[8] 2002 e-business-strategies-for-virtual-organizations

e-Business Strategies for Virtual Organizations
Appendix 2 DiBLOCKKA.com: Building a successful online
business on the Internet
Introduction
136
A Teaching Case on Online Business Infrastructure
Management
The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Emmanuel
Tetteh in preparing this case.
Abstract
This teaching case provides material for discussing the key aspects of
strategic management of Internet infrastructure and e-business
strategies in knowledge and business services organizations. The case
focuses on a small firm with a global orientation, seeking to build and
develop profitable operations through the exploitation of an Internetbased
infrastructure to access extensive and cheap resources from
diverse global sources. The basis of strategic management for such
firms is an understanding and effective management of virtual values
of the global electronic economy.
The DiBLOCKKA Research Company Ltd is a young technology
research organization established in mid-1996 in Durban, South
Africa. DiBLOCKKA specializes in research consulting in
technology innovation and management. With an annual
revenue of US$2.5 million and total digital assets worth US$7
million for 1999, the company aims to become a global player in
an exciting industry sector with others like Forrester Research
Inc., Jupiter Communications Inc., and Nua Ltd. It, however,
recognizes that the key to success lies in the exploitation of its
knowledge assets and knowledge management competencies as
well as innovative management of virtual values associated
with an Internet-based business infrastructure. Particularly
important is how the business manages its widely dispersed
employees and business infrastructure spanning five
continents.
DiBLOCKKA Research is the brainchild of a young computer
systems engineer, Dan Blocks, who holds degrees in Electrical
Engineering and Business Administration with a major in
Information Systems. Since graduating in 1989, the CEO has
aspired to develop a career in research and consultancy through