find things, and what to expect when you click. Good navigation gets you where you want to go quickly and offers easy access to the breadth and depth of the site’s content.
How Do We Effectively Assess Internet Resources
We should ask ourselves what is being targeted by the web page in terms of the market segment based on the content, graphics and style.
Does it address our own needs and requirements? Does the site give the user the flexibility to browse and identify the resources needed?
Reading these resources from articles, case studies to white papers, we should look into the following:
• Author
• Does the author have the expertise on the subject?
o We should check the background and see whether he has enough exposure and experience to make the claim.
o Previous positions in companies would give you a hint as to where he is good at.
o Awards and citations of authorized government and private bodies would also help in supporting his expertise.
o Books he authored or articles he wrote in newspapers and magazines.
• The source of the site would also be a clue as to what information is available. (e.g. gov for government, .com for business, .edu for academe)
After validating the credibility of the author, we should start analyzing the content of the page. Is it accurate? Are there in-depth discussions and presentations of facts and evidences? Is it current? Are there links that supports the information in the page/s?
How is the site laid out? Is it easy to navigate?
