eBusiness Management Glossary

GLOSSARY and ACRONYMS

E-BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

This glossary has been created to explain some of the most common and the least obvious terms in of e-business management, as well to provide a list of the most common acronyms. The contributors have used various on-line and off-line sources to compile this glossary.

GLOSSARY
JUST ACRONYMS
CONTRIBUTORS

GLOSSARY

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

• ADC (Automated Data Collection) - Technologies that automate data collection at the source such as bar code, biometrics, machine vision, magnetic stripe, OCR (Optical Card Readers), voice recognition, smart cards, and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification).

• API (Application Programming Interface) - An interface that is used by one application program to communicate with programs of other systems.

• ASN (Advanced Ship Notice) - Electronic message, including electronic data interchange (EDI) or Extensible Markup Language (XML), giving notification of product due prior to receipt. [Jeffrey Guckert]

• ASP (Application Service Providers) - Outsourcing specialists for software applications that offer enterprises access to applications and related services over the Internet. This is an alternative model to loading software in personal computers or on enterprise servers. Designed to minimize the headache of buying, installing, managing, and maintaining the software.

B

• Back-end software - In a client/server application, the part of the program that runs on the server.

• Back Office Solution - An application designed to assist companies with the management of their “back office” tasks, such as financial accounting, human resources and manufacturing.

• Bolt-On - A software application that performs specific tasks and that interfaces with an ERP system. Examples of bolt-ons include Manufacturing Execution Systems and Warehouse Management Systems.

• Business Incubators – an organization (infrastructure) that provides critical services to start-up companies, which may include assistance with strategy, finance, creativity, technology, business development, office space and marketing. The goal is to provide a financially viable and free-standing company. For these services, the incubator gets an equity stake in the start-up company.

• BWTP (Business Web Transaction Processing) - defines how businesses interact and coordinate their services over the Web. [Michelle Ehlers]

C

• C-Commerce - Refers to collaborative, electronically enabled business interactions among an enterprise's internal personnel, business partners and customers throughout a trading community. The trading community could be an industry, industry segment, supply chain or supply chain segment. [Jeffrey Guckert]

•Churn- refers to what happens when a user leaves a service, and "service" in this case can describe almost anything from a dialup ISP account to a listserv subscription. Churn is the major concern of almost any e-business, if only because it's so hard to attract users in the first place. [Zach Wemple]

• CIM (Customer Interaction Management) - a hybrid of CRM which includes more web based technologies such as E-Mail, Chat, Online Forums, and Help Menus in Web Pages. [Brian Ackley]
CLC (Customer Life Cycle) - The behavior of a customer with your company over a period of time. [Jeffrey Guckert]

•Click-and-Mortar - Click-and-mortar describes a store that exists online and in the physical world. Barnes and Noble is an example of a click-and-mortar store. [Michelle Ehlers]
Click Stream - a record of a user's activity on the Internet, including every Web site and every page of every Web site that the user visits, how long the user was on a page or site, in what order the pages were visited. [Michelle Ehlers]

• Click-wrap - A term derived from "shrink-wrap agreement", the license is legally deemed to have agreed to when he or she breaks the seal on a new package of software. A "click-wrap agreement" may be created when a user is given access to a Web page by a click-through on condition that she or he agrees to certain terms. Courts have found click-wrap enforceable, as long as the text stating the conditions is displayed reasonably prominently. In order to avoid an argument that a user clicked through by accident, it would be preferable to require at least two clicks. [Ellen Peter]

• Configuration Tools - A software tool that helps sales people configure complex product offerings, assuring all part number dependencies are met.

• CPC (cost-per-click) - The way of calculating the cost of banner advertising, when the advertiser pays for the actual number of clicks the banner receives.

• CPM (cost-per-mille, cost per thousand) - The way of calculating the cost of advertising, when the advertiser pays for the actual number of ads served. [Zach Wemple]

• CRM (Customer Relationship Management) - Generally refers to software that provides integrated functionality for marketing, sales, customer support and call center requirements.

