E-commerce and its Influence on Business: A Reflective Cycle Analysis

This research project explores the impact of e-commerce on business operations, utilizing Gibbs' reflective cycle as a framework. It examines the advantages and challenges of adopting e-commerce strategies, including SEO techniques, and analyzes the role of digital marketing in shaping customer preferences and competitive landscapes. The study also investigates the implications of e-commerce for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and highlights the importance of employee training and resource management in successful e-commerce implementation.

REFLECTIVE CYCLE
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Contents
Description.................................................................................................................................3
Feelings......................................................................................................................................9
Evaluation................................................................................................................................11
Analysis....................................................................................................................................13
Conclusion................................................................................................................................15
Action Plan...............................................................................................................................16
Reference List..........................................................................................................................18
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Description
In this world of rapidly changing technologies, the companies are constantly trying to come
up with new and modified business operations. The internet has opened a plethora of
opportunities for the companies to strive for the best SEO approaches regarding their
promotion of products and services. The traditional methods of marketing are obsolete
nowadays and it is more in digital media channels where the marketers are gaining consumer
attention. It is the effective use of SEO and digital marketing techniques, which caters most
in today’s global markets (Hoque and Boateng, 2017). The digital marketing techniques are
much easy for a company to adopt especially in case of start-ups. There are no expenditures
on the part of the company to arrange sales campaign for promoting their products and
services. It can broaden the branding strategies of a company in no time. Moreover, it is
much convenient in its approach while simultaneously giving the marketers a greater reach to
the customers. These e-commerce techniques in marketing strategies also help a company to
remain updated about the new SEO strategies while at the same time giving the firm a
competitive edge over potential threats. Besides, the e-commerce technique is scalable in
nature. It helps to identify the target audience and also catering to their preferences. It is a
filtered approach to marketing which caters to both the sides of customers and the company
professionals. This customer-centric approach is increasingly becoming popular nowadays
for its focused nature and innovative strategies (Turban et. al., 2018).
The aim of undertaking this research project is to highlight how e-commerce techniques are
modifying the marketing scenario relating to Gibbs reflective cycle. This research highlights
why e-commerce and the SEO techniques are needed in the global scale for promotional
purposes. The advantage of adapting the digital marketing strategy and the consumer
preference hierarchy levels are also discussed in this paper. The fact how e-commerce gives a
competitive edge to the firms in this perfect competitive business environment is also
highlighted in this research based on Gibbs reflective cycle. This report also states the risks
and threats, which are associated with e-commerce and its subsequent implementation in the
business arena (Chiu et. al., 2014).
Adapting to the digital sphere is not an easy task for most of the companies, as they have to
come up with effective marketing SEO strategies. I feel Gibbs model serves as an effective
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guide to the marketers to combat the traditional business operations relating to the digital
sphere. Gibbs 6 steps model addresses the issues of description, feelings, evaluation, analysis,
conclusion and further evaluation. These 6 issues address the changing business operations
and how the employees and the management should deal with it. It is important from the
company’s perspective to combat this change scenario in a positive way. It is this process of
adapting to a different environment, which decides the future scope of a company.
The Gibbs 6 steps model helps the marketers to judge an economic environment thoroughly
before taking and implementing any strategy catering to their objectives. The marketers must
make optimum use of the digital tools while adopting a strategy in the global sphere. The aim
of Gibbs reflective cycle is based on the grounds of to challenge one’s assumptions, to
explore diverse topics and subsequently innovative ways to a task approach. Moreover, Gibbs
model also highlights the aspects of self up gradation and to develop a linkage between the
theoretical approaches and it’s implementation (Rutherford et. al., 2016).
