The business world is rapidly changing. The principal reason of this persistent change is, without a doubt, the technology. Not only theoretically, by adding new terminologies to the business Wiki and archiving numerous financial eBooks on Kindle libraries, but also virtually, by flourishing small businesses and terminating other top market value ones, the Internet, in particular, has redefined the word ‘business’.
eCommerce “Electronic Commerce” and eAuction “Electronic Auction” are just examples of the effects of the Internet on modern businesses and corporations. There are many reasons why both individuals and organizations conduct their businesses online these days. From an individual’s perspective, convenience is one important reason why a college student who doesn’t have a car may consider Amazon over Wal-Mart to purchase a new 55-inch T.V. Another reason is the ability to make comparisons among a wide range of similar products and competitor merchants. On the other hand, organizations have found a new market on the Internet. In fact, the competition has compelled them to find new opportunities online.
For this project, I have researched and investigated the reasons behind the slow eBusiness development in Saudi Arabia. Since an eGovernment program, Yesser Program, has already been started in Saudi Arabia, my concentration has been on the eCommerce portion and specifically on the eAuction topic to analyze whether or not there is an opportunity to start a Saudi version of eBay.
Table of Contents
1. ABSTRACT
2. INTRODUCTION
3. BACKGROUND
4. EBUSINESS, ECOMMERCE, AND EGOVERNMENT
5. TYPES OF ECOMMERCE
6. MARKET CREATOR
7. EAUCTION
8. RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES
9. FINDINGS, ANALYSIS, AND DISCUSSIONS
10. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
11. PROJECT SCOPE AND DESCRIPTION
12. TARGET AUDIENCES
13. ALGORITHMS / PROJECT SOLUTION
14. USE CASE DIAGRAM
15. DATA FLOW DIAGRAM (DFD)
16. CLASS DIAGRAM
17. ENTITY-RELATIONSHIP DIAGRAM (ERD)
18. IMPLEMENTATION
18.1 TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES
18.2 DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE
19. RESULTS AND LESSONS LEARNED
20. SOFTWARE CONFIGURATION
21. USER’S MANUAL
22. SOURCE CODE
Project Goals and Scope
The primary goal of this project is to investigate the feasibility of implementing an eAuction system within Saudi Arabia to address the slow adoption of eBusiness. The research focuses on identifying requirements for a user-friendly platform by analyzing existing market behaviors and comparing them with successful international models like eBay.
- Analysis of eBusiness, eCommerce, and eGovernment structures within Saudi Arabia.
- Investigation into consumer behavior regarding online shopping and traditional auctions.
- Development of a functional, web-based eAuction application using Java, GlassFish, and Java DB.
- Design of system architecture including Use Case Diagrams, Data Flow Diagrams, and Entity-Relationship Diagrams.
- Creation of specific modules for Administrators, Auctioneers, and Bidders to manage the auction lifecycle.
Excerpt from the Book
eAuction
eAuction is an eBusiness model between auctioneers and bidders that takes place over the Internet. The auctioneers offer their products, commodities, or services on a web-based auction system. Interested parties can submit their bid for the products to be auctioned in certain specified periods. The auction is transparent that all interested parties are allowed to participate in the auction in a timely manner. eAuction is an eCommerce system that can be in B2C, B2B, or C2C model. The two major types of eAuction are the ‘forward auction’ in which several bidders bid for one auctioneer’s goods and the ‘reverse auction’ in which several auctioneers bid for one buyer’s order.
Summary of Chapters
INTRODUCTION: Outlines the definition and purpose of auctions and explains how Internet technology has shifted business transactions toward online models.
BACKGROUND: Provides an overview of eBay Inc. as a pioneer in efficient one-to-one trading and explains its operational model.
EBUSINESS, ECOMMERCE, AND EGOVERNMENT: Defines the core concepts of electronic business and explains how these technologies facilitate interaction between governments and citizens.
TYPES OF ECOMMERCE: Classifies transactions into B2C, B2B, and C2C categories based on the nature of the participants.