• CRP (Capacity Requirements Planning) - verifies that a company has sufficient capacity available to meet the capacity requirements for your MRP plans. [Ellen Peter]

• CSP (Commerce Services Provider) - CSPs supply businesses with the tools and services they need to buy and sell products and services over the Internet and manage their online enterprises. [Michelle Ehlers]

• CSS (Customer Support and Service) - is responsible for retaining and extending customer relationships once a product or service is sold. The components of CSS include call management, Internet-based customer service suites, Field Service and Dispatch Systems, and contact centers.

• CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) - refers to systems that enable a computer to act as a call center, accepting incoming calls and routing them to the appropriate device or person. Today's CTI systems are quite sophisticated and can handle all sorts of incoming and outgoing communications, including phone calls, faxes, and Internet messages. [Elena Willoughby]

• CXML (Commerce XML) - a new set of document type definitions for the XML specification. CXML works as a meat-language that defines necessary information about a product. It will be used to standardize the exchange of catalog content and to define request/response processes for secure electronic transactions over the Internet. The processes include purchase orders, change orders, acknowledgments, status updates, ship notifications and payment transactions. [Michelle Ehlers]

• Data Mining - a hot buzzword for a class of database applications that look for hidden patterns in a group of data. For example, data mining software can help retail companies find customers with common interests. [Elena Willoughby]

• Database Marketing - The process of building, maintaining and using customer databases for the purpose of contacting and transacting business.

• Data Warehouse - A database or combination of several databases, frequently very large that can access all of a company's information.

• Dedicated Hosting - a company that provides all the equipment and assumes all the responsibility for the technical support and maintenance of Web sites. [Mark Heddelson]

• DIGITAL CERTIFICATE - An attachment to an electronic message used for security purposes. The most common use of a digital certificate is to verify that a user sending a message is who he or she claims to be, and to provide the receiver with the means to encode a reply. [Michelle Ehlers]

• DLL (Dynamic Link Library) - A library of core elements required by the Windows architecture, a DLL contains all the functions and definitions needed to communicate with a program at run time.

• DTEAMM (Design, Transformation, Extract, Access, Monitoring and Management) - A transformation engine based, client server computer application that provides for most aspects of data warehouse and data mart system design, construction, utilization, monitoring and management.

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E

• EBPP (Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment) - the process by which companies bill customers and receive payments electronically over the Internet. [Elena Willoughby]

• ECM (Enterprise Commerce Management) - defines newly architect systems that encompass ERP but extend to trading partners, including suppliers, customers, and channel partners. ECM comprises next-generation business systems that are process-oriented applications and services tied together by the Internet to support intercompany commerce. ECM systems comprise a mixture of in-house applications, outsourced business services, and trading exchanges. [Ellen Peter]

• E-CRM (Electronic CRM) - involves the integration of Web channels into the overall enterprise CRM strategy. E-CRM includes such Web-based customer channels as e-sales, e-service, e-marketing and e-retailing.

• EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) - A set of standards for controlling the transfer of business documents, such as purchase orders and invoices, between computers.

• EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) - the electronic transfer of money between financial institutions over secure private networks. [Kevin Doubrava]

• Electronic Commerce - E-commerce involves the use of communication technologies to transmit business information and transact business, such as telesales, Internet commerce, etc.

• E-procurement - Purchasing which takes place between companies using services such as the Internet, Electronic data Interchange or Electronic File transfer. [Kevin Doubrava]

• ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) - The foundation and integration of enterprise-wide information systems. Such systems will link together all of a company’s operations including human resources, financials, manufacturing, and distribution as well as connect the organization to its customers and suppliers.

• ESD (Electronic Software Distribution) - ESD enables software to be installed by transmitting it over a network.

• EV (expected value) - In decision making, the sum of the products of the outcomes in quantitative terms, such as units of output or sales, weights, or volumes, and probabilities of these outcomes arising. [Valentina Scekic]

• Extranet - An extension of a corporate Intranet using World Wide Web technology to facilitate communication with the corporation's suppliers and customers by providing them with limited access to a company's Intranet.

