B2B Electronic Markets
Klein S, Alt R
Abstract
This entry provides an overview of the main characteristics of the phenomenon of business-to-business (B2B) electronic markets (EMs). After introducing this concept and discussing major effects related to the benefits and risks from an institutional viewpoint, the configuration options of EMs in the B2B domain are presented from a functional perspective. The discussion then shifts to the intermediary, highlighting critical issues that shape the business model of a marketplace operator and addressing criteria that are known to influence the choice of a particular marketplace configuration. Finally, the future development of B2B EMs is discussed.
Keywords
business and management; computer mediated communication; economic coordination; information systems; intermediary; organizational theory; transaction cost theory