Abstract

CALS/EC is about doing business electronically. It is based on the electronic processing and transmission of data, including text, sound and video. It encompasses many diverse activities including electronic trading of goods and services, online delivery of digital content, electronic fund transfers, electronic share trading, electronic bills of lading, commercial auctions, collaborative design and engineering, online sourcing, public procuremet, direct consumer marketing, and after-sales service. It involves both products(e.g. consumer goods, specialised medical equipment) and services(e.g. information services, financial and legal services); traditional activities(e.g. healthcare, education) and new activities (e.g. virtual malls). CALS/EC will be emerging to replace and substitute the role of the conventional market. By changing and eliminating some processes of the transactions, the electronic market and the electronic commerce will redistribute the power and hence the benefits of the market activities. Traditional way of doing business may enter into the new electronic market because the role and function of trust and established reputation will be reinforced in the electronic market. The CALS/EC through the Internet has been in the spotlight in the shopping behavior of the consumers. Accordingly Corporates are trying to adapt themselves to those rapidly changing environments being affected by the Internet. Among others, particularly to be noted is the CALS/EC between corporations and consumers whose potential growth can be considered very substantial. This report, focusing on the introduction of CALS/EC for the logistics of SMEs, will allow us to prepare more efficiently for the coming 21st Century. It is obvious that CALS/EC is fast becoming the useful way of exchanging not only information but products in business between firm-to-firm and firm-to-customer.