Detail the Human Resources Factors related to eBusiness

As we have seen so far in this course, the introduction of eBusiness can have far-reaching effects on many previously unexpected areas of any business. All of these effects will need to be accommodated, and they are all likely to have an impact on the human resources requirements of the enterprise. Human resource changes can be grouped into two areas. The first is increasing or decreasing operational demands. The second is enhancing current skill levels, or introducing new skill and knowledge requirements.

The human resource component of the solution will most likely be a combination of these two approaches. However, in any case, it is not sufficient to simply educate or equip the individual contributors or implementers of the project.
It is an important to note that knowledge of eBusiness at the senior level will often lag behind that of the rest of the company. Many companies that have adopted eBusiness have found that it is important to recognize this early on, and make a conscious effort to educate and revitalize the executive team in the ways of eBusiness.

The real possibility of an international workforce brings with it several advantages and disadvantages. 24 hours a day An international focus and workforce could allow the enterprise to remain open 24 hours a day, with the operation moving from time zone to time zone. This is most likely to be of value with service industries and software companies, where the product is easily moved or accessed around the world. Quality of offshore labor It is also possible to employ staff in countries where the standard of living is lower, such as developing countries. This makes it cheaper to employ staff who may sometimes be better trained.
The architect should also be aware of extremely detailed, complex regulations that exist to protect the rights of workers.
This is particularly appealing where the appropriate skills may not be available locally. Another option is to seek and/or base these skill sets remotely. International labor law is extremely complex, and the company should retain legal counsel in dealing with an international workforce. Flexiplace and flextime With greater connectivity in eBusiness, the idea of flexiplace as well as flexitime can be introduced. This means that staff can feasibly work while traveling the world. This flexibility is a significant perk to offer potential recruits.

1. What advantages and disadvantages do you see for your eBusiness with regard to human resources factors?
2. Is it fair to employ international workers?
3. How does this impact the eBusiness work environment?
4. What advantages does a 24-7 workday afford the customer and/or the eBusiness?
5. What other potentially wide-reaching implications are there with regard to human resources in the international marketplace?

With eBusiness being potentially global, with multiple time zones and the other international factors, it is possible for a company to have branches in other countries in various longitudes.
In the next lesson, you will learn to identify eBusiness marketing implications for the company.