***This schedule will be changed and updated throughout the semester.  Check it prior to every class for the latest information about assignments, guest speakers, schedule changes, etc..  Unless otherwise noted, you should come to class on Monday prepared to discuss the assigned readings for that week.***

                A primary resource for this course will be the reports on the digital economy published annually by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce. This source will provide you with a good foundation in key e-commerce application and early examples of how companies use the Internet across the business value chain.  You can read these documents on the web, but it may be more convenient to download them to a local computer or print them out for future reference.  There is an explanation of your options for downloading on the site. In addition to reading  Chapters 1 and II in Digital Economy 2000, you will be responsible for Appendices from the 1998 report, The Emerging Digital Economy.  These appendices contain case studies that we will refer to in class.  They are extensive, so budget your downloading and reading time accordingly
            Additional articles for weekly reading are linked directly to the topics below.

                Web Business Resources to supplement the assigned reading and help with your projects

                A description of the team Project to develop an E-Commerce Business Plan.  NOTE:  This project has several stages and due dates throughout the semester.  You are responsible for keeping track of your team's Business Plan deliverables.  Your work on each component will be part of your final project grade.

Week 1     Internet Commerce Foundations
9/6                        Objectives and Expectations, Class Profile, and Discussion of Business  Plan Project

 Readings:  Digital Economy 2000, Chapters I and II and The Emerging Digital Economy, Appendix 3 and 4  (see link and note on downloading options above)

Read the following for 9/13 and be ready to discuss and possibly to present a class "tour" of one of the sites you evaluate
"Must-Haves"  CIO Web Business   --      based on your own web site review, do you agree that these 12 web features are essential?  Why or why not?
What E-Business Sites Keep Getting Wrong!  iPlanet     --     what mistakes did your sites make?

Class slides from this week

 Readings:
"Business Models on the Web" Michael Rappa

B2B E-Commerce Hubs: Towards a Taxonomy of Business Models  Steven Kaplan and Mohanbir Sawhney

Be What You Aren't   and Giant Steps   Nicholas Carr, TheStandard.com

          Reminder: ALL business teams must be finalized by 9/20; the sooner you form a team, the better!
                e-mail your team roster and name in the following formatto cronin@bc.edu as soon as you have it ready,
                but no later than noon on 9/20.

Assignment due on 9/27: Be prepared to introduce your team briefly (3-5 minutes) during class on 9/27, and to discuss your ideas to date for the business plan project.

                        Review the business plan outlines and pointers linked to the Resources section

 Readings: Let's Do Launch:   "Building the Bullet Proof Startup"   Business 2.0   "The Fall Guys"

                            "Thrive--Don't Bank--On Chaos"

                 Team Introductions

Week 5       Finding and Using Data Effectively--From Concept to Market Opportunity and Strategy
10/2-10/4

class slides for 10/2
           Assignment due 10/04  --  Using Internet Data Sources

Get started on some of the key questions you need to answer for your plan:
                                                How big is the market opportunity?
                                                Who is the target customer and how many are online?
                                                Who are my main competitors?
Explore at least 2 online data sources that you think may provide the answers you need and be ready to discuss in class on Wed.

Use the Resources links   especially New E-Commerce Surveys link to browse through recently published studies and  locate estimates on how many people are using the Internet today and projections on the growth of the consumer and business-to-business marketplace for ecommerce. Try Google and Yahoo and and the resources in the CEO Express to find potential competitors. Dig deeper to find some specific numbers on your area of business.   Come prepared to discuss the information sources that  you found most useful. Take particular note of any contradictions you find among the different

Business Plan Executive Summary is due on 10/4; Bring your written, 2 page summary in the following format to class and be prepared to present and defend your concept in 5 minutes or less in class today (and if we need extra time on 10/11).

                            Take a look at their company on the web and come with your questions

Each team MUST schedule a one-on-one meeting with Professor Cronin or Professor Heim between 10/12 and 10/20 for a plan review and feedback session.  Everyone on the team should plan to attend.

