Business-to-business (B2B) electronic
commerce focuses mostly on supply chain
design and the construction of, often complex,
electronic linkages between businesses.
Electronic data interchange (EDI) technologies
were among the first efforts to standardize these
linkages, but there has been explosive growth in
Internet business-to-business marketplaces. In
fact, this sector has displaced B2C models as the
most favored e-commerce form (with all of the
requisite hype). Business-to-business models do
offer the potential for radical changes in supply
chains, gains in efficiency, and customized
products as consumers tap into the end of well-engineered production processes. However,
most of these capabilities are in their infancy
and will require massive change in established
corporations, as well as cooperation among
competitors. While the potential is fantastic, the
road looks bumpy for most participants.