• Eyeballs - the number of people who see, or "lay their eyes on," a certain advertisement. [Zach Wemple]

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F

• FFA (Field Force Automation) - Automating tasks and delivering content to employees who are in the field, visiting customers.

• Firewall - A security system intended to protect an organization's network against external threats, such as hackers, coming from another network, such as the Internet by preventing computers in the organization's network from communicating directly with computers external to the network.

• Front Office Solution - An application designed to assist companies with the management of their “front office” tasks, such as sales, marketing and customer support.

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G

• Geocode - The process of adding geographic coordinates to a database file so that data records may be displayed on a map.

• GUI (Graphical User Interface) - Graphical environment to simplify the use of the operating system and applications. [Kevin Doubrava]

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H

• HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) - The markup language used for documents on the World Wide Web.

• HTTPS (Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol) - a security enhanced variation of HTTP, which allows severs and clients to authenticate each other and agree on the kind of security they will use in transmission. [Ellen Peter]

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I

• IAB (The Internet Advertising Bureau) - an industry organization dedicated to the promotion of Web advertising. They establish standards, conduct industry research, and talk up the Web as a marketing nirvana. [Zach Wemple]

• Intelligent agent software - A program that performs a background task for a user and reports to the user when the task is done or some expected event has taken place.

• Inter-Visit Duration Time - the length of time between successive visits to a Web site. [Kevin Doubrava]
Internet - The worldwide collection of networks and gateways that use the TCP/IP suite of protocols to communicate with one another.

• Intranet - A computer network designed for information processing within a company.
ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) - A worldwide digital communications network evolving from existing telephone services. It can provide speeds of roughly 128,000 bits-per-second over regular phone lines.

• IT Value - the return on technology-related investments in terms of money and personnel. Companies assess IT value when prioritizing and choosing which new IT investments to make and when gauging the payoff from a recent implementation or project. [Ali Smeaton]

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J

• JIT (Just-In-Time) Production - A management philosophy that strives to eliminate sources of manufacturing waste by producing the right part in the right place at the right time. Also known as lean production or stockless production. [Sarah Matthews]

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L

• LAN (Local Area Network) - A group of computers and other devices dispersed over a relatively limited area and connected by a communications link that enables any device to interact with any other on the network.

• Legacy System - Existing systems and technology in which an organization has considerable investment and which may be entrenched in the organization.

• LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) - an Internet based protocol that is used to connect a directory user agent and a directory systems agent. [Chris Coffaro]

• Logistics management - the process of planning, implementing, and controlling the efficient, effective flow and storage of goods, services, and related information from point of origin to point of consumption for the purpose of conforming to customer requirements. [Shaun Holloway]

• Marketing Encyclopedia System - An application that stores, in a conveniently accessible format, any piece of information a sales person might need to help their customers make a purchase decision.

• MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) - Systems that use network computing to automate production control and process automation.

• Metadata - Data about data. Metadata describes how and when and by whom a particular set of data was collected, and how the data is formatted. Metadata is essential for understanding information stored in data warehouses. [Elena Willoughby]

• M-commerce (Mobile Commerce) - any kind of commercial activity involving mobile telecommunications equipment and the Internet. [Kevin Doubrava]

• Middleware - Software that sits between two or more types of software and translates information between them.

• MRP and MRP II (Materials Requirements Planning) - manufacturing related activity concerned with managing the materials required to produce products. This includes collecting, inventorying, and distributing parts in the most cost-effective and efficient means possible. [Ellen Peter]

• OAG (Open Applications Group) - A non-profit, vendor-focused consortium formed by leading enterprise software vendors. Their purpose is to create more open application integration by establishing and publishing standards for integration of business objects across an enterprise.

• OCT (Order Cycle Time) - how long it takes from placing an order with a company to actually shipping the order to the customer. [Shaun Holloway]

• ODS (Operational Data Store) - A database designed for queries on transactional data. ODS's are also commonly used to populate data warehouses and data marts.

• ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) - Microsoft’s strategy for open database interface. ODBC makes it possible to access both relational and non-relational database management systems (DBMS) in a heterogeneous PC environment with minicomputers linked to a mainframe.

