Week 4 Quiz 1: Briefly Describe The Technologies That Are Le ✓ Solved

Week 4 Quiz 1. Briefly describe the technologies that are le

Week 4 Quiz 1. Briefly describe the technologies that are leading businesses into the third wave of electronic commerce.

2. In about 100 words, describe the function of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. Include a discussion of the differences between gTLDs and sTLDs in your answer.

3. In one or two paragraphs, describe how the Internet changed from a government research project into a technology for business users.

4. In about 100 words, explain the difference between an extranet and an intranet. In your answer, describe when you might use a VPN in either.

5. Define 'channel conflict' and describe in one or two paragraphs how a company might deal with this issue.

6. In two paragraphs, explain why a customer-centric Web site design is so important, yet is so difficult to accomplish.

7. In about two paragraphs, distinguish between outsourcing and offshoring as they relate to business processes.

8. In about 200 words, explain how the achieved trust level of a company’s communications using blogs and social media compare with similar communication efforts conducted using mass media and personal contact.

9. Write a paragraph in which you distinguish between a virtual community and a social networking Web site.

10. Write two or three paragraphs in which you describe the role that culture plays in the development of a country’s laws and ethical standards.

Unit I Case Study: Read 'Is Stare Decisis an Inexorable Command?' and answer:

a. What does the court mean when it says "Stare decisis is not an inexorable command; rather it is a principle of policy and not a mechanical formula of adherence to the latest decision"?

b. What would it mean for the American system of criminal justice, if stare decisis actually was an "inexorable command" or a "mechanical formula of adherence to the latest decision"?

Your response should be at least 500 words (no less than 250 words for each question).

Response requirements: Use APA format. Provide at least 3 references for each question with at least 3 in-text citations per question. All sources must be referenced in APA style.

Paper For Above Instructions

1. Technologies Leading to the Third Wave of E‑Commerce

The third wave of electronic commerce is driven by mobile computing, ubiquitous broadband, cloud platforms, AI/machine learning, and IoT-enabled personalization (Laudon & Traver, 2021; Kshetri, 2007; Mangold & Faulds, 2009). Mobile devices and responsive design enable commerce anytime, while cloud services provide scalable back-end infrastructure for payment processing and personalization (Laudon & Traver, 2021). AI powers recommendation engines, dynamic pricing, and automated customer service (Mangold & Faulds, 2009), and IoT expands transactional touchpoints through connected devices (Kshetri, 2007). Together these technologies make commerce more contextual, data-driven, and decentralized, changing fulfillment, customer engagement, and business models (Laudon & Traver, 2021; Leiner et al., 2009; Mangold & Faulds, 2009).

2. Function of ICANN and gTLDs vs sTLDs (≈100 words)

ICANN coordinates the global DNS, overseeing domain name allocation, IP address space, and protocol parameter assignment to ensure stable, interoperable Internet addressing (ICANN, 2024; Leiner et al., 2009; Laudon & Traver, 2021). Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs) are global, policy-driven namespaces such as .com, .org, and new gTLDs (.app, .shop) managed via registry agreements; sponsored TLDs (sTLDs) are specialized domains serving a community with eligibility rules (for example .edu or legacy sponsored domains) and include additional governance or sponsorship requirements (ICANN, 2024; Leiner et al., 2009; Laudon & Traver, 2021).

3. From Government Research to Business Technology

The Internet began as government and academic research networks (ARPANET) focused on resilience and resource sharing; commercialization grew as TCP/IP matured, networks opened to commercial traffic, and commercialization-friendly policies allowed ISPs and private firms to offer services (Leiner et al., 2009; Laudon & Traver, 2021). Private investment in backbone infrastructure, the development of the World Wide Web, and browser-based access lowered barriers for businesses, enabling commerce, digital marketplaces, and global supply chains (Leiner et al., 2009; Laudon & Traver, 2021; Kshetri, 2007).

