As we look back on the pattern of investment activity in B2B e-commerce between 2000 and 2010, I think we can safely declare that there was a Lost Decade. During these 10 years there were numerous attempts to revolutionize various industries with new B2B technologies. However, most of these initiatives met with only modest levels [...]
Read More» For several years now there has been an ongoing debate in the industry about how strategic information technology is to businesses. Some, such as Nicolas Carr, have argued that IT is now ubiquitous and no longer offers strategic advantages to businesses. Working for an IT vendor, I have an inherent bias towards arguing that IT [...]
Read More» With the end of the year coming soon, I thought I would provide a recap of the top EDInomics posts from 2011. The ranking is based upon information gathered from Google Analytics about end-user visits to new posts published in 2011.
Read More» Earlier this week GXS announced the 2011 B2B Heroes. These 20 individuals distinguished themselves by leading initiatives to build out the information supply chain. Some supported ERP platform rollouts. Others consolidated systems post merger. Most of the heroes led programs to on-board small businesses in pursuit of a paperless supply chain. The goal of the [...]
Read More» In previous years we at GXS have held awards programs for companies which have demonstrated innovation or leadership in the B2B integration sector. This year we decided to take a different approach by recognizing not the companies, but the specific individuals within the companies responsible for the success of the B2B programs. Unfortunately, the heroic [...]
Read More» When people learn that I work in the B2B e-commerce sector one of the questions they always ask me is “Why are companies still using EDI?” Most outsiders to the industry cannot understand why corporations continue to use an outdated standard developed in the 1960s. The companies using EDI are by no means technology laggards. [...]
Read More» Last week Walmart announced plans to double the value of goods purchased from women-owned businesses by the year 2016. Today, the company spends $2.5 billion per year with women-owned businesses. Over the next five years Walmart will source a total of $20 billion in products and services from this category of suppliers. In addition, Walmart [...]
Read More» One aspect of the B2B e-commerce industry that I continue to find fascinating is the proliferation of standards. I have written extensively in earlier posts about the long tail of B2B e-commerce messaging standards, which includes over 50 variants of EDI and XML technology. But perhaps the most ridiculous example of proliferation can be found [...]
Read More» If you live in Taiwan the answer is “possibly.” Starting in late 2010, the Taiwanese government introduced a new e-invoicing scheme for consumers. When making a purchase at a retail chain such as 7-Eleven, Hi-Life or Pxmart, Taiwanese consumers can now request an electronic copy of the invoice or tax receipt. Each of these electronic [...]
Read More» People new to the e-invoicing market often ask – Why are the regulations around the transmission of these documents so cumbersome? For example, many countries require that electronic invoices be marked with digital signatures. Some countries require that the seller obtains a government-issued key which uniquely identifies the invoice. Others mandate that the invoices be [...]
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