Abstract
This paper reviews the concepts of virtual communities and electronic marketplaces and, in particular, their relevance for SMEs. A specific example of a Regional Electronic Marketplace (REM) using a Community Web model is examined within this context. The author reviews the underlying philosophy for the project and the planning which preceded implementation. A review of the case highlights the issues which are critical for successful implementation and provides a framework to guide future REM developments. The case is analysed within an e-community context and recommendations made for future portal developments. Finally the author questions the readiness of SMEs to adopt a virtual organisation model.
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Burn, J.M. (2004). Virtual Communities for SMEs: A Cautionary Tale of an Electronic Marketplace. In: Lamersdorf, W., Tschammer, V., Amarger, S. (eds) Building the E-Service Society. IFIP International Federation for Information Processing, vol 146. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-8155-3_19
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-8155-3_19
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