Abstract
This paper analyses the strategic business and IT response of Electric Co, a large electricity company, to deregulation and increased competition in the UK electricity industry. In common with deregulation in other markets such as North America and Australia, the UK regulator has specified strict regulations on how power generators, distribution and supply companies should interact with each other, and with business and consumer customers. In order to compete effectively Electric Co has implemented a novel dataflow solution that enables it to connect diverse internal systems to the external marketplace. An overview of changes in the market is related to the business and IT strategies of Electric Co. The link between the high-level business strategy and the actual use of IT architecture and systems is the design and management of the business processes that dictate how information is shared throughout the supply chain. The implementation of the regulator’s business process framework has been achieved through a novel use of a business process management solution. The major benefits are shown to be increased business flexibility. An outline of the broader implications of the research is given, in particular how developments in technical standards and business process management are related to communication theory and electronic markets.
Recommended Citation
Shaw, Duncan R.; Holland, Christopher P.; Kwalek, Peter; Snowdon, Bob; and Warboys, Brian, "Electronic Commerce Strategy in the UK Electricty Industry: The Case of Electric Co and Dataflow Software" (2004). ECIS 2004 Proceedings. 173.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2004/173