eBusiness Glossar

E

e-Procurement

Any type of procurement via electronic systems, especially web-based systems.

EBusiness

Continuous optimization of electronic communication within a company and between companies for sales, ordering, supply, information exchange, etc. using digital technologies and the Internet chiefly as a means of communication.

ECC (Elliptic Curve Crytpography)

Cryptographic solution requiring less bandwidth to offer increased security for online transactions. Twice as much power is needed to crack a 97-bit ECC key than a 512-bit RSA key.

ECML (Electronic Commerce Modeling Language)

A new standard developed by a consortium of industry players including American Express, Compaq, Dell, IBM, Microsoft, SETCo, Transactor Networks, Trintech and Visa USA. Consequently, one-click purchasing at all compatible Web sites is facilitated. See the ECML site for more details.

eCommerce/Electronic Commerce

General description of business transactions made over data networks. This includes ordering goods via the Internet as well as the contact between individual companies. Above all, eCommerce offers three advantages: it combines different value-added chains, accelerates sequences of events as a result of improved communication and, therefore, increases efficiency. The expanded expression 'Electronic Business' is often used to incorporate internal applications such as Intranets or Extranets.

EDGE (Enhanced Data rate for Global Evolution)

Enhancement for GSM and TDMA networks, taking packet delivery to near-UMTS speeds of 384Kbits/s. Based on 2G standards but often classified as a 3G protocol.

EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)

Agreement on the electronic transmission of business procedures.

EDIFACT (Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport)

International standard for the exchange of commercial data in standardized formats for the usual business processes such as orders, delivery notes, invoices, payment orders, etc.

Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment (EBPP)

Comprising two components of Internet billing, this term refers to online electronic bill presentment and payment. Bill presentment involves the online delivery of bills to customers, with electronic payment instead of through paper check.

Electronic Cash

General expression for the electronic payment systems used on the WWW, or in online services.

Electronic Checks

Currently being tested by several companies, electronic checking systems such as PayNow take money from users' checking accounts to pay utility and phone bills.

Electronic Commerce (eCommerce)

A term given to all types of transactions that are conducted using digitally-transmitted data methods.

Electronic Document Interchange (EDI)

The electronic communication of business transactions, such as orders, confirmations and invoices.

Electronic money

Various providers offer the possibility of actuating payment methods with electronic money instead of paying with credit cards. The advantages of this, as with normal money, are that any denomination can be used and the anonymity of the payee. However, at the same time, extensive security precautions are required, as electronic money is essentially just a file on a computer.

Electronic Software Distribution (ESD)

Software marketing via the WWW.

Electronic Wallet

Software, residing as a plug-in in the Web browser, that enables a cardholder to conduct online transactions, manage payment receipts and store digital certificates. Like your real wallet, your digital wallet stores your credit card number and shipping details. This wallet initiates the data encryption in a SET transaction.

EMV

Acronym for Europay, MasterCard, Visa. Usually refers to EMV 96, which is a set of three specifications covering debit/credit cards, terminals and applications. EMV supports applications enabling issuers, retailers and consumers to start using chip cards and terminals with added security. The term 'EMV compatible' is used when referring to terminals which meet level 1 of the EMV 96 specifications.

Encryption

Data encryption to prevent unauthorized eavesdropping or data manipulation.

ERP

Stands for "Enterprise Resource Planning": ERP systems provide for company-wide resource planning with the aid of selective workflow management. ERP connects back-office systems such as production, financial, personnel, marketing, and material economic systems.

ESD

Electronic Software Distribution

ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute)

A non-profit organization whose mission is to determine and produce the telecommunications standards that will be used for decades to come.

Extranet

An extension of a company's intranet. Extranets connect the internal network of one company with the intranets of its customers and suppliers. A combination of Intranets, extranets and the Internet makes it possible to create applications covering all aspects of a business relationship, from ordering to payment.