Net Benefit: Guaranteed Electronic Markets: The Ultimate Potential Of Online Trade (macmillan Business)

This book explores the possible creation and impact of electronic markets underpinned by government. How far could electronic trade go? The author outlines a world in which open online marketplaces are routinely used to trade everything from office space to bicycle rental between individuals. Each transaction would be guaranteed by the system, not the reputation of the seller. Anyone could enter the market as an equal. The author argues that the electronic marketplaces of the future will have widespread and fundamental economic and social consequences. For more information about Guaranteed Electronic Markets visit the Gems Website at www.gems.org.uk Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 10 Acknowledgements......Page 14 Introduction: The final frontier for electronic trade......Page 16 Open markets: a second tier of electronic trade......Page 17 Secure electronic marketplaces open to any seller?......Page 19 Could electronic commerce ever deliver this theoretical potential?......Page 21 Government's role as initiator of new technology......Page 24 Competition between governments: a coming force in electronic trade?......Page 27 Notes......Page 31 Section one: The ultimate potential of e-trade: how open public markets might work......Page 32 1 Demonstration: booking overnight accommodation in a GEM......Page 34 Market entry......Page 35 Complaints procedures......Page 40 Market overviews......Page 42 A market in everything......Page 43 3 The system's relationship with users......Page 45 4 Demonstration: connected transactions – hiring a van and driver in GEMs......Page 48 A new world of work......Page 50 5 Contractual chains......Page 54 More complex packages......Page 55 6 Easy access to capital......Page 58 A flexible money market......Page 60 7 Would populations start to use a GEMs system?......Page 62 Would sellers enter such a competitive marketplace?......Page 65 Notes to section one......Page 68 Section two: A new democratic capitalism: the impact of public electronic markets......Page 70 8 The effect of GEMs on business: a decline in big institutions......Page 72 9 GEMs and employment: the rise of portfolio working......Page 78 A new market in local services......Page 85 The rise of sole traders......Page 86 Starting work in public electronic markets......Page 88 Training: out of the classroom into the community......Page 92 What impact would GEMs have on overall levels of work?......Page 94 A national parallel economy......Page 96 Community organization......Page 100 Grass roots initiatives to replace government provision......Page 101 Social networks: using computers to increase human contact......Page 109 Universal legal services......Page 110 Electronic voting: 'participative democracy'......Page 111 User boycotts: forcing the supply chain......Page 115 11 GEMs' impact on parliament: technologically literate politicians and small government......Page 117 Government control of a GEMs economy: precision and imagination required......Page 120 Tax and social policy......Page 121 Environmental policy......Page 124 People on benefits......Page 126 12 A country with GEMs in a global economy: international advantage......Page 129 Notes to section two......Page 133 Section three: The battle for public markets: electronic trade becomes politicized......Page 136 The disproportionate benefits of online trade for large sellers......Page 140 Market force: the black arts available to online marketeers......Page 144 The potential impact of uncoordinated electronic commerce on society......Page 148 Government's response to maturing e-trade......Page 154 14 How a government could instigate GEMs......Page 157 What do governments have to offer a winning consortium?......Page 158 What concessions might politicians extract from a winning consortium?......Page 160 15 Opposition to public markets......Page 164 Points of opposition......Page 165 Likely tactics of the opposition......Page 171 16 Which countries would have most to gain from a GEMs launch?......Page 175 Notes to section three......Page 180 Section four: How might businesses respond to the rise of public electronic markets?......Page 184 Constantly experiment with product range......Page 188 Service industry innovation might acquire a new importance......Page 194 'Customer owning' would be an option, but would probably not be worthwhile......Page 196 Expect a rise in ideological customers......Page 197 Reassess the importance of a fixed supply chain......Page 198 Start rostering employees and assets on the system......Page 199 Be prepared for the business to erode to a core activity......Page 200 Notes to section four......Page 202 Conclusion: Electronic markets as a public utility......Page 204 Appendix one: Principles governing GEMs......Page 207 Appendix two: A business model for initiating GEMs......Page 224 E......Page 252 M......Page 253 T......Page 254 Y......Page 255 This text explores the possible creation and impact of electronic markets underpinned by government. How far could electronic trade go? The author outlines a world in which open online marketplaces are routinely used to trade everything from office space to bicycle rental between individuals. Each transaction would be guaranteed by the system, not the reputation of the seller. Anyone could enter the market as an equal. The author argues that the electronic marketplaces of the future will have widespread and fundamental economic and social consequences