• OLAP (On-Line Analytical Processing) - Processing that supports the analysis of business trends and projections.

• OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) - A technology for transferring and sharing information among objects from different applications.

• OMS (Opportunity Management System) - a software tool to help manage sales opportunities as they flow through the structured selling methodology.

• OMS (Order Management System) - OMS applications optimize the way orders are presented to the transportation and warehouse management systems. In a fully integrated system, the OMS passes those orders on to a TMS (Transportation Management System). [Ellen Peter]

• OODB (Object Oriented Database) - A database that allows the storage and retrieval of multiple data types.

• POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) - a basic phone line connected to a simple desktop telephone.

• PRM (Partner Relationship Management) - This is the CRM element that extends sales, marketing, customer service and other enterprise business functions to partners to foster more-collaborative channel partner relationships.

• Proposal - A sales document designed to help a customer make a purchase decision by providing all relevant information, such as a price quotation and terms & conditions.

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R

• Raw Visit Depth - the total number of pages a visitor is exposed to during a single visit to a Web site. [Mark Heddelson]

• Re-Order Point - A low-water mark on inventory levels that trigger a re-order notification. [Ellen Peter]

• Response time - Time between a request for information over a network and the network's fulfillment of that request. This can be very important in the context of servicing your online customers, who will naturally enough become frustrated by any long delays. [Jeffrey Guckert]

• RLC (Retail Life Cycle) - Retailing goes through identifiable life cycles with four distinct stages: introduction, growth, maturity, and decline. [Jeffrey Guckert]

• ROI (Return on Investment) - a method to assist management decision-making by evaluating the return on various investment alternatives.

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S

• Sales Metrics - A process to rigorously measure and critically analyze the flow of customers through your structured selling methodology.

• Sales Cycle - A sequence of steps, from the customer’s perspective, that a typical customer follows on their way to a purchase decision.

• SCM (Supply-Chain Management) - the process of optimizing the delivery of goods, services and information from the supplier to the customer. The goal is for each player in the supply chain to conduct business with the latest and best information from everyone else in the chain, guiding supply and demand into a more perfect balance.

• SET (Secure Electronic Transaction) - a new standard that will enable secure credit card transactions on the Internet. SET has been endorsed by virtually all the major players in the electronic commerce arena, including Microsoft, Netscape, Visa, and MasterCard. [Michelle Ehlers]

• Seats - Industry jargon for the total number of users for your CRM project.

• SFA (Sales Force Automation) - generally refers to all software solutions that might help sales people take better care of their customers.

• SME - (i) small to medium-sized enterprise or (ii) subject matter expert [Ellen Peter]

• Stickiness - A sticky Web site is one that attracts and keeps users. [Mark Heddelson]

•Structured Selling Methodology - A sequence of steps, from the seller’s perspective, sales people should follow to help their customers reach a purchase decision in a timely manner.

• Territory Management - A methodology for placing sales people in the field to call on customers and prospects that optimizes market coverage while balancing workloads.

• TEM (Technology-Enabled Marketing) - Also known as marketing automation, TEM involves analyzing and automating the marketing process. The components of TEM include the following: data cleansing, data analysis, Marketing Encyclopedia System, and Campaign Management System (CMS).

• TES (Technology Enabled Selling) - the application of technology to enable selling through all desired sales channels, including field/mobile sales, inside sales/telesales, selling partners (i.e. e-partners), Web selling (i.e. e-sales) and retail sales.

• TURNKEY ("right out of the box") - a system or software package that has been built, installed or supplied by the manufacturer complete and ready to operate. [Michelle Ehlers]

• UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery and Integration) – a Web-based distributed directory that enables business to list themselves on the Internet and discover each other, similar to a traditional phone book's yellow and white pages. [Michelle Ehlers]

• Vault Registry - a security-rich, integrated registration and certification solution that lets organizations establish the level of trust needed to conduct e-business with confidence on the Internet -- reducing risk, driving cost efficiencies, and opening new avenues for commerce. [Mark Heddelson]

• VPN (Virtual Private Network) - Allows business-to-business transactions using a "secure tunnel" through the public Internet. More attractive than EDI because it is cheaper and does not use highly proprietary leased neither private lines nor VANs.