Gibbs model is very much relevant in the changing scenario of an organization. At first, the
company has to identify the key aspects, which are catering change in an organization. Then
the next step is to describe the problems regarding a change. In this phase, the company must
also address the issues of the employees and customers. I feel effective training has to be
provided to the employees from the company’s part regarding the changing hierarchy of
business operations in an organization. In this age of e-commerce, where all businesses are
striving for the best, SEO technique is much handy to most of the digital marketers to achieve
their goals. The motive behind the training is to make the employees cope up in the global
sphere (Dhaliwal, et. al., 2018). Take the employees opinions regarding change must also in
all aspects as it is the employees who form the base of an organization.
Feedback must be taken from the employees, senior officials and customers to cater
positively in the organizational change process. This initial evaluation from the part of the
company is necessary to keep a track of its progress regarding the change process. There
must also be a critical analysis of the employees’ and consumers’ perceptions regarding the
changing organizational structure and operations. If there is positive feedback on the part of
the employees and customers, then it would obviously make the company feel better that it is
on track. Moreover, the negative feedbacks can also make the company to modify their
approaches regarding the change and implementation of e-commerce in business operations.
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Both positive and negative feedback gives the company a scope to perform better than it was
before. The officials must be updated about their knowledge and subsequent training has to
be provided to the employees to adhere to the company’s norms and objectives. Many
officials and employees may not have a will to learn new techniques regarding business
operations. It is from the part of the company that each employee will get free counselling
sessions to address their personal desires and goals. It will also help to develop their
motivational level while simultaneously gearing up their performance skills (Leong et. al.,
2016).
I feel to cope up with the changing aspects relating to business operations, the companies are
increasing following the Gibbs 6 steps model to formulate their marketing strategies. It is
only through these steps that the economic environment can be scrutinized on a rigorous
basis. I gathered information about this assessment of marketing structure and subsequent
formulation of the company’s goals, which will help the firm to generate increased revenue
and simultaneously to gain profits. The dealing with change processes relating to e-commerce
technologies must be handled by the top managerial level in an effective scale. The problems
relating to this change have to be identified and addressed effectively to the customers and
employees. Moreover, the management must also highlight the beneficial perspectives, which
a company might gain regarding the change processes (Wang et. al., 2016).
I feel an organization has to manage its employees and resources on an effective scale so that
the challenges of integrating emerging technologies in an organization can be minimised. It is
the management of these challenges, which affects the organizational culture of a company in
many ways. The integration of these technologies in the marketing sphere with the help of
reflective cycle helps the company to gain a competitive edge over its potential threats.
Effective management of these challenges helps an organization to gain in its future
prospects. It is both technology and process, which in its blended form cater to the
development of an organization. I noticed the companies must be adaptive to change their
strategies regarding the changing business and technological environment. It gives the firm a
competitive edge over its competitors. The integration of process and technology and its
subsequent implementation in the execution phase helps a company to stay updated in its
policies and goals.
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I gathered the information that Gibbs model also helps an organization to cater to the
changing business operations in a positive way. It is this integration, which also helps to
develop the organizational culture of a firm. Effective implementation of the Gibbs
framework helps the companies to assess the future risks and threats. It also helps to analyse
the market scenario on a rigorous basis and in all its dimensions. Proper managing of
resources and of employees is also an essential part of integrated marketing solutions. In the
field of e-commerce, it is this effective management of both resources and employees, which
eventually lead to successful implementation of a company’s plan. A change in business
operations also poses new threats to the company. I feel there should be an initiation of
technology-induced processes to operate in the global sphere of businesses.
Moreover, many employees may not favour the new technologies relating to business
operations. Management has to counsel its employees on a regular basis to combat this rigid
frame of mind. In the e-commerce field, it is the ever adaptive approach which is the best
ever policy to be adopted by any organization. Moreover, it is also necessary from the
management’s part to adopt technologies, which are reliable and dependable. It is this
reliability, which makes the initiation of IMS effective in the marketing arena. The initiation
of IMS in the business operations has much to do in the digital marketing scenario. Effective
implementation of SEO techniques in the promotional strategy of an organization provides
the base to generate sales from the company’s perspective. The Gibbs 6 steps model helps to
manage the processes and resources from the company’s perspective in a harmonious way
(Miao and Tran, 2018). The time frame also has to be handled so that the new technologies
are adopted by the employees in a minimal phase of time.
