Electronic Commerce

Electronic commerce deals with the technology used to deliver online business solutions by integrating information and telecommunication technologies, the Internet and the World Wide Web. It is an emerging business environment that provides common business services, multimedia content publishing and secure interactive web sites.

The new digital economy has revolutionized the business world.  Those who wish to succeed must understand this new economy, a fundamental building block of which is an understanding of electronic commerce.  E-commerce is the study of how new technologies can improve traditional business models.  It encompasses the cutting-edge technology used in business, the new strategic models used to analyze competition and the policy issues raised by this new economy.

E-commerce is fueling major growth in the Internet-related jobs. The major offers students:

• An understanding of how electronic commerce is transforming business and industry, including the supply of related strategic issues and business models
• Hands-on experience designing and building an interactive electronic commerce site
• The opportunity to use the latest technology in delivering online business solutions
• The knowledge to incorporate security, privacy and legal issues into a web site
• A significant advantage in the job market
• A degree of increased value as a result of the Kania School's AACSB accreditation

Electronic Commerce at the University of Scranton

Highlights of the Electronic Commerce program at the University of Scranton include the following:

• Seven full-time Ph.D. faculty members
• A newly constructed, state-of -the-art, 71,000-square-foot building equipped with the latest technology
• The opportunity to gain hands-on experience using the most up-to-date tools
• The acquisition of knowledge, concepts, and skills through lectures and case studies
• Participation in the design and development of electronic business solutions
• Greater employment prospects and improved opportunities for future career growth

The Electronic Commerce major is interdisciplinary and consists of eight courses beyond the general education and business core courses. The student will take five required courses and choose three elective courses from a selection of six.

Internet-related careers have the greatest area of growth as demonstrated by the following statistics:

• Retail e-commerce sales in the second quarter of 2002 were $10.2 billion, up 24.2% from the second quarter of 2001, the Census Bureau reports.
• More than 2,500 new secure web sites are added each month
• The rate of growth for e-commerce jobs is expected to increase for at least the next 10 years

A sample of job titles includes the following: Electronic Commerce Business Analyst, Web Merchandiser, Internet Business Strategist, Electronics Commerce Site Designer, Electronics Commerce Operations Manager, Technical Product Manager, Electronic Commerce Business Consultant, and Electronic Commerce Technical Consultant.

Finding Out More

For more information about the undergraduate degree program in Electronic Commerce at the University of Scranton, please contact Dr. Nabil Tamimi, Chair, Operations and Information Management Department, The Kania School of Management, Brennan Hall Suite 439, phone (570) 941-4288, email tamimin1@scranton.edu.