E-commerce changes how we conduct business, improves information flow and business processes, and utilizes technology to provide business solutions. Purely hierarchical management structures are being replaced by flatter organizations. E-commerce offers new career tracks for individuals with the knowledge to think outside their traditional paradigm and work in self-supervised work groups. As many corporate jobs are being re-crafted to incorporate the Internet, the job outlook is bright and getting brighter every day.

History of the Certificate - 

The development and implementation of this certificate has been incredibly exciting. The coordinator and creator for San José State University's Electronic Commerce Management Certificate program is Mitchell Levy. Mr. Levy started as an instructor of electronic commerce courses in the Internet Business Specialist program. After pulling together an advisory board, developing the curriculum and hiring some of the most talented professionals in the field, the program was launched in the Fall 1999 semester. Mr. Levy is the president of ECnow.com, publisher of ECMgt.com, instructor and a speaker on various aspects of electronic commerce management.  A supporting Web site for this program is located at http://ecmtraining.com/sjsu.

Who Should Attend - If you are looking for ways to use the Internet to improve (or optimize) the way your company does business, the ECM program is for you. The list of who should attend includes, but is not limited to:

• Executive staff
• General management
• Customer support management and staff
• Content management
• Operations management
• Information systems management
• Business owners
• E-commerce strategists and practitioners

Program Objectives

• Gain a strong ECM foundation
• Ability to plan and deploy e-commerce projects
• Ability to manage and evolve e-commerce within your organization
• Understand and be able to apply the new business models on the Internet
• Gain an appreciation of customer service in the total e-commerce cycle
• Ability to analyze and understand proposed e-commerce laws and regulations
• Ability to work in disparate self-supervised teams
• Appreciation of the role that technology plays in e-commerce
• Gain incremental knowledge in various e-commerce disciplines that help in your current and future work environment
• Point you in the direction of continued self ECM education

Prerequisites - The ECM certificate program is designed for someone who has a need for a well-rounded e-commerce education. You should have:

• Two-three years of business experience
• Knowledge of basic business processes
• An awareness of Internet technologies (not necessarily technical knowledge)
• The ability and desire to succeed in self-supervised team environments
• Significant access to the Web and e-mail
• Most classes require outside class time to complete necessary assignments

E-Commerce Trends - Industry experts have identified ten trends to watch within e-commerce.

1. The more things change, the more they stay the same: The tried and true basics of business will be back...
2. The New Economic Environment: Although we are already mired in the New Economy, we are just at the beginning of the changes...
3. A New Internet-enabled World: In the not too distant future, the use of the Internet will be routine, rather like electricity...
4. Customers Rule: With the Internet, customers have gained considerable power to choose with whom they will do business, where and when...
5. Better, Faster and Maybe Cheaper: With continued learning and experimentation, companies will build better products and services by utilizing the multiple capabilities of their own companies and also their partners...
6. Business Models and Value Webs: Just when you thought things were settling down with business models, be prepared for more changes...
7. New Standards and Rules Create Opportunity: As security issues are mitigated and standards are commonly deployed for security and privacy, new opportunities will actually be created for business...
8. Evolving Infrastructure and Tools: Technologies that improve speed, collaboration or integration of processes will be a requirement for survival and growth in the future...
9. The New Face of Marketing: As companies continue to wrestle with issues about online and offline branding, we are entering a new era of personalization...
10. New Dimensions for Growth and Evolution: As today's leaders make decisions about tomorrow's growth, there are many factors at work in this new environment that will make a huge impact...

Source: ECnow.com

Jobs the ECM Certificate Program Can Prepare You For - Job titles and functions are evolving in the e-commerce field. The ECM Certificate program can help prepare you for a job in e-commerce. The following job categories/functions are just a sample of the opportunities:

• Functional management positions in an e-commerce company
• E-commerce executive position
• E-commerce program manager or project lead
• E-commerce practitioner/consultant
• Product marketing manager for e-commerce Web company/site
• Customer business solutions manager
• Web site business manager
• Web site content manager
• Internet marketing/sales representative/consultant
• Business development manager
• E-commerce entrepreneur

Certificate Requirements - 

To qualify for the Electronic Commerce Management Certificate, you must complete a total of 12 CEUs including eight required courses, totaling 6.9 CEUs and 5.1 CEUs in your choice of elective courses. The ECM program must be completed within two years of the start date to earn a certificate. Courses may be taken as requirements to complete the ECM certificate program or as stand-alone courses to improve your skills or sharpen existing proficiency. In addition to lectures, courses use hands-on activities, case studies and individual and group assignments to foster learning.