There is a huge impact of technology in small and medium-sized enterprises. The small
businesses are affected adversely by the introduction of new digital techniques as they do not
have the proper resources to make use of these tools. ICT also helps the small and medium
businesses to give them necessary training regarding the use of digital tools. Small and
medium businesses if adopting the e-commerce policy can also increase their sales in the
global sphere. I feel there is a notion that the small businesses are suffering loss due to the
induction of new technologies. Though it is a fact, the small and medium-sized businesses
can also change the scenario (Von Solms and Nel, 2017). Effective training for the employees
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and its members can also help small businesses to boost their sales in the global marketing
arena.
An empirical study conducted has stated the fact ICT has a great role in incorporating
training to the SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises). Both quantitative and qualitative
research has been conducted to study the effect of digital tools on SMEs. This research
project also highlights the faulty digital implementation approaches regarding small and
medium businesses. There are basic financial problems, which is a hindrance from the
owners of SMEs to operate in the digital sphere. Moreover, there is also lack of proper
education from the SME owners to utilize the digital tools at its optimum (Mohtaramzadeh,
et. al., 2017). There are also many loopholes in the implementation process of digital
techniques in SMEs.
I feel there are also many advantages of adopting digital tools in the marketing arena. It
reduces wastage of raw materials and helps to reduce the operational errors. Since it is a fully
automated process, there are fewer chances of mistakes compared to manly labour. The
digital technologies also help to gather reliable data based on customer preferences. It also
caters to efficient network building from the company’s part. This digital technology is
primarily customer-centric in its approach and creates the buyers’ transparency in all its
levels. This also reduces hassle from the part of companies to engage less labour regarding
the marketing and supplying of products and services. Moreover, it is using digital tools that
a startup company can reach a large number of audiences in no time. Effective digital media
channels on social sites also generate customer feedback platform, which helps to keep the
track of company’s progress and its subsequent strategies.
The digital technologies have changed the business arena in all its aspects. There is a huge
change in both operating sphere of business and subsequently in the formulation of effective
business strategies. I feel it is these technologies, which is primarily customer-centric and
filtered in its approach. It reduces labour from the sales team in many ways. Effective use of
SEO techniques caters in the sphere of digital marketing in a positive way. There are efficient
technologies to reduce the cost of production while at the same time increasing the
production level in all aspects and subsequently generating revenues.
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I noticed that in this age of rapid changes in technology, e-commerce has reached its height
relating to the business operations and subsequent formulation of its goals and strategies. E-
commerce is basically related to the internet marketing approach. All products and services
are now within the reach of consumer thanks to the internet-based digital tools. The rise of e-
commerce has resulted in the decline of many small and medium-sized enterprises. The
prices of products on the internet are cheaper as there are no issues with setting up a store,
managing labour and expenses relating to the marketing service. Moreover, I feel the SEO
techniques give the existing and potential customers effective product recommendations for
them to buy for. This boom in e-commerce field gives the Gibbs reflective cycle an added
dimension. The e-commerce operations are now profoundly increasing on a global scale. I
feel the various search engines and the promotion techniques relating to digital marketing
cater to the contemporary business operations greatly. The business now days are defined in
terms of web standards and online database of the customers. The more traffic a website can
generate, the more will be the revenue of a company. Through digital channels, a company
can also attract existing and potential customers on a long-term basis. I feel the e-commerce
technique has also positive effects on brand building. Nowadays, companies are trying to
cater to the customers not just in the economic sphere but also in the social spheres and my
experience regarding the project says so.
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Feelings
I felt that e-commerce caters a lot in a marketing sphere of most companies prior to my
experience. I felt in this age of dynamic technology, e-commerce adoption policies are
inevitable for any business to operate. It is the SEO techniques, which the digital marketers
are increasingly using for the promotion of the company's products on a global scale and
subsequently to generate revenue. Before my research experience, I had the belief that
traditional marketing strategies are obsolete in the contemporary days unlike the e-commerce
technologies, which are increasingly used.
