Section IV: Technological Transformation

Title: Identifying the critical success factors for e-commerce effectiveness: the case of Qatar

Author(s): Elias A. Hadzilias

Address: IÉSEG School of Management, Lille Catholic University, 3 rue de la Digue, Lille 59000, France

Reference: BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AND COMPETITIVENESS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA pp. 208 - 218

Abstract/Summary: Electronic commerce (e-commerce) has become an increasingly central part of the economy. Internet presence is considered key to doing business, rather than an exotic add-on to a company and more transactions, from business to consumer and between businesses, are taking place online. The research presented in this paper reports on the critical success factors of ecommerce identified among large companies in Qatar. The case study methodology was adopted to carry out this research. The results of this study pinpointed to the following factors as most critical for their success: quality customer services, staff training, business process risk management, trust, loyal customer base and secure transactions. The value of this research lies on its entrepreneurial dimension by showing how successful Qatari companies manage the e-commerce era. The main research limitation is related to the fact that the booming economy of Qatar is a unique example of development in the Middle East.

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