E-commerce workforce development strategies (panel session): a dialogue with industry

This panel provides a unique exchange of e-commerce workforce development strategies and models among industry and academic participants. The moderated dialogue will center on five topics: a) the issue of e-commerce ownership within organizations, b) the unique relationship among strategy, development methodology, and project management within an e-commerce environment, c) the composition of e-commerce development teams, d) workforce development strategies for e-commerce, and e) projected demand for specific skill sets, tools, and technologies. The rich experiences and organizational models presented by this panel will illuminate issues and strategies facing both Internet-based organizations and traditional organizations moving into e-commerce.The panelists represent a diverse range of industries and experiences, including professional service firms, a leading futures exchange organization, and an innovative graduate degree program in e-commerce. The three professional service firms on the panel include a full service firm specializing in Internet-based solutions (USWeb/CKS), a leading IT and management consulting firm with a strong focus on e-business strategies (Andersen Consulting), and an IT consulting firm specialized in technology and integration solutions that is moving toward a focus on e-business (Whittman-Hart). The panelists' experiences in the e-commerce market space are different, and their approaches to workforce development also vary. For example, USWeb/CKS has taken an aggressive acquisition and consolidation approach to become a leading full-service provider for Internet solutions. This enabled them to integrate strategy, marketing, branding, design, communications, usability, content development, software engineering, and data mining. They employed extensive skill mapping and team building among 35 units in order to provide integrated support for clients. Their experience provides insights into both internal workforce development and how professional service firms can augment client resources in knowledge transfer and workforce development. Whittman-Hart, with strong experience in technology services and systems integration, is entering the e-commerce market via the support of the Whittman-Hart Institute of Strategic Education.In contrast to the professional service firms, the issues and strategies of the Chicago Board of Trade magnify those experienced by many corporations in deploying intranets, public and proprietary web sites. The CBOT experience is particularly enlightening because of the information-intensive and technology-dependent nature of their business. The panel will also examine how DePaul University's School of Computer Science, Telecommunications and Information Systems responded to industry needs through is innovative M.S. program in E-Commerce Technology. The DePaul program is notable as the first program that places equal emphasis upon both e-commerce business models and the underlying technological skills needed to implement them. By assessing the program's applicability to business needs, the panel will also be providing guidance for other universities seeking to expand their e-commerce offerings.