The examination covers various topics relating to e-commerce including:
1. How e-commerce is changing traditional business models and key terms related to e-commerce operations.
2. Considerations for electronic payment systems and characteristics of e-cash.
3. Business processes that sellers can engage in using e-commerce platforms.
The examination consists of 5 questions testing knowledge of topics such as electronic data interchange, predicting website demand, circumstances where e-commerce is not appropriate, middleware services in data-centric computing, and infrastructures that are part of the e-commerce architecture.
The examination covers various topics relating to e-commerce including:
1. How e-commerce is changing traditional business models and key terms related to e-commerce operations.
2. Considerations for electronic payment systems and characteristics of e-cash.
3. Business processes that sellers can engage in using e-commerce platforms.
The examination consists of 5 questions testing knowledge of topics such as electronic data interchange, predicting website demand, circumstances where e-commerce is not appropriate, middleware services in data-centric computing, and infrastructures that are part of the e-commerce architecture.
The examination covers various topics relating to e-commerce including:
1. How e-commerce is changing traditional business models and key terms related to e-commerce operations.
2. Considerations for electronic payment systems and characteristics of e-cash.
3. Business processes that sellers can engage in using e-commerce platforms.
The examination consists of 5 questions testing knowledge of topics such as electronic data interchange, predicting website demand, circumstances where e-commerce is not appropriate, middleware services in data-centric computing, and infrastructures that are part of the e-commerce architecture.
The examination covers various topics relating to e-commerce including:
1. How e-commerce is changing traditional business models and key terms related to e-commerce operations.
2. Considerations for electronic payment systems and characteristics of e-cash.
3. Business processes that sellers can engage in using e-commerce platforms.
The examination consists of 5 questions testing knowledge of topics such as electronic data interchange, predicting website demand, circumstances where e-commerce is not appropriate, middleware services in data-centric computing, and infrastructures that are part of the e-commerce architecture.
INSTRUCTIONS: Answer Question One & ANY OTHER TWO questions.
QUESTION ONE [30 MARKS]
a) How is electronic commerce changing the way that traditional business is conducted among organizations? Briefly discuss (3 Marks) b) Describe the following terms as they are applied in the e-commerce environment i) Shipping profile ii) JIT iii) Payment gateway iv) Value-to-weight ratio (8 Marks)
c) Identify FIVE considerations during the design of an electronic payment system (5 Marks)
d) E-cash is quickly gaining acceptance in Kenyan markets:
i) Identify FOUR characteristics of e-cash (4 Marks) ii) Explain how e-cash processing is done. Also draw a diagram to illustrate this (4 Marks)
e) Describe the term “business processes” and outline FIVE business processes that a seller using an e-commerce platform can engage in (6 Marks)
1 QUESTION TWO [20 MARKS] a) Electronic data interchange (EDI) has been defined as the formal way through which businesses exchange information: i) Outline the FOUR key layers found in the architecture of EDI (4 Marks) ii) Identify THREE business areas that make heavy use of EDI (3 Marks)
b) List any FIVE considerations when acquiring the merchant server software (5 Marks)
c) Identify and briefly discuss FOUR main categories of transactions which will lead to information being processed for e-commerce. (8 Marks)
QUESTION THREE [20 MARKS]
a) Distinguish between “personalization” and “customization” with respect to electronic trading (4 Marks)
b) Discuss the following electronic business models and cite examples of each: i) B2C (2 Marks) ii) C2C (2 Marks) iii) G2C (2 Marks)
c) The number of requests submitted on a website is perhaps the most important factor affecting the speed of a website. Identify any SIX factors that can be considered when predicting website demand by customers (6 Marks)
d) Identify any FOUR circumstances in which e-commerce would not be an appropriate
trading choice (4 Marks)
2 QUESTION FOUR [20 MARKS] a) To achieve data-centric computing, middleware services focus on three elements; i) Transparency, ii) Transaction security management and iii) Distributed object management. Provide an overview of each of these elements (6 Marks)
b) Explain THREE factors that have lead the financial institutions to make heavy use of electronic payment systems. (6 Marks)
c) Use a case study example to describe the term “Trade cycle” and discuss any THREE reasons that can cause variation in the trade cycle. (8 Marks)
QUESTION FIVE [20 MARKS]
a) ‘Interface and Support Services’ is an e-commerce logical layer that interfaces applications such as interactive catalogs and directories. Clearly distinguish between an interactive catalog and a directory and state the functions of each (6 Marks)
b) Identify FOUR infrastructures that are part of the e-commerce architecture (4 Marks)
c) Huduma Chapchap, a motorbike rental and selling company, is planning to move the business to an electronic trading platform. i) Critically discuss the suitability of this decision and justify your arguments (4 Marks) ii) Discuss SIX non-technical limitations that Huduma Chapchap is likely to experience as a result of this move (6 Marks)
