RE: Re: [ebxml-mktg] RE: Gartner and ebXML - distribution of thearticle

["Brian S. Hayes" <brian.hayes@UCLAlumni.net>]

It has always been quite obvious to me that ebXML is not about directly
enabling SMEs, or even deep pocket enterprises, to do business.  Instead,
ebXML is 1) about establishing standards that meet business needs and 2)
about providing these standards in an unecumbered way (except for one
unfortunate exception) so that software providers and service providers can
provide solutions that enable SMEs and other enterprises.  ebXML is about
providing the requirements for e-business solutions.  ebXML has been
exemplary in addressing business needs.  This is not to say the ebXML has
addressed all business needs; the effort has outshined its other web
services counterparts.  Examples include the requirements for reliable
messaging and security.  Another example, and perhaps the most significant,
is the business process and semantics aspects addressed by the BPSS and the
other eBTWG business process related efforts such as the Business Entity
Type Library.
 
As far as enabling the small enterprises with no money to spend on
e-business enablement, I believe that they are out of luck.  For example, a
supplier who wants to participate in e-business should be willing to pay
directly or indirectly the costs for using a selling application.
 
Brian
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Hickman, Michael (GXS) [mailto:Michael.Hickman@gxs.ge.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 10:23 AM
To: ebxml-mktg@lists.ebxml.org
Subject: RE: Re: [ebxml-mktg] RE: Gartner and ebXML - distribution of
thearticle



Perhaps you should define what you mean by "accessible". I would say that
RosettaNet is accessible. EDI is accessible. AS2 is accessible. If what you
meant was "open standards promote adoption" then I agree with you. 
 
Perhaps you don't consider the hundreds of thousands of truely small
businesses in your definition of "SME" - businesses to which $1000 for a
piece of software is a big investment. These companies don't care two hoots
about ebXML (or any other standard) or how accessible it is (and btw, it is
not accessible to them). They want to be able to do business with Wal-Mart
or Lowes or Home Depot, etc. (and to be able to afford to do so). And
conversely the buyers want to be able to hook up their entire supply chain
electronically, not just the 50-80% that can afford to do so. Perhaps
ebXML-compliant solutions may someday help them do that. However, the ebXML
"requirements" didn't address (in any meaningful way) the complexities of
why that hasn't happened yet and what the requirements are to get to 100%
supplier enablement. True business requirements are void of any
implementation details. It's pretty clear just from the name of the
standards group that business needs weren't its primary concern...
 
Now, as far as marketing ebXML is concerned, if we can map what ebXML
provides to what businesses *really* need then we'd be off to a good start.
Has anybody developed a positioning document?
 
Regards,
Mike

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