The relationship between commerce and technology has long time existed and continues. In about 2000 BC, The Phoenicians applied the techniques of shipbuilding to cross the sea and reach distant lands.
With these improvements, for the first time the geographical boundaries were opened for trade and trading with other countries was started.
Now, with the worldwide web it is like the same ship has not only made faintly geographical distances but also time differences and the stage is set for another show. The combination of commerce and electronics was started in 1970. To develop and adopt e-commerce a prerequisite is for technology to be available, including infrastructure, telecommunications, legal issues and security of the electronic messaging.
By simple definition, e-commerce is taking all the steps of trading via computer networks and telecommunication without having a physical presence in the business.
E-commerce is not simply a tool alongside other tools and equipment; it is an attitude and new method. It should therefore be looked at using a strategic approach so people can benefit from it.
E-commerce as a whole changes the traditional methods of doing business and causes tremendous and wonderful changes in the organisation.
Achieving more money and profit is the most important goal in business and this can be achieved using highly advanced electronic methods and traditional methods.
E-commerce, in spite of being young is known in the world and in recent years there has been additive and unpredictable growth. The exponential growth is because of the use of a tool – the Internet.
With the study of human innovation in the past years, it can be concluded that there are advantages from e-commerce and that its effect on the world economy is very rare. Global capabilities of these models have created opportunities for millions of people. Interactive features and a wide range of capabilities on the one hand, and the rapid expansion of its infrastructure requirements has created many potential benefits for companies, individuals and societies.
E-commerce has paved the way for entrepreneurship (manufacturing, production, engineering and maintenance) and now is known as an approved feature of social, political and economic life in the world. So strong government policies aimed at influencing the future of the information society, along with major investments in research and development, education, training, information and communication technology, is an inevitable necessity.
Two great, affecting and interactive processes are shaping human life: globalisation and virtualisation. Globalisation has changed cultural trading into a driving force of economic development and in the deeper level cultural-social development.
Culture is a strange creature of humanity, it is a poison and also an antidote. Experience has shown that for this reason it cannot be left alone and allowed to be inhibited by market forces.
It is a matter of fact that if we want it or not, strong forces in the global trading culture will form many events in the future. E-commerce is no longer just an alternative; but is a necessity for commercial success in any fields in the future.
