Monday, May 19, 2003		Book Review

Hone your e-business skills
Shalini Singh

Future Prospect Envisioning E-Business in 2020 by Y. Jayachandra and Gita Melkote;
Pages 377; Price Rs 395

FARSIGHTEDNESS is the key to excel in any business. Growth and plan are complimentary to each other. Future Prospect Envisioning E-Business in 2020 emphasises the same. This book is focused on boosting the e-business to a height. Authored by Y Jaychandra and Gita Melkote, senior members of Stanford Business Research Foundation, this book throws light on the theory and thought behind successful planning of e-business for future. This book has been intended for the CEOs, executives, professionals engaged in setting business agenda.

The technologies and high-level e-business envisioning methods along with some provocative ideas, trends and predictions makes readers think creatively about their business and future.

The star feature of the book is that the authors have supplemented their arguments with valid industry examples and case studies.

In the introduction section of the book, major emphasis has been given to the challenges faced by the business executives and professionals in formulating a successful business graph. Importance of transaction has been dealt with in a more professional manner. The basic foundation strategies to build any successful e-business have been dealt well through the entire book.

The tabular and the graphical representation of facts and figures authenticate the statements in the book. Self-explanatory graphs and bar charts as well as pie charts help the readers to have a better understanding of the content. The text has been written is a crisp and simple language. The language flow is uninterrupted throughout. The theory of importance of value chain, investments and management has been dealt with prime importance.

Important aspects for the growth and successful development of either a stand-alone venture or an existing business are vision, influence of superior values, and the importance of value chain substance. For envisioning the enterprise, entrepreneurs need to be focused and far-sighted.

The section on vision talks about setting the vision and mission of the future business state. The content here provides a road map for long-term business plans. The importance of having a vision in planning e-business has been dealt clearly in this section. Chapters 3 and 4 of the book explain how to introduce superior values to all stockholders of the company and the importance of using infrastructures innovatively. The importance of the investment made by the public and private parties are of utmost importance for any business to flourish.

Furthermore, the authors go on explaining the importance of value chain and ways to couple relevant technologies in the business. The belief is that there should be no limitations as far as time is concerned. To combine the past, present and the future for higher business efficiencies has been one of the core components of discussions in Future Prospect Envisioning E-business in 2020.

The book has been focused for the entrepreneurs who are ready to take risk to empower their enterprise. In today’s e-world, electronic commerce needs innovative space and infrastructure to bloom beyond boundaries. Excellent conceptualisation and the flow of language have enhanced the readability of the book by leaps and bounds. The impact that it leaves on the readers is absorbing and exhilarating. The authors have explained the theories and concepts of an effective e-business in a clear format. All perceptions have been clearly explained through concrete evidences.

Reading the book will obviously not make you a successful businessman, but yes the ideologies, if followed will help you enhance your e-business and let you stand out in the crowd.

The book serves the purpose of inculcating certain core values to enable businesses to succeed in the digital era and helps plan the agenda of the e-business in a more concrete form. It also guides the professionals to enhance their e-business skills.