CREATING VALUE THROUGH THE DIGITAL WORLD.

The speed and process of doing business these days has changed tremendously with the

introduction of the internet and computers. This new digital age has come with a unique

characteristics of customers that are now able to make price comparisons and purchases

through the net. This has therefore created a new business concept called the E-business, which is basically describes as the use of electronic means and platforms to conduct business.

With this new digital age which has now become part and parcel of our lives there is the E-commerce

which means that the company or site transacts or facilitates the online selling of products and services.

This introducing paperless transactions and moving away from the conventional record keeping in paper form and moving towards the new record keeping concept in digital forms.

E-commerce has in fact given rise to the following terminologies e-purchasing and e-marketing. E-

business has created its own market segment of online consumers who make purchase decisions based

on the information that they get through the social network circles like Facebook, twitter etc. or even

directly through the internet, since most of them are now able to access the internet through the mobile phones.

TURNING POINT

Companies that are still using the conventional business concept of brick and motor and now adding the

online site for information and e-commerce. Another emerging trend is the M-commerce which are the

so-called mobile transactions like the Airtel money and TNM Mpamba. Companies should be aware that

surfing online allows consumers to locate the best prices for products or services, bid on various marketing offerings.

Successful companies should realize this changing customer behaviour and take advantage of the

emerging market segment by going digital and create a competitive advantage before competitors catch

up with them. If they are taking their time to change they should not be surprised when their market share is being depleted.

The digital revolution is changing the business as usual and enhancing globalization at an alarming rate.

The fastest to adapt to these changes will reap the benefits.

Jodawe Lungu

March, 2015