You need to physically sign the sheet on the door of Fulton 350A to reserve your time slot in advance.  Sign up early for the best times!

Week   7     E-Business Implementation:  Operations and Finances
10/16-10/18

                            Readings:

               "Your E-Commerce Site:  Build, Buy, or Rent?"

                "Building a Business Plan for an E-Commerce Project"

               Sample Budget Projections

                   Mortar required: E-tailers operate in cyberspace, but most need warehouses on the home planet.
Slided for Oct16 and Oct18

Week 8             Funding for E-Business Ventures
10/23-10/25

               Teams will draw dates for their class presentations today--schedule will be posted with biz plans next week.

                        Midterm  exam (10/25)   REVIEW NOTES FOR MIDTERM

10/30-11/1
Security guest speaker:  Joe Judge

Readings:
Optional:  recent article by Judge in InfoSecurity Magazine
Review The Emerging Digital Economy, pp.39-40

          E-Privacy?  Mary J. Cronin

EC Security Checklist for Companies, Users (Insider, 1-14)

Slides on Privacy
Slides on Due Diligence

 Complete written Business Plans are due on 11/6.  Each team should hand in the written plan in class that day AND e-mail me a digital version saved as a word document or give me the word doc on a disk in class.  The digital version will be posted on this page for class review prior to your presentations.
I will also post a sample ratings or "due diligence" sheet for your reference in preparing for class.  Remember that you are responsible for doing some advance research on other teams' business plans before you come to hear their presentation.  You will be filling out a rating sheet in class for each team, after you hear the team presentation.

 Week 10     Entrepreneurs Speak
11/6-11/8

Guest Speaker:  Erik Rasmussen, Aurora Funds -- a venture capital perspective

          Presentation and Interactive Discussion/Evaluation of Business Plans start this week
                             Readings:    Review the team plans that are presenting  on Wednesday and be prepared with comments and questions

Nov 8:  r xpress   also review the  Demo page for RXpress
            and 3on3

Week 11           Presentation and Discussion/Evaluation of Business Plans
11/13-11/15            Readings:    Review the companies that are presenting today and be prepared with comments and questions

            Nov 13:  Alien biz plan and financials              e-ternational:  ShipOnline

           Nov 15:  WebberDuckies:  Fubar           Triangle plan and financials       DCG:  FurnitureShowcase

Week 12          Presentation and Discussion/Evaluation of Business Plans
11/20                        Readings:    Review the companies that are presenting today and be prepared with comments and questions

          Nov 20:  Back Row Boys plan financials  graph       iJaBs:  CollegeStream plan  financials 1 and 2

 11/22                   Happy Thanksgiving!

Week 13            E-Commerce Out of the Box.
11/27-11/29                Global growth, i-Mode and WAP, e-CRM, ASP and other acronyms to watch

                   ASP Notes

                                  Readings:
                               Going Global:  Hungry for New Markets   WebTechniques
                      M-commerce: An operator's manual   (The McKinsey Quarterly, 2000 Number 3)

Peer and Professor feedback on the Business Plans and Presentation will be available on 11/27 to aid in you final revision of the plans.  Revised, final plans are due on 12/6

Week 14      The Next E-Generation
12/4-12/6               Discussion of career opportunities and changes in corporate structure
                                Who Will  Define the Future of E-Business?
Slides from Dec 4 and Dec 6
 
Readings:
      "Five Get It-Five Don't"  Business2.0  --Yes, read ALL of the linked stories about the companies mentioned!

Be prepared to discuss and critique the business models represented in the case studies from  the Business2.0 article. Do you agree with the way the article evaluates the companies?  What are some of the threats the companies that "get it" face as e-business continues to evolve?  What do you think the losers will have to change become winners ?

                                   Course Wrap Up--final questions---celebration

FINAL EXAM is scheduled for Friday, December 15 at 12:30pm in Fulton 245.

Format for the exam will be:
5-10 objective "short answer" questions focused on the material covered since the midterm
2-3 essays asking for you to analyze short cases using all the insights you have learned from the course