ABSTRACT
The potential of e-commerce opportunity has drastically influenced how international business is done, especially in emerging markets. Internet and e-commerce are becoming an indispensable component of any multinational's strategy. This chapter provides an understanding of the dramatic influence of the internet and e-commerce on business operations. Successful companies are the ones that will be able to take advantage of e-commerce opportunities while tackling the challenges. This chapter considers the structure of the internet and e-commerce. It also considers some of the key cross-cultural e-commerce issues and the challenges they present. To better understand e-commerce adoption, it is important to understand the Technology Adoption Model (TAM) developed by Davis. The chapter discusses some of the key steps in building a successful e-commerce strategy. It also examines another crucial cross-culture e-commerce issue – e-commerce consumer trust. It describes the most crucial elements of e-commerce-cyber and e-commerce security. While cyber security applies to the internet, e-commerce security refers to the challenges customers face as they participate in e-commerce transactions. The readers will learn about real world cases considering challenges, opportunities, and suggestions related to e-commerce in today's business environment.
