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FREE online courses on ECOMMERCE FUNDAMENTALS - Architectural framework
for E commerce - A Framework of frameworks |
In object-oriented
parlance, a framework is an almost complete application that users can
customize or extend to address particular needs. Eco-system is a framework
for building Internet markets. Specifically, it's a framework of frameworks
that models key business processes and services. Because frameworks build on
each other, the resulting applications are tightly linked through a
shared-services infrastructure.
Eco-system's frameworks
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Virtual-market services
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Business services
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E-Commerce services
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Communication network services
(connectivity)
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These are vertical markets of closely aligned businesses.
Examples are real estate; securities trading (buy, sell and quote services) or
any vertical supply chain.
Business services involve generic business processes and
applications common to multiple V-markets. They include retail and
business-to-business (procurement order entry, inventory and supply chain
management and logistics) functions.
Marketware is a special sub-class of these services that links buyer to sellers.
These include services, such as digital ‘wallets' that
allow individuals and companies to authenticate their identities, make
payments, locate vendors, collaborate and participate in a V-market. Advanced,
next-generation commerce services will include secure multimedia mail,
smart-card-based security and payment, digital-content delivery, application
billing and accounting, transaction management and agent management.
Network services enhance the performance, reliability and
security of the Internet to accommodate mission-critical business needs.
Examples include quality-of-service management, IP (Internet Protocol)
multicast, delivery receipts, authenticated packets and smart firewalls (those
that pass packets only among authorized business partners). Every application under Eco-system - whether a catalogue or
an entire V-market - is a network-accessible service.
The table given below illustrates a few core services
provided by three representative frameworks. It lists a paraphrasing of the NSI
(network services interface) messages used to request core services. These
services literally define what it means to be a payment, shipping or catalogue
service. Vendors differentiate their products by providing additional services
beyond those specified in the framework.
Sample service request messages
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Service
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Message
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Payment
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Make a payment,
Authorization,
Authentication
wallet,
Services,
Obtain
payment,
Use a credit card,
Have I been paid yet?
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Shipping
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Schedule a shipment,
Check the
status,
Get a quote
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Catalogue
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Perform a search,
Add, delete,
or modify listing,
Product
catalogue,
Price listing
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