TABLE OF CONTENTS Computer-based technology is all around us and influences every area of our lives. In this chapter we look at developments such as the World Wide Web (WWW), the internet, e-commerce in general, databases and their application such as data mining and data fusion and the way these new developments and techniques have changed the face of marketing practice over the past 10 years. The internet (the net) is a vast and continually growing web of computer networks that link computers around the world. The web or WWW is a development of the internet where accessing information is user friendly. Electronic commerce is a general term for the buying and selling process that is supported by electronic means. Advances in technology are having a tremendous impact on all areas of business, including marketing. There has been an explosion of information on the subject, and the aim of this chapter is to impart an appreciation of the main issues involved with the use of electronic commerce. Key technological advances are discussed in terms of how they affect the marketing firm and their impact on marketing activities both now and in the future.
The twenty-first century should witness incredible advances in the application and development of technology. The product life cycle of many products is moving ever faster as technological advances supersede existing product types and forms. The task of marketing is to capitalise on and exploit the business opportunities this new technology brings. Organisations must adapt this new technology in...