Advanced Certificate in E-Commerce Management Requirements

The Advanced ECM Certificate is designed for those that want a strong foundation in deploying, managing and evolving e-commerce within their corporations, coupled with a specialization in 3+ ECM disciplines. To qualify, you must complete a total of 20 CEUs. They are comprised of the Electronic Commerce Management Certificate and at least two Electronic Commerce Management Achievement Awards. Obtain them by combining three or more of the nine achievement awards offered through the ECM program. Combining the ECM certificate with the achievement awards will allow you to fine tune your ECM skills for a vast array of options.

ECM Achievement Awards Requirements

You can get an ECM Achievement Award by taking 5 elective courses plus at least 1.2 CEUs of required courses. Achievement awards may be earned in conjunction with the certificate in Electronic Commerce Management or by themselves. An achievement award indicates familiarity with a specific function area such as

• Deploying e-commerce within companies
• Managing and maintaining e-commerce within companies
• Evolving e-commerce within companies
• Business to business (B2B) e-commerce management
• Business to consumer (B2C) e-commerce management
• 360 degree customer focus
• E-commerce management marketing
• E-commerce management entrepreneurship
• International E-commerce management

Courses taken for an achievement award may also be used to fulfill the requirements of the E-Commerce Management Certificate and the Advanced Certificate in E-Commerce Management.

An elective can count toward the E-Commerce Management Certificate and an E-Commerce Management Achievement Award, however, an elective cannot be used for more than one E-Commerce Management Achievement Award.

Achievement Award Deploying E-Commerce within Companies

• CTGE 443I Developing and Managing Your E-Commerce Content (1.4 CEUs)
• CTGE 4430 How to Build an E-Commerce Business Plan (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 4450 25+ Internet Marketing Techniques (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 443T E-Commerce Fulfillment and Distribution Behind the Buy Button (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 443S E-Commerce Business Development (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443W E-Commerce Personalization (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 442 Starting an ECM Initiative Within Your Company (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442C Architecting E-Commerce Solutions for Delivery Over the Web (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442D Taking Your Business to Europe (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 442F ECM User Interface Strategy, Design and Development (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442G Communicating Effectively with Technical Professionals (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442J Creating Strategic ECM Partnerships on the Internet (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442N Mobile ECM (1.4 CEUs)
• CTGE 442L Customer-Led ECM Change Management (1.2 CEUs)

Achievement Award Managing and Maintaining E-Commerce Within Companies

• CTGE 443I Developing and Managing Your E-Commerce Content (l.4 CEUs)
• CTGE 443M E-Commerce Procurement Vendors, Processes and Standards (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443N Global E-Commerce Taking Your Business Global on the Web (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 443T E-Commerce Fulfillment and Distribution Behind the Buy Button (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 443S E-Commerce Business Development (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443Z Bridging ECM Technology and Business (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 442 Starting an ECM Initiative Within Your Company (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442E European ECM Momentum (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 442F ECM User Interface Strategy, Design and Development (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442G Communicating Effectively with Technical Professionals (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442J Creating Strategic ECM Partnerships on the Internet (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442K Metrics Measuring the Effects of E-Commerce Changes (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 442L Customer-Led ECM Change Management (1.2 CEUs)

Achievement Award Evolving E-Commerce Within Companies

• CTGE 443I Developing and Managing Your E-Commerce Content (l.4 CEUs)
• CTGE 443J Online E-Commerce Brand Building (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443U E-Commerce Market Research (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443Q Driving Net Market Maker Success - Content, Traffic and Revenue (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442F ECM User Interface Strategy, Design and Development (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442I Building an E-Business Roadmap (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442K Metrics Measuring the Effects of E-Commerce Changes (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 442M ECM Organizational Alignment (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442L Customer-Led ECM Change Management (1.2 CEUs)

Achievement Award B2B ECM

• CTGE 443J Online E-Commerce Brand Building (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443M E-Commerce Procurement Vendors, Processes and Standards (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443N Global E-Commerce Taking Your Business Global on the Web (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 443O How to Build an E-Commerce Business Plan (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 443Q Driving Net Market Maker Success - Content, Traffic and Revenue (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 443T E-Commerce Fulfillment and Distribution Behind the Buy Button (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 443U E-Commerce Market Research (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443V Online Communities to Drive E-Commerce - What, Why and How (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 443Z Bridging ECM Technology and Business (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 442A Increasing Your Early Stage Dot Com Valuation (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442C Architecting E-Commerce Solutions for Delivery over the Web (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442I Building an E-Business Roