Ebusiness or Out of Business: Oracle's Roadmap for Profiting in the New Economy

Mark J. Barrenechea, a senior vice president for applications development at Oracle Corp., describes how to transform a company by using a range of e-business applications. He draws on Oracle's success at changing its business by using the Internet and networking to interconnect employees, customers and suppliers. Barrenechea's useful roadmap shows how your company can apply these methods to coordinate, systematize and streamline operations. He demonstrates how other companies - including General Motors, Boeing and Microsoft - use e-business networking. He writes in a straightforward style without jargon and maintains a keen focus on operations, making this book a wealth of practical knowledge. Of course, that same focus might limit the book's appeal to executives without an interest in operations technology and to other mainstream readers. We at getAbstract.com strongly recommend this educational book, and if the advice seems a little weighted toward Oracle products... well, let's not be naïve.

I found this a very good introduction of what it takes to become an e-business, and the challenges that an organization will face during such a transformation. This is a non-technical overview of how Oracle used its own products to achieve the transformation, and the author is not afraid to point out how Oracle's own internal processes and systems were impacted during the transformation. Chapter 1. "Changing the World" discusses the major technical advances that impacted the business world the most. The author does a good job of explaining that not all technical advances lead to positive business impacts, which is a nice way to say "just because it's neat technology, does not mean it will be profitable, or useful in the business world".Chapter 2. "The Internet Changes Everything" discusses the business impacts of web-enabled technology and in transforming a company to e-Business. The author gives quite of bit of information on what to expect when a company goes to e-business. Such as: the cultural impacts, the business process that will change, the need to keep focused on the "Must Haves", the fiefdoms that will need to be eliminated, the top 7 "e-Targets", etc.. He uses Oracle's e-transformation as examples, and also mentions how parts of Oracle are still experiencing the impact of the transformation.Chapter 3. " E-Business or Out of Business" discusses the various business functions that e-transformation will impact, and the technological solutions that will replace or enhance the functions: sales and marketing, call centers, corporate infrastructure, customer care, materials management, IT systems, banking and funds management, customer loyalty, labor laws, etc.. Like in Chapter 2, Oracle's e-transformation is used as examples. The author also focuses on the "e-appliance" which will be technologically complex, but user simple.Chapter 4. "Partner Relationship Management" discusses how e-transformation can be used to enhance, improve, and grow customers and their loyalties.Chapter 5. "Internet Exchanges" is an explanation of what exchanges" are, and their impact to the business world. The author discusses the various types of exchanges, and then spends several paragraphs each on many of the exchanges currently in existence (Covisint, Aeroexchange, etc.).Chapter 6. "Where We Stand Now" discusses the current transformation of ERP and CRM systems to e-business, and the continual acceptance of customers to using self-service web-enabled applications.Chapter 7. "The Shape of Things to Come" does a bit of future thinking on where e-business will continue its impacts. The author also discusses how e-business is impacting the various consulting firms, software vendors, and PC manufacturing companies.

I found this a good introduction to what it means to become an e-Business, and the challenges to be addressed in the transformation. It is non-technical, easy to read, with many examples of the impacts to Oracle Corporation of its own transformation. Plus, the author is not afraid to detail the ineffiencies within Oracle that drove its transformation and the internal resistance it had to address. Chapter 1. "Changing the World" discusses the major technical advances that impacted the business world the most. The author does a good job of explaining that not all technical advances lead to positive business impacts, which is a nice way to say "just because it's neat technology, does not mean it will be profitable, or useful in the business world". Chapter 2. "The Internet Changes Everything" discusses the business impacts of web-enabled technology and in transforming a company to e-Business. The author gives quite of bit of information on what to expect when a company goes to e-business. Such as: the cultural impacts, the business process that will change, the need to keep focused on "Must Haves", the fiefdoms that will need to be eliminated, the top 7 "e-Targets", etc.. The Author uses Oracle's e-transformation as examples, and also mentions how parts of Oracle are still experiencing the impact of the transformation. Chapter 3. "E-Business or Out of Business" discusses the various business functions that e-transformation will impact, and the technological solutions that will replace or enhance the functions: sales and marketing, call centers, corporate infrastructure, customer care, materials management, IT systems, banking and funds management, customer loyalty, labor laws, etc.. Like in Chapter 2, Oracle's e-transformation is used as examples. The author also focuses on the "e-appliance" which will be technologically complex, but user simple. Chapter 4. "Partner Relationship Management" discusses how e-ransformation can be used to enhance, improve, and grow customers and their loyalties. Chapter 5. "Internet Exchanges" is an explanation of what "exchanges" are, and their impact to the business world. The author discusses the various types of exchanges, and then spends several paragraphs each on many of the current exchanges: Covisint, Aeroexchange, etc.. Chapter 6. "Where We Stand Now" discusses the current transformation of ERP and CRM systems to e-business, and the continual acceptance of customers to using self-service web-enabled applications. Chapter 7. "The Shape of Things to Come" does a bit of future thinking on where e-business will continue its impacts. The author also discusses how e-business is impacting the various consulting firms, software vendors, and PC manufacturing companies