During my research experience, I noticed that I was not wrong in my beliefs. In today's
world, the e-commerce marketing supplemented with SEO techniques gives a firm
competitive lead in all its aspects. In my research, I noticed that digital marketers are
collecting data from the consumer database and the marketers are thereby recommending
products and services to the customers based on their preferences. It is a customer-centric
approach, which most companies of today aim at. This focused and filtered approach is
evident during my research experience. The increasing use of technologies has also reduced
the burden of workers and subsequently catered to the product and its promotional standards.
I feel that the research standards could be enhanced if there are no financial barriers to the
research plan implementation. There is also the issue of time frame which is a major
hindrance to the research approach. If the financial standards were better from my part then
the research experience in the execution phase could have been otherwise (Tanaka, et. al.,
2018). Moreover, if the time frame was adjusted from my part then it could lead to more
authentic research project formulation.
During my experience, I reacted in a way indifferent to what I believed. I noticed that the
companies are increasingly making use of digital tools and strategies to reach the maximum
number of audience in no time. The startup companies are utilizing the SEO techniques so
that it can promote their products and services catering to a global audience. During my
research experience, I noticed that the e-commerce marketing strategy is filtered in its
approach and is only based on consumer preferences. I feel this is basically to instigate the
customer’s appeal regarding a product or service. The spontaneous decision-making nature of
the potential customers is a boon to the marketers to generate their sales revenue.
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After my research experience, I noticed that most companies are trying to come up with
effective e-commerce techniques for the formulation of its marketing policies. I feel after my
research experience that SEO and e-commerce technique is a catalytic force to generate sales
of an organization. E-commerce policies reduce the wastage of material handling while
operating in a hassle-free environment. I feel it is through these techniques through which a
marketer can retain it's existing or gain potential customers due to its filtered marketing
nature. Moreover, after my research, I gained a view that e-commerce also reduces the cost of
production of a company while catering to the efficiency of product and services standards
due to use of advanced technologies. If the small and medium enterprises can come up with
the new e-commerce marketing strategies every day, it can be a different story according to
me. Moreover, I felt the need of training to the company’s employees on a regular and
updated basis to keep them aware of the changing technologies and its subsequent business
operations.
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Evaluation
The current dissertation, which I have conducted, is based on the topic “E-commerce and its
influence upon the business”. While selecting the topic, I had a brief knowledge about the
positive influence of e-commerce in business. According to my knowledge and experience, e-
commerce is offering a bunch of benefits to the organization using it, thereby providing
significant experience to competitive advantage over the other key competitors operating in
the same industry. Therefore, it can be said that through the key observation in the industries,
marketers, who are not implementing e-commerce in their businesses, are lagging behind in
the competitive industrial race. Most of the renowned organizations are using e-commerce as
an additional channel of increasing their sales, while also using it as a key strategic option for
grabbing the attention of the organizations. In this context, having a brief idea about e-
commerce and hypothesizing the positive impact of e-commerce on business success, I took
part in the current research. The key objective of the business was "to understand how the
implementation of e-commerce in business can give a competitive lead regarding a respective
firm against potential threats" (Okamoto, et. al., 2017). In this context, I have learned a lot
about the implementation of e-commerce in business and its role in the digital marketing
channels of business. In this context, reviewing the available literature, I have enhanced my
knowledge base significantly. I have learned how to relate and select appropriate research
methods, according to the research goals or purposes. In this context, I have also identified
some key risks and threats related to utilizing e-commerce as a vital business tool. One key
threat is data theft or cyber attacks, which can make the client's data or organizational internal
data vulnerable to the hacker (Tesh and Kautz, 2017). Therefore, I have understood that while
utilizing e-commerce as a key business tool, the marketer should analyze the risk and
benefits, while installing appropriate risk identification and mitigation system, for eliminating
these kinds of risks from the operations.