4. Extranet vs Intranet; VPN Use (≈100 words)

An intranet is a private internal network for employees to access organizational resources securely; an extranet extends controlled access to partners, suppliers, or customers for collaboration (Laudon & Traver, 2021; NIST, 2014; Kshetri, 2007). A VPN is used when remote users access intranet resources across public networks, encrypting traffic to preserve confidentiality and integrity; likewise, VPNs can secure extranet links when partners need private channels over untrusted networks (NIST, 2014; Laudon & Traver, 2021; ICANN, 2024).

5. Channel Conflict and Mitigation

Channel conflict arises when multiple distribution channels (direct, retail, online marketplaces) compete, often undercutting price, brand consistency, or margins (Laudon & Traver, 2021; Kshetri, 2007; Mangold & Faulds, 2009). Companies manage conflict through clear channel policies, differentiated offerings across channels, pricing rules, exclusive products, and partner incentives. Governance contracts and platform segmentation (e.g., premium direct offerings vs mass-market reseller SKUs) preserve relationships while enabling multichannel reach (Laudon & Traver, 2021; Kshetri, 2007; Mangold & Faulds, 2009).

6. Importance and Difficulty of Customer‑Centric Design

Customer-centric design matters because it aligns web experiences with user goals, driving conversion, retention, and lifetime value; personalization, clear journeys, and usability reduce friction and increase trust (Laudon & Traver, 2021; Mangold & Faulds, 2009). However, it is difficult due to diverse user expectations, legacy systems, data integration challenges, privacy concerns, and organizational silos that impede unified customer views (Kshetri, 2007; Laudon & Traver, 2021; NIST, 2014).

7. Outsourcing vs Offshoring

Outsourcing delegates a business function to a third party (domestic or foreign) to access expertise or reduce costs; offshoring relocates processes to another country, which may be performed by the company or a third party (Laudon & Traver, 2021; Kshetri, 2007; Posner, 2003). Outsourcing emphasizes contractual relationships and specialization, while offshoring emphasizes geographic relocation and labor-market differences; combined strategies (offshore outsourcing) pursue cost, scale, and talent but raise governance, quality, and cultural-management challenges (Laudon & Traver, 2021; Kshetri, 2007; Posner, 2003).

8. Trust: Blogs & Social Media vs Mass Media & Personal Contact (≈200 words)

Blogs and social media allow interactive, two-way communication that can build authenticity through timely, conversational content and peer validation (Mangold & Faulds, 2009; Pew Research Center, 2018; Rheingold, 1993). User comments, shares, and influencer endorsements provide social proof that can increase perceived trust, especially when content is transparent and responsive (Mangold & Faulds, 2009; Pew Research Center, 2018). However, social platforms can amplify misinformation and skepticism, and trust depends on source credibility and platform norms (Mangold & Faulds, 2009; Pew Research Center, 2018; Leiner et al., 2009). Mass media offers broad reach and editorial oversight, which can convey authority but feels impersonal and may be perceived as biased or one-way (Laudon & Traver, 2021; Mangold & Faulds, 2009). Personal contact (face-to-face, phone) typically achieves the highest trust because of direct interaction, nonverbal cues, and accountability (Posner, 2003; Rheingold, 1993). Thus, social media can approach personal-contact trust when messages are genuine, interactive, and community-backed, but mass media and direct personal contact still hold trust advantages in different contexts (Mangold & Faulds, 2009; Pew Research Center, 2018; Posner, 2003).

9. Virtual Community vs Social Networking Site

A virtual community is an online group formed around shared interests or goals with sustained interactions and norms (Rheingold, 1993; boyd, 2007; Mangold & Faulds, 2009). A social networking site is a platform that facilitates social connections and profile-based interactions (boyd, 2007; Pew Research Center, 2018; Mangold & Faulds, 2009). Virtual communities emphasize topic-driven membership and collaboration; social networks emphasize relationships, profiles, and broader social signaling.

