E-Commerce, Human Resource Strategies, and Competitive Advantage: Two Australian Banking Case Studies

Yvette Blount, Tanya Castleman, and Paula M.C. Swatman
International Journal of Electronic Commerce,
Volume 9, Number 3, Spring 2005, pp. 73.


Abstract: Service organizations need to consider in depth the human resource management (HRM) strategies that will enable them to achieve sustained competitive advantage in the e-commerce era. This paper analyzes the HRM strategies developed to accommodate the changing customer service practices associated with B2C e-commerce in the retail banking sector. Based on case study data, it describes how two banks in Australia, one large, the other small, have linked their e-commerce strategies with their overall business strategy, and the extent to which their HRM strategies have helped them to utilize their e-commerce capability to achieve sustained competitive advantage.

Key Words and Phrases
: Banking industry, e-commerce, human resources.