• WAN (Wide Area Network) - a communications network that connects geographically separated computer systems.

• Waste - refers to the point at which it's no longer economically sound for a marketer to continue targeting a message at you. [Zach Wemple]

• WMS (Warehouse Management Systems) - Software that integrates mechanical and human activities with an information system to effectively manage warehouse business processes and direct warehouse activities.

• Workflow - A set of programs that aids in the tracking and management of all the activities in a project from start to finish.

• WWW (World Wide Web) - The total set of interlinked hypertext documents residing on HTTP servers all around the world.

• XML (extensible markup language) - a language used in the formatting of web pages. Allows users to create customized tags and supports links that point to multiple documents. May eventually take the place of HTML. [Chris Coffaro]

• Zero Latency - A goal of to keep moving goods or information in the supply chain to provide near-real-time information management and reduce in-transit inventory costs. [Jeffrey Guckert]

JUST ACRONYMS...
This part comprises acronyms and their meanings only. Detailed information of some of the acronyms (marked with *) can be found in the glossary. Acronyms without * sign have been contributed by Valentina Scekic.

3-4
3PL - Third Party Logistics
4PL - Fourth Party Logistic

A
ABC - Activity Based Costing
ADC - Automated Data Collection *
AEI - Automatic Equipment Identification
AMR - Advanced Manufacturing Research
ANSI - American National Standards Institute
ANX - Automotive Network Exchange
API - Application Programming Interface *
APS - Advanced Planning and Scheduling
ASN - Advanced Ship Notice *
ASP - Application Service Providers *

B
BIC - Business Information Center
BIS - Business Intelligence System
BW - Business Information Warehouse
BWTP - Business Web Transaction Processing *

C
CAD - Computer-Aided Design
CAM - Computer-Aided manufacturing
CDF - Channel Definition Format
CEC - Contractor Establishment Code
CGI - Common Gateway Interface
CIM - Corporate Information Management
CIM - Customer Interaction Management *
CKD - Complete Knockdown
CKO - Chief Knowledge Officer
CLC - Customer Life Cycle *
CLM - Council of Logistic Management
CP - Constraint Programming
CPC - Cost-per-click *
CPFR - Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment
CPM - Cost-per-mille *
CRM - Customer Relationship Management *
CRP - Capacity Requirements Planning *
CRP - Continuous Replenishment Programs
CSP - Commerce Services Provider *
CSS - Customer Support and Service *
CTI - Computer Telephony Integration *
CXML - Commerce XML *

D
DISA - Data Interchange Standards Association
DLL - Dynamic Link Library *
DTD - Document Type Definition
DTEAMM - Design, Transformation, Extract, Access, Monitoring and Management *
DUNS - Data Universal Numbering System

E
EAI - Enterprise Application Integration
EAI - Enterprise Application Integration
EBPP - Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment *
EC - Electronic Commerce
ECIC - Electronic Commerce in Contracting
ECM - Enterprise Commerce Management *
ECOs - Engineering Change Orders
ECR - Efficient Consumer Response
ECRC - Electronic Commerce Resource Center(s)
E-CRM - Electronic CRM *
EDI - Electronic Data Interchange *
EDIFACT - EDI for Administration, Commerce, and Transportation
EFT - Electronic Funds Transfer *
ERM - Exchange Rate Mechanism
ERP - Enterprise Resource Planning *
ESD - Electronic Software Distribution *
EV - Expected Value *
EVA - Economic Value Added

F
FACNET - Federal Acquisition Network
FFA - Field Force Automation *

G
GLS - Global Logistics System
GMROII - Gross Margin Return On Inventory Investment
GTIN - Global Trade Item Number
GUI - Graphical User Interface *

H
HTML - Hypertext Markup Language *
HTTPS - Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol *

I
IAB - The Internet Advertising Bureau *
ICE - Information and Content Exchange
ICO - Inventory Chain Optimization
ICT - Information and Communication Technology
IFX - Interactive Financial exchange
ISDN - Integrated Services Digital Network *
ISO - International Standards Organization
ISP - Internet Service Provider
ISVs - Independent Software Vendors