10. Culture’s Role in Laws and Ethics

Culture shapes legal systems and ethical norms by codifying prevalent values—individualist cultures emphasize rights and contract law, collectivist cultures stress duties and communal regulation (Posner, 2003; Kshetri, 2007; Schmalleger et al., 2007). Cultural history and institutions influence which behaviors are legally prohibited, tolerated, or encouraged, creating legal pluralism across nations (Posner, 2003; Schmalleger et al., 2007).

Culture also affects enforcement priorities and ethical expectations: business practices acceptable in one culture may be illegal or unethical in another (Kshetri, 2007; Posner, 2003; Laudon & Traver, 2021). For global companies, cultural awareness is essential to navigate varying regulatory regimes, shape compliance policies, and design culturally appropriate ethical codes (Kshetri, 2007; Posner, 2003; Schmalleger et al., 2007).

Unit I Case Study: Stare Decisis (500+ words)

a. When the court states "Stare decisis is not an inexorable command; rather it is a principle of policy and not a mechanical formula of adherence to the latest decision," it emphasizes judicial flexibility and the role of precedent as persuasive rather than absolute. Stare decisis promotes legal stability and predictability by encouraging courts to follow established decisions, but courts retain discretion to depart from precedent when prior rulings are demonstrably wrong, unworkable, or when social and doctrinal developments warrant change (Posner, 2003; Schmalleger et al., 2007; Leiner et al., 2009). The phrase acknowledges competing values: continuity versus correctness and adaptiveness. Treating precedent as a "principle of policy" allows courts to weigh factors such as the quality of earlier reasoning, changes in legal doctrine, reliance interests of parties and institutions, and practical consequences of overturning precedent (Posner, 2003; Schmalleger et al., 2007; Leiner et al., 2009). This pragmatic approach preserves legitimacy by enabling the law to evolve while providing guidance to lower courts and citizens.

b. If stare decisis were an "inexorable command"—a mechanical formula forcing courts to adhere strictly to the latest decision regardless of context—the American criminal justice system would become rigid, potentially perpetuating error and injustice. An inflexible rule would prevent correction of earlier rulings that later turn out to be constitutionally or factually flawed, impeding doctrinal development and adaptation to new evidence, technologies, or societal understandings (Posner, 2003; Schmalleger et al., 2007; Leiner et al., 2009). Essential safeguards such as appellate review, overruling precedent, and doctrinal refinement would be curtailed, possibly solidifying discriminatory or outdated practices. Moreover, an inexorable stare decisis could erode judicial legitimacy by compelling judges to apply rules they believe to be unjust or unworkable, increasing tensions between law and morality and undermining public confidence in courts as instruments of corrective justice (Posner, 2003; Schmalleger et al., 2007). Hence, the court’s statement defends a balanced jurisprudence that respects precedent while preserving the judiciary’s responsibility to ensure that legal rules remain just, coherent, and responsive to change.

References

  • ICANN. (2024). About ICANN. https://www.icann.org
  • Kshetri, N. (2007). Barriers to e-commerce and competitive business models in developing countries. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 6(4), 443–452.
  • Laudon, K. C., & Traver, C. G. (2021). E-commerce 2021: Business, technology, society (16th ed.). Pearson.
  • Leiner, B. M., Cerf, V. G., Clark, D. D., Kahn, R. E., Kleinrock, L., Lynch, D. C., ... & Wolff, S. (2009). A brief history of the Internet. ACM SIGCOMM Computer Communication Review, 39(5), 22–31.
  • Mangold, W. G., & Faulds, D. J. (2009). Social media: The new hybrid element of the promotion mix. Business Horizons, 52(4), 357–365.
  • NIST. (2014). Guidelines on Virtual Private Networks. National Institute of Standards and Technology.
  • Pew Research Center. (2018). Social media use in 2018. https://www.pewresearch.org
  • Posner, R. A. (2003). Law and Social Norms. Harvard University Press.
  • Rheingold, H. (1993). The Virtual Community: Homesteading on the Electronic Frontier. Addison-Wesley.
  • Schmalleger, F., Hall, D. E., & Dolatowski, J. J. (4th ed.). Criminal Justice Today. Prentice Hall.

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