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New MBA Major in Electronic Commerce Offered
A new major in electronic
commerce that will focus on
designing and implementing
effective electronic commerce
strategies is now available
for Wharton MBA students.
Called “Managing Electronic
Commerce,” the program
aims to provide an in-depth
foundation for students interested
in pursuing Internet
ventures – from electronic
retailing to defining the role
electronic commerce plays in
traditional firms.
With more than 50 faculty
members across various
disciplines participating,
“Wharton is poised to address
the whole breadth of
issues relating to e-commerce,”
says Patrick Harker,
Wharton’s interim dean.
“The Internet is impacting
every aspect of business and,
whether the context is legal,
strategic, marketing or policy-oriented in nature, we
have the resources and expertise
to add value.”
The major, administered
through the marketing department,
will have an inter-disciplinary focus on several
key areas, including advertising/
communication, electronic
retailing, information
structures for large organizations,
pricing, product and
service design, and supply
chain management. For specific
instruction in a particular
area of interest, students
can choose one of five separate
tracks within the major:
business-to-business, electronic
media and marketing,
entrepreneurial, information–
based strategy and economics,
and supply chain
management.
“This major is reflective
of what is already happening
here at Wharton and in the
world,” says David Schmittlein,
Ira A. Lipman Professor
and academic director
of the e-commerce major.
“Recognizing that our MBA
students were already creating
individualized majors
with an e-commerce focus,
this was a logical step.
However, the nature of the
Internet and e-business will
continue to evolve and as
that happens, so too will the
requirements and electives of
the major.”
Software, the Internet and
multimedia continue to impact
employment choices of
Wharton students, making
technology-related industries
the third highest industry
employer. More than 18 percent
of the Class of 1999 and
19 percent of the Class of
2000 accepted technology-related
positions. Though the
e-commerce major is offered
solely to MBA students, an
undergraduate concentration
is also being considered.
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