In addition to the business nomenclature evolving while continuing to mean the same thing, business relationships have followed a similar path. The only key difference is how information is shared between organizations. EDI was the first significant step in integrating datasets and database information. VPNs have their own set of challenges, which have aided in the evolution of digital business markets. In a horizontal market, the players are integrated along the supply chain, including suppliers, manufacturing and distribution.
Vertical markets are players in the same industry, almost always competitors.
A temporary model is one in which a pressing issue is resolved with outside resources until a solution is developed internally. A spot model is a one-time input. If a firm needs rubber gaskets and its standard supplier is unable to provide them, it will buy the gaskets on the spot market. Matching these old-world business terms with the digital economy terms, the matrix looks like something like that in the box below. Understanding these terms to be nearly synonymous, it is very easy to apply patterns of what businesses purchase to the digital model, and where a company would go to procure a given item based on the value of the item to the overall goal of the firm.