E-business systems

Building the system. Before building a system, a company needs to answer this important question: who will own the code? A company should own the intellectual property right (IPR), not an IT company who would later charge for every move you want to make.

Modeling. A webpage should be built up in a way that you can reach any information with no more than 3 mouse clicks. A three click rule is an unofficial web design rule concerning the design of website navigation. It is based on the belief that users of a site will become frustrated and often leave the page if they cannot find the information needed within the 3 clicks. However, some critics of the rule say that it's not the number of clicks that matters, it's the poor organisation of the site, that actually makes customers leave the site. Believe it or not, but some people will get lost on your website no matter how carefully you design your site navigation system or how explicitly you label it.

Creating a site map. One of the easiest way to create it is to use a software program that automatically generates a site map. There are a lot of software applications that generate site maps for you. Of course, the free ones offer limited functionality.

• Linkno: free site map generator
• Xtreeme: create static or DHTML site maps
• SmartDraw: choose from various layouts, special effects, etc.

Once a site has been created, an important question needs to be answered: who in organisation is in charge of maintaining the site? It needs to be updated frequently. Most likely it's the job of a marketing team. There are several software systems that are used for different purposes:

• Content Management System (CMS) -- helper program to help people submit into onto the webpage
• System Level Integration (SLI) -- e.g. when selling a drink at a bar, say 4 cl gin gone, the info goes to a central system, then gin supplier sees if bar is running out of gin, the supplier knows that the bar needs soon delivery
• Computer Reservation System (CRS) used by airlines -- e.g. Galileo, Amadeus, Sabre, Worldspan

Cloud computing, or services in the cloud, sounds fuzzy and unclear. Some analysts define cloud computing narrowly as a n updated version of utility computing: basically virtual servers available over the Internet. To learn how cloud computing works, click here. Some well-known services are "run through the cloud":

  

• docs.google.com
• Google Analytics
• salesforce.com
• Windows Azure
• Facebook
• Skype

Hospitality and tourism uses the following systems:

• Destination Management Systems (DMS) -- assists a destination management organization to collect, coordinate and disseminate computerized information about a particular destination.
• product management
• enquiry management
• visitor/consumer CRM
• business CRM & membership
• management reporting

• Global Distribution System (GDS) -- it is a Travel Agency Network that enables interconnectedess between Airline Computer Recervation System and travel agency terminals (CRS is a reservation system used by airlines only)
• Amadeus
• Galileo
• Sabre
• Worldspan