【正文】 ent, the size and level of vertical integration of firms have increased. vIn some very large anizations, however, monitoring systems have not kept pace with the anization’s increase in size. This has created problems because the economic viability（生存能力） of a firm depends on its ability to track operational activities effectively at the lowest levels of the firm. These firms have instituted decentralization programs that allow business units to function as separate anizations, negotiating transactions with other business units as if they were operating in a market rather than as part of the same firm. 47EC Markets and HierarchiesvA strategic business unit, or simply business unit, is one particular bination of product, distribution channel, and customer type. vExceptions to the general trend toward hierarchies do exist. Many modities, such as wheat, sugar, and crude oil, are still traded in markets. The modity nature of the products traded in these markets significantly reduces transaction costs. There are a large number of potential buyers for an agricultural modity such as wheat, and the farmer does not make any special investment in customizing or modifying the product for a particular customer. Thus, neither buyers nor sellers in modity markets experience significant transaction costs.48EC Using Electronic Commerce to Reduce Transaction CostsvBusinesses and individuals can use electronic merce to reduce transaction costs by:167。 Improving the flow of information167。 Increasing coordination of actions167。 Reducing the cost of searching for potential buyers and sellers 167。 increasing the number of potential market participants49EC Using Electronic Commerce to Reduce Transaction CostsvConsider an employment transaction. 167。 The employee’s transaction costs include a mitment to forego other employment and career development opportunities. 167。 Individuals make a high investment in learning and adapting to the culture of their employers. 167。 If accepting the job involves a move, the employee can incur very high costs, including actual costs of the move and related costs, such as the loss of a spouse’s job. 167。 Much of the employee’s investment is specific to a particular job and location。 the employee cannot transfer the investment to a new job.167。 If a sufficient number of employees throughout the world can telemute, then many of these transaction costs could be reduced or eliminated. Instead of uprooting a spouse and family to move, a worker could accept a new job by simply logging on to a different pany server!50EC Network Economic StructuresvNetwork economic structures167。 Neither a market nor a hierarchy167。 Companies coordinate their strategies, resources, and skill sets by forming longterm, stable relationships with other panies and individuals based on shared purposesvStrategic alliances (strategic partnerships)167。 Relationships created within the work economic structure51EC Network Economic Structures (continued)vVirtual panies167。 Strategic alliances that occur between or among panies operating on the IntervStrategic partners167。 Entities that e together as a team for a specific project or activity52EC Network Economic Structures (continued)v Network anizations are particularly well suited to technology industries that are information intensive.v Electronic merce can make such works, which rely extensively on information sharing, much easier to construct and maintain. 53EC Network Effects vLaw of diminishing returns 167。 Most activities yield less value as the amount of consumption increases167。 Example： hamburger consumervNetwork effect167。 As more people or anizations participate in a work, the value of the work to each participant increases167。 Example： fax machine users167。 Using Electronic Commerce to Create Network Effects? Inter accounts are far more valuable than singleanization accounts because of the work effect. *54EC identifying electronic merce opportunitiesEC55EC Identifying Electronic Commerce opportunitiesvInter technologies can be used to improve so many business processes that it can be difficult for managers to decide where and how to use them. One way to focus on specific business processes as candidates for electronic merce is to break the business down into a series of valueadding activities that bine to generate profits and meet other goals of the firm.vFirm167。 Multiple business units owned by a mon set of shareholdersvIndustry167。 Multiple firms that sell similar products to similar customers 56EC Business Unit Value ChainsvIn his 1985 book, Competitive Advantage, Michael Porter introduced the idea of value chains. vValue chain167。 A way of anizing the activities that each strategic business unit undertakes vPrimary activities include:167。 Designing, producing, promoting, marketing, delivering, and supporting the products or services it sellsvSupporting activities include:167。 Human resource management and financing 57EC58EC Industry Value ChainsvValue system — Porter167。 Larger stream of activities into which a particular business unit’s value chain is embedded167。 Also referred to as industry value chain — subsequent researchers and business consultants167。 P2959EC60EC Industry Value Chains167。 As they examine their industry value chains, many managers are finding that they can use electronic merce and Inter technologies to reduce costs, improve product quality, reach new customers or suppliers, and create new ways of selling existing products.167。 By examining elements of the value chain outside the individual business unit, managers can identify many business opportunities, including those that can be exploited using electronic merce.167。 The value chain concept is a useful way to