E-Commerce System: SWOT Analysis, Porter's Five Forces, and Critical Success Factors

Running head: E-COMMERCE SYSTEM
E-COMMERCE SYSTEM
Name of the Student
Name of the Organization
Author Note

1E-COMMERCE SYSTEM
PART 1
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
1. Distance learning is helping students overcome barriers such as geographical distance, family
responsibilities, and work hours to attend class (Lotrecchiano et al. 2013).
2. Students that are thinking about taking a course can look over course requirements and topics
covered from any location. Students will be able to learn huge amounts about what they can
expect in a course before they ever take it (Melton 2014).
3. Asynchronous learning is self-paced and interactive. Students can e-mail questions to
instructors and check out the answers before doing assignments and taking tests (Tayebinik and
Puteh 2013).
4. Research has found the course page hit counts are strong predictors of student’s success in
Web-based courses.
5. Many Universities have run out of bricks and mortar for students. University turned away
about 2,000 students because it lacked the space for them (Levy and Stockwell 2013).
6. Organizations using distance learning can save money by reducing travel expenses (Keegan
2013).
Weaknesses

2E-COMMERCE SYSTEM
1. Students comment on course evaluations on their frustration at having to learn computer
technology. Powerful psychological and social forces converge to make some students passive to
online learning activities (Qiu and McDougall 2013).
2. New technologies for distance learning are constantly being developed. New skills have to be
learned almost every semester. Learning how and when to use the technology and if it should be
used are constantly asked questions at many institutions (García-Peñalvo et al. 2014)
3. It takes sophisticated computers to distribute and receive electronic distance learning
materials. The process does not work if the instructor or student has an old computer that cannot
develop or reproduce the materials (Forsyth 2014).
4. Faculty and student training are critical to the success of a distance education program (Ting et
al. 2016)
5. Many students have unrealistic expectations for timely responses to e-mail messages.
Opportunities
1. Distance learning courses appeal to single mothers, students that require courses not offered at
their present school, and people working full time (Stefanovic 2013).
2. Since distance learning course development is so time consuming, reusing existing resources
is a cost savings option. Educators are developing materials that can be delivered multiple times.
3. The new electronic technology has great theoretical appeal for addressing educational issues,
such as how to teach more students at lower cost.