e-Bussiness

E-business (electronic business), derived from such terms as "e-mail" and "e-commerce," is the conduct of business on the Internet, not only buying and selling but alsoservicing customers and collaborating with business partners.
One of the first to use the term was IBM, when, in October, 1997, it launched a thematic campaign built around theterm. Today, major corporations are rethinking their businesses in terms of the Internet and its new culture and capabilities. Companies are using the Web to buy parts andsupplies from other companies, to collaborate on sales promotions, and to do joint research. Exploiting the convenience, availability, and world-wide reach of the Internet, manycompanies, such as Amazon.com, the book sellers, have already discovered how to use the Internet successfully.
Increasingly, much direct selling (or e-tailing) is taking place onthe Internet of computer-related equipment and software. One of the first to report sales in the millions of dollars directly from the Web was Dell Computer. Travel bookingsdirectly or indirectly as a result of Web research are becoming significant. Custom-orderable golf clubs and similar specialties are considered good prospects for the immediatefuture.
With the security built into today's browsers and with digital certificates now available for individuals and companies from Verisign, a certificate issuer, much of theearly concern about the security of business transaction on the Web has abated and e-business by whatever name is accelerating.
IBM considers the development of intranets andextranets to be part of e-business. e-business can be said to include e-service, the provision of services and tasks over the Internet by application service providers (ASP).