New UW consortium helping steer electronic commerce
Electronic commerce is expected to fundamentally change the way business is conducted, but companies have few unbiased resources to draw from when navigating this new landscape.
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“Totally new kinds of business models are emerging with new rules of behavior. It is not just a technological issue. To survive and prosper in this dynamic environment, companies will have to completely rethink their business and how they conduct it.”
Raj Veeramani, Director |
A new consortium developed by UW–Madison engineer Raj Veeramani is addressing the problem by assembling a team of experts from the public and private sector. The Consortium for Global Electronic Commerce, which debuted this fall, will provide an unbiased and non-commercial forum for companies in the manufacturing and construction industries.
Companies had their first chance to learn about the consortium at an inaugural symposium on Dec. 2. The day-long event included an overview by Veeramani and presentations by experts from IBM Institute for Advanced Commerce, Arthur Andersen, Fluor Daniel and Sterling Commerce.
Veeramani, director of the consortium, said the UW–Madison consortium is unique in bringing a “holistic perspective” to the issues. The consortium includes a diverse team of faculty from disciplines such as engineering, computer science, business, economics and law. Together with industry experts, the expertise will cover corporate strategy, business practices and information technology.
“Totally new kinds of business models are emerging with new rules of behavior,” Veeramani said. “It is not just a technological issue. To survive and prosper in this dynamic environment, companies will have to completely rethink their business and how they conduct it.”
The consortium will offer seminars, workshops, roundtable discussions and symposia that allow companies to identify the best business practices. It also provides a framework for low-risk and low-cost research projects for students and faculty, which can be done for either individual or multiple companies. Members will also have access to a web site with features including discussion forums, case studies, frequently asked questions, and a “help desk” to reach experts. A basic membership fee is $3,000 annually and executive membership is $9,000 per year.
For more information about the consortium contact Veeramani at 262-0861, or email: raj@engr.wisc.edu.
Tags: research