Few had looked objectively at the characteristics of portal technology or business-
to-business e-commerce. Common reason for adoption included: ???If other businesses
adopt it and we don??™t, we will be left behind.??? ???All the talk is about e-commerce and how
it is the way of the future.??? ???It doesn??™t look too hard to make it work, and we have little to
lose.??? and ???My kids tell me that everyone will be on the Internet soon and we had better be
too??? (Tatnall & Burgess, 2002, pp. 179-191).
An interview with the portal software developer was also quite enlightening. When asked
whether they thought WREDO knew what they were doing when they commissioned the
portal, they replied that WREDO did not really know much about what they were getting
into and what was required. ???No, we??™ve had this conversation with WREDO many times.
When we were first approached to do the development of the portal and the site, neither
WREDO nor the Business Champions had any idea of what the solution would be??? (Batteries
Included [software developer], personal communication, October 12, 2001).
Another very telling interview was with the WREDO staff themselves, including the portal
project manager.
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