 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
An important line of research on global information management examines
the effects of national culture on IT development, operations, management
and use. This paper argues that global information management researchers
should not lose sight of structural conditions related to business-to-business
and business-to-consumer e-commerce activity. Structural conditions are
physical, social and economic
arrangements that shape e-commerce business
models and influence individual and organizational use of the Internet.
Examples include geography (which affects the physical distribution of goods
purchased online), space (which influences the choice of access technology
for e-commerce) and financial infrastructure (which is related to credit card
use). Structural conditions differ from country to country—and even from
location to location within country, but they are not necessarily related to
dimensions of natural culture. Therefore, valid explanations of global
differences in e-commerce activity require a careful assessment of relevant
structural factors.
INTRODUCTION
IS research interest in the global aspects of IT use is growing, partly
owing to
the efforts of publications like JGIM. A popular type of study examines the effect
of national culture on IT development, operations, management and use (Gallupe