In this context, most of the research activities went well through the research period. In this
context, I have worked as a team; I built significant team building skills as well as
collaborative skills. Although, initially, I was facing difficulties for working in the team, as it
was my first research work participation. However, other team members and the team lead
helped me significantly in terms of guidance through the research work. In this context, it has
been revealed that team spirit is crucial to gain success in research work. I was responsible
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for gathering secondary data related to the research work, which was initially difficult for me,
as I was not familiar with the proper procedure of using online databases for research
purpose. In this context, our supervisor helped me significantly. However, while searching
secondary literature from the online database, I faced a lot of difficulties about gaining access
to the appropriate peer-reviewed journals, especially the recent publications of journals. In
case of most of the recent journals, it has been seen that these are either inaccessible or only
the abstracts are accessible on the databases, and we need to pay for purchasing the full text.
However, due to cost constraints, we were unable to purchase those and attempted to find
some other journals. On the other hand, time was also short enough to conduct a thorough
secondary data collection and analysis. According to my experience, we might be able to
enhance the quality of study outcomes further, with more time and fund.
Finally, the research experience ended with connecting the findings of the current study with
the previously set objectives of the research. I revealed from this experience that we must
align any research or other activities with the objectives, to gain maximum success or high-
quality data. In this context, I evaluated my own skill developed through the conduction of
the research and revealed that I have positive communication and listening skills, but I lack
reasoning skills and become nervous and stressed very soon, which hinders my decision-
making process. Thus, in this context, it has been revealed that I need to build my
professional and academic skills related to the identified areas, to enhance my research and
academic potential in the future research.
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Analysis
One of the prime factors that is trending the entire business process in the market is the E-
Commerce technology it has been justified that the entire process of online trading has been
increased drastically for the past few areas and at the same most of the organizations has
started their own online trading portal to gain desired profit target from the market. The
entire study has highlighted the several factors that have been fulfilled by the business
organization in order to have the potential benefits in the market. Therefore, I have managed
to understand that the customers have preferred the online e-commencing process more in the
market and at the same time, the suitable strategies taken by the organizations' has boosted
customers' choice the entire procedures of the online trading. While conducting this research
I have felt that this particular research study is a time consuming and critical process that
needs top-most priority to judge the entire organizational prospects. However, I have got
limited time interval and the resource was limited to be used in this prospectus. Due to
improper or lack of the study materials and the journals available on internet the secondary
data analysis process has faced a severe challenge to be fulfilled and to address the most vital
areas of the research study. However, by improving the analytical approaches and by
allocating more time for this research project, it could have been done better.
On the other hand, I have got to know about the customers' preference for purchasing in the
market and the processes that are affecting the entire online trading process. The entire
process is helpful to include the technological factors in the business process and the
improved business policies that have been chosen by the companies to run the entire
organizational activities in the online platforms. Therefore while conducting this project I
have gathered suitable technological ideas regarding that has been involved in the
organizational process and the benefits that the companies are gaining from the entire online
trending platforms. However, this research project has implemented all the suitable
techniques that have highlighted the future scopes of the market to start their online trading
process and the necessary profit they are gaining compared to the conventional trading
process. This research project has been conducted in a team of five members so the work
pressure was more. Hence it will be beneficial if the numbers of participants were more in the
process, the research project could have been done better.
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On the other hand, the previous scholarly articles and the journals published on this particular
factors has not managed to identify the entire process is beneficial for the organizations.
However, there are still gaps in those paper regarding the steps that the companies may take
in their business process in order to improve the existing condition of their business process.
Furthermore, this research work has highlighted the future scopes of technologies that can be
involved and the suitable solutions for the companies those are going to adapt this e-
commerce technology in their business process.