MARKET CREATOR: Explains the 'Market Creator' business model, where third parties build digital environments for buyers and sellers to interact and set prices.
EAUCTION: Describes the mechanics of online auctions, including the differences between forward and reverse auctions.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES: Details the methods used for the project, including interviews with Saudi students and literature reviews of eCommerce systems.
FINDINGS, ANALYSIS, AND DISCUSSIONS: Discusses the market potential for an eAuction system in Saudi Arabia and highlights both advantages and inherent risks like fraud.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Concludes that there is a strong opportunity for a Saudi eAuction system and recommends targeting specific small-scale audiences initially.
PROJECT SCOPE AND DESCRIPTION: Defines the boundaries of the Saudi eBay system and the roles of administrators, auctioneers, and bidders.
TARGET AUDIENCES: Identifies the Saudi Student Union (SSU) at Florida Tech as the primary group for the beta version of the project.
ALGORITHMS / PROJECT SOLUTION: Outlines the functional requirements and interaction capabilities for the three main user types in the system.
USE CASE DIAGRAM: Provides visual modeling of system functionalities for each user category.
DATA FLOW DIAGRAM (DFD): Illustrates how data moves between users and the core Saudi eBay system.
CLASS DIAGRAM: Shows the object-oriented structure of the system's classes.
ENTITY-RELATIONSHIP DIAGRAM (ERD): Represents the database structure and the relationships between entities.
IMPLEMENTATION: Describes the technologies used for development, including Java, NetBeans, and GlassFish.
RESULTS AND LESSONS LEARNED: Reflects on the development process, including the transition to new technologies and the challenges faced during the project timeline.
SOFTWARE CONFIGURATION: Offers a step-by-step technical guide for setting up the environment and the database.
USER’S MANUAL: Provides instructions for end-users on how to perform tasks such as registration, bidding, and auction management.
SOURCE CODE: Contains the actual Java code used to build the various system modules.
Keywords
eBusiness, eCommerce, eGovernment, eAuction, B2C, B2B, C2C, Saudi Arabia, Web-based Application, Java, NetBeans, Database Management, Online Trading, Auctioneers, Bidders.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core purpose of the Saudi eBay project?
The project aims to create a functional web-based eAuction system tailored for the Saudi Arabian market, serving as a solution to modernize local commerce through automated bidding processes.
What are the primary target audiences?
The beta version focuses on members of the Florida Tech Saudi Student Union, with future plans to expand to all Saudi students in the United States and eventually the general population in Saudi Arabia.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to identify why eBusiness development is slow in Saudi Arabia and to analyze if an eAuction platform can successfully facilitate trade by offering convenience and transparency.
Which technologies were utilized to build the system?
The system was developed using Java as the programming language, NetBeans as the IDE, GlassFish as the web server, and Java DB for database management.
What does the main body of the report cover?
The report covers theoretical background, system analysis and design (Use Case, DFD, Class, and ER diagrams), implementation details, development scheduling, and a user manual.
Which keywords define this research?
The key concepts include eBusiness, eCommerce, eAuction, C2C business models, and system development methodologies using Java.
How does the system handle the auction process?
The system allows auctioneers to list products, define bidding periods, and either manually select the highest bidder or allow the system to automatically award the item at the end of the auction.
Can an administrator modify auction data?
Yes, administrators have the authority to manage users, monitor transactions, and deactivate auctions if they contain illegal information or violate system policies.
What steps are required to run the project locally?
A tester must set up a NetBeans environment, import the provided project zip file, configure the third-party APIs, and initialize the Java DB database using the provided SQL scripts.
Why was the development plan changed during the project?
The project plan was updated because the original planned technologies (Visual Basic .NET) were unfamiliar and outdated, leading to delays; switching to Java allowed for a more efficient and stable development process.
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- Thamer Alhazzaa (Autor:in), 2014, Saudi eBay Project: eBusiness, eCommerce and eAuction in Saudi Arabia, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/285992