J
J2EE - Java 2 Enterprise Edition
JIT - Just-in-time Manufacturing and Distribution *
JIT - Just-In-Time *

K
KM - Knowledge Management

L
LAN - Local Area Network *
LDAP - Lightweight directory Access Protocol
LDAP - Lightweight Directory Access Protocol *
LDI - Logistic Development Incentive
LP - Linear Programming

M
MAP - Manufacturers Assembly Pilot
MES - Manufacturing Execution Systems *
MIME - Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions
MIP - Mixed Integer Programming
MOTO - Mail Order/Telephone Order
MRO - Maintenance, Repair, and Operations
MRP - Material Requirements Planning
MRP - Materials Requirements Planning *

N
NAP - Network Access Point
NEP - Network enter point
NFF - Notes Plat File
NISCI - National Initiative for Supply Chain Integration, Ltd
NIST - National Institute of Standards and Technology
NPV - Net Present Values

O
OAG - Open Applications Group *
OASIS - Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards
OCT - Order Cycle Time *
ODBC - Open Database Connectivity *
ODS - Operational Data Store *
OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer
OLAP - On-Line Analytical Processing *
OLE - Object Linking and Embedding *
OMS - Opportunity Management System *
OMS - Order Management System *
OODB - Object Oriented Database *
OSA - Open software distribution
OSB - Order, Shipping, Billing

P
PCA - Printed Circuit Assemblies
PIP - Partner Interface Process
PKCS - Public-key cryptography system
PKI - Public-key infrastructure
PO - Purchase Order
POP - Point of Presence
POTS - Plain Old Telephone Service *
PRM - Partner Relationship Management *

R
RFQ - Request-for-quote
RLC - Retail Life Cycle *
RNIF - Rosetta Net Implementation Framework
ROA - Return on Assets
ROI - Return on Investment *
ROIC - Return on Invested Capital
RTF - Rich Text Format

S
SBDC - Small Business Development Center
SBT - Scan Based Trading
SCCI - Supply Chain Council International
SCE - Supply Chain Execution
SCM - Supply-Chain Management *
SCOR - Supply Chain Operations Reference-Model
SCP - Supply Chain Planning
SDK - Software Development Kit
SET - Secure Electronic Transaction *
SFA - Sales Force Automation *
SFS - Service Framework Specification
SGML - Standard Generalized Markup Language
SIC - Standard Industrial Classification
SKU - Stock-Keeping Unit
SME - Small to Medium-sized Enterprise *
SME - Subject Matter Expert *
SMTP - Simple Mail Transport Protocol
SOAP - Simple Object Access Protocol
SPA - Specialty Apparel Business
SSL - Secure Socket Layer

T
TCO - Total Cost of Ownership
TEM - Technology-Enabled Marketing *
TES - Technology Enabled Selling *
TIN - Taxpayer identifying Number
TOC - Theory of Constraints

U
UCC - Uniform Code Council
UDB Universal Database
UDDI - Universal Description, Discovery and Integration *
UN/SPSC - United Nations/Standard Product and Service Code

V
VAN - Value-Added Network
VICS - Voluntary Inter-Industry Commerce Standards
VMI - Vendor Managed Inventory
VPN - Virtual Private Network *

W
WAN - Wide Area Network *
WAS - Web Sphere Application Server
WIDL - Web Interface Definition Language
WMS - Warehouse Management Systems *
WSDL - Web Services Description Language
WWW - World Wide Web *

X
XML - Extensible Markup Language *
XSL - XML Style Language

CONTRIBUTORS

Ackley, Brian
Coffaro, Chris
Doubrava, Kevin
Ehlers, Michelle
Guckert, Jeffrey
Heddelson, Mark
Holloway, Shaun
Matthews, Sarah
Peter, Ellen
Sams, Bill - idea
Scekic, Valentina
Smeaton, Alistair
Vidyakin, Ivan - editor
Wemple, Zachary
Willoughby, Elena