Smits 2002 Performance and development of electronic business networks

Question 1

What is NEFETI research model?

Answer 1

Determining key factors that influence the performance of IT-enabled business networks

Question 2

What are the three types of electronic business networks?

Answer 2

1. Stable network: long term stable relationship. designed for predictable markets
2. Internal network: market inside company. BU by and sell goods among themselves
3. Dynamic network: components among the chain are coupled contractually for a single product of a
   project and then decoupled to be part of a new chain. → Pick, plug, play

Question 3

What is a virtual organization?

Answer 3

when the network consists of virtually organised processes or parts

Question 4

According to the NEFETI model, what are the six issues that influence the performance of a network.

Answer 4

1. Strategic drivers for the network: the motives and objectives of the stakeholders.
2. Enabling conditions for networking: the conditions that stimulated or enabled the emergence and growth of the network.
3. Structure of the business network: the participants in the network and their relationship
4. IT infrastructure in the business network: key tochnologies, applications enz.
5. Functioning of the business network: key business processes.
6. Performance of the network: how is success measured at organizational and network level?

Question 5

What are the six levels of IT-induces business transformation?

Answer 5

1. Localised exploitation
2. Internal integration
3. Business process redesign
4. Business network integration
5. Business network redesign
6. Business scope redefinition

Question 6

The three standards of comminication in networks?

Answer 6

1. Strong supervisor
2. Strong actor
3. Group of actors

Question 7

What is an imporant issue for network standards?

Answer 7

1. Reach

2. Range

Question 8

What does benchmarking mean within business networks?

Answer 8

the process of assessing and comparing the performance of network designs and network outcomes

Question 9

Conclusion of the article

Answer 9

: improving the IT-architecture in a network organization does not automatically lead to improved
business performance, nor does it lead to growth of the business network. The impact depends on the business
network design and process design in the network, its forms and its business units