Facilitating external connectivity in business-to-business electronic commerce: a case study of a message translation service provider

Abstract

This thesis examines the role of message translation service providers in facilitating business-to-business electronic commerce. The service providers have been an essential component of thousands of interorganisational relationships world-wide. The purpose of this research is to determine the effect of new information and communication technologies on the message translation business. This research is exploratory in nature. It is based on an in-depth case study of New Zealand's leading message translation service provider, followed by a review of literature relevant to business-to-business electronic commerce, and a comprehensive assessment of its business opportunities, including industry analysis, company analysis, recommendations, and general conclusions. The findings suggest that the value traditionally delivered to business relationships by the message translation service providers will not be sufficient in the foreseeable future. Increasing sophistication of substitutes together with the growing adoption of the XML and the Internet, capable of linking organisations directly, indicate declining attractiveness of the message translation business. In order to exist in the future, the service providers will have to look for new business models.