COURSE SYLLABUS

B2B E-COMMERCE
ECTS 4 (Credit hours 2) Language of instruction: English

1. Motivation
E-commerce plays a significant role in how companies execute their business in the market-
place. Information technology (IT) is thereby not only revolutionizing the way that compa-
nies do business with consumers, but also the way that they do business with each other.
Experts even predict that business-to-business (B2B) transactions will exceed those of busi-
ness-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce. This makes sense, when we consider that a company
selling, for instance, a book does not only interact with the consumer but also with the pub-
lisher who printed the book. The publisher, in turn, needs to interact with the paper and ink
suppliers, the maintenance firm that keeps the printing presses running, the authors who
submit their manuscripts online, and so forth.

Further, IT also influenced the value chain in many industries. And the resulting changes in
the value chain have made companies more dependent upon business partners than ever
before.

One of the key enablers for the development of new B2B e-commerce models is electronic
data interchange (EDI). EDI is a standard format that is used to exchange business data
including price or product identification number. With EDI technology, sellers, shippers, car-
riers, customs agents, and customers, all can send and receive documents electronically,
thereby saving both time and money for the transactions.

Finally, B2B information exchange has become so critical that it is one of the top metrics
that customers in many industries use to measure partner performance.

2. Learning Outcomes

Course Contents

This course introduces information systems enabling and supporting B2B processes in e-
commerce. Fundamentally, it will elaborate the characteristics of B2B e-commerce that are
distinct to B2C e-commerce.

Particular focus will be given to intercorporate networks such as Electronic Data Interchange
(EDI) systems and Supply Chain Management (SCM) systems. Furthermore, the course will
emphasise on current and future numbering systems (e.g. barcodes, EPC) and related archi-
tectures (e.g., IOT architecture).

Main characteristics of and requirements for B2B systems in certain key sectors that strong-
ly rely on information technology (IT) will be highlighted. These key sectors include:

• Health Care
• Transportation
• Finance, Banking, and Insurance
• Telecommunication

Learning Outcomes

After attending this course, students are able to

Vienna University of Economics and Business, Institute for Management Information Systems
UZA II, Augasse 2-6, 1090 Vienna, http://www.wu.ac.at/ec
COURSE SYLLABUS

B2B E-COMMERCE
ECTS 4 (Credit hours 2) Language of instruction: English

• understand the characteristics of information systems, processes and standards em-

ployed in B2B e-commerce,
• understand data exchange standards and B2B architectures,
• understand current and future numbering systems (e.g. EPC) and related architectures
(e.g., IOT architecture),
• discuss and reason about the strategic importance of current and future numbering sys-
tems and related architectures,
• understand the IT dynamics of some key industries that are particularly relying on IT.

In addition, this course fosters the following soft skills:

• ability to reason about B2B e-commerce issues,

• ability to comprehend the functionality and challenges of several key industries and rea-
son about them,
• ability to express opinions in a professional way,
• ability to give constructive feedback and to deal with open criticism.

3. Course Description and Assessment

Mode of Teaching and Learning

The course is a mixture of lecturing, student presentations and discussion as well as a short
written case description. Students have to submit a five (5) page case description prior to
their case presentation. In each class one part of the class time is dedicated to the introduc-
tion of a subject matter or an industry. The other part is dedicated to presentation of indus-
try dynamics and subsequent discussion.

The course design allows plenty of room for discussion of the presented cases and other
course-relevant topics.

Learning material will be available on the course platform.

Assessment

Performance will be evaluated according to following criteria:

• Regular attendance is a prerequisite for passing the course.

• Team case elaboration (25%)
• Team case presentation (25%)
• Final written exam (50%)
• A prerequisite for passing the course is reaching at least 50% (>= 50%) of the achieva-
ble exam points.

The following grading system is used:

• 87.5% - 100% = "Sehr gut"

• 75% - 87% = "Gut"
• 62.5% - 74.5% = "Befriedigend"
• 50% - 62% = "Genügend"
• Below 50% = "Nicht Genügend"

Vienna University of Economics and Business, Institute for Management Information Systems
UZA II, Augasse 2-6, 1090 Vienna, http://www.wu.ac.at/ec
COURSE SYLLABUS

B2B E-COMMERCE
ECTS 4 (Credit hours 2) Language of instruction: English

If the prerequisite of >= 50% is fulfilled, distinguished participation and commitment in

class and on the learning platform (discussion) is positively rewarded by pushing the respec-
tive student to the next grade level.

4. References
Avlonitis G., Karayanni D. (2000). The Impact of Internet use on business-to-business mar-
keting. Industrial Marketing Management, 29, p 41-59.

Bodendorf, Freimut (1999). Wirtschaftsinformatik im Dienstleistungsbereich, Berlin: Spring-

er.

Claycomb C., Iyer K., Germain R. (2005). Prediction the level of B2B E-Commerce in indus-
trial organizations. Industrial Marketing Management, 34, pp 221-234.

Davis, Willliam S., Benamati, John (2003). E-Commerce Basics: Technology Foundations
and E-Business Applications. Boston: Pearson. Chapter 7.

Fitzsimmons, James A. (2010). Service management: operations, strategy, and information

technology. New York: Mc Graw Hill.

Laudon, Kenneth, Traver, Carol Guercio (2013). E-Commerce 2013: Business; Technology;
Society. Boston: Pearson. Chapters 2+12.

Vienna University of Economics and Business, Institute for Management Information Systems
UZA II, Augasse 2-6, 1090 Vienna, http://www.wu.ac.at/ec