E-participation is mandatory.

• Author: WALCHUK, KEVIN
• Position: Brief Article

Participation in e-business is not an option, it is a necessity.

That was the message given by Shahla Aly, IBM Inc.'s vice-president of e-business services, at the Northern Ontario Business Awards annuals conference on Oct. 16 in Sudbury.

"Businesses and organizations are continually going down the path of virtual/electronic marketplaces," Aly says.

Part of that process is creating a connection, which Aly defined as the primary benefit of adopting an e-business strategy to give employees, suppliers, vendors, and customers the ability to connect and communicate in new ways.

"And creating this method of contact does not require exorbitant investment," My says.

Despite the overall benefits that "e-connection" brings, Aly says there are still significant concerns that must be addressed by businesses when adopting an e-business strategy, including determining the appropriate technology to use.

With products consistently being replaced by new technology, Aly says the right choice of technology has become a key component for any...