A Framework for the Analysis of Socio-Economic Aspects of Electronic Markets

Abstract

The Internet still lacks global acceptance of being a platform for user-friendly, trustworthy Electronic Commerce. Latest research in the field of Electronic Markets shows that there are, without any doubt, a number of socio-economic (social, psychological as well as economic) criteria which represent critical success factors for the global breakthrough of electronic shopping applications. Usually, forecasts on Electronic Commerce development focus on technical aspects, such as telecommunication infrastructure, security and speed. The following paper presents a theoretical framework for the evaluation of the socio-economic aspects to which all electronic business relations are also subject. The empirical results stem from the business case of the Electronic Mall Bodensee (EMB), an existing mall with more than 400 partners, companies as well as organisations, and universities, in the Lake Constance region (Switzerland, Germany, Austria).