Some middlemen are at risk. A big question mark for Indian B2B sites. To get all this to work, different ERPs need to 'talk' to each other. A common industry standard is needed. Building this backbone right is crucial.
Collusion is an overriding concern, as is democratic functioning.
But these broadbased e-xchanges must tackle some basic questions first. By initial reactions to the B2B models in the US, it looks as if firms are concerned about dealing more effectively within existing parameters, relationships, and services, like quality assurance and logistics. ''Specialised sites are a mistake. Companies need one uniform platform,'' says Kellogg's Sawhney. Such extensions of a company's extranets are already marking their presence, with the dominant players in an industry building e-xchanges on their own. Saraf has a point.