The Internet, Value Chain Visibility, and Learning

In addition to the exponential growth of electronically mediated exchanges of goods and services, the expansion of Internet-related activities encompasses significant changes in how information is accessed and used. The greater visibility of information value chains (IVCs) has made possible a fundamental shift in the nature of information systems (ISs). In contrast to the transactional IS, the Internet IS has the potential for more direct interaction with the upstream processes in the IVC. Thanks in part to this possibility, the Internet enables the emergence of on-line communities, makes information processing more effective at the individual level, and thus offers opportunity for more effective learning. These concepts have important implications for IS research and design and for individual and organizational learning.