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Conclusion
In this research, there are some aspects which if done in a different way can lead to other
results. There are no methods to judge the authenticity of data collected. Moreover, there is
also no reliability of the data collected in this research. If the procedure of data authenticity
and reliability could have been followed there is the possibility of a different story. The
financial aspects are a hindrance from the part of me in this research proposal. The data is
needed from a wide variety of respondents to know their preference level. Moreover, if the
time frame has been managed in an effective note the research would take less time to
complete. The time period is not managed properly and so to formulate the research analysis
it took a long time from the part of me. I am a student and do not have much financial access
to my domain which prevented me from taking a more extensive approach.
The experience I got from this research is that most companies are adopting the e-commerce
policies for marketing strategies to reach a mass audience in a short span of time and without
any hassles. Moreover, there is less of production cost from the company’s perspective and
subsequently increase in production efficiencies which are simultaneously catering in the
global sphere. There is also the issue of customer’s privacy as the marketers can get
information about them from their online database. So the customers who are not fully
equipped with the digital tools can face problems in near future. I feel there is a need for the
employees and subsequently the common mass to gain profound knowledge about digital
spheres and its operations. I noticed that I am very much analytical in my research approach
while formulating the necessary details. There is also a negative aspect i.e. lack of patience
on my part as the research is conducted in a very short span of time.
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Action Plan
Based on the above-discussed evaluation, it has been revealed that I am lacking some key
skills while having some key opportunities to enhance my research skills and competencies,
which should be the focus of my professional and personal development plan. In order to
address these aspects, I have developed the following action plan for my further
development.
Objectives Activities Time required
To enhance patience and
manage stress
1. Practising yoga
2. Practising delaying
gratification
3. Practising active listening
and empathic listening during
teamwork activities
4. Measuring stress level
through online stress
measurement tools
5. Meeting a consultant
3 Months
To build reasoning skill 1. Participating in
brainstorming activities
2. Participating in risky or
challenging tasks
3. Prioritizing the immediate
tasks
4. Participating in mindful
games
6 Months
To develop leadership skill 1. Undergoing leadership 2 years
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development program
2. Taking part in teamwork
and playing the role of leader
in both professional,
academic and personal fields
To enhance time
management skill
1. Using a ‘To do’ list or
daily checklist
2. Prioritizing the tasks
according to the time
required
3. Documenting important
things, while working on it
4. Setting deadlines for any
work, while stating it
4 Months
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Reference List
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customers' repeat purchase intentions in B2C e‐commerce: the roles of utilitarian
value, hedonic value and perceived risk. Information Systems Journal, 24(1), pp.85-
114.
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2018. Reflective student narratives: honing professionalism and empathy. Indian
journal of medical ethics, 3(1), pp.9-15.
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 Leong, C.M.L., Pan, S.L., Newell, S. and Cui, L., 2016. The Emergence of Self-
Organizing E-Commerce Ecosystems in Remote Villages of China: A Tale of Digital
Empowerment for Rural Development. Mis Quarterly, 40(2), pp.475-484.
 Miao, J.J. and Tran, Q.D., 2018. Study on E-Commerce Adoption in SMEs Under the
Institutional Perspective: The Case of Saudi Arabia. International Journal of E-
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19.
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Practice Skill among Public Health Nurses in Japan and Related Learning and
Lifestyle Factors. Open Journal of Nursing, 7(05), p.513.
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Wankmueller, J., Mastercard International Inc, 2016. Customer authentication in E-
commerce transactions. U.S. Patent 9,514,458.
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Practice Skills and Volume of Writing in a Reflective Journal. Health, 10(03), p.283.
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 Tesh, A.S. and Kautz, D.D., 2017. Using Reflective Practice in a Leadership
Course. Nurse educator, 42(3), pp.117-119.
 Turban, E., Outland, J., King, D., Lee, J.K., Liang, T.P. and Turban, D.C., 2018. E-
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education: A case study of shell ECO-marathon. In Industrial Engineering and
Engineering Management (IEEM), 2017 IEEE International Conference on(pp. 274-
278). IEEE.
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buying websites: The integration of the commitment–trust theory and e-commerce
success model. Information & Management, 53(5), pp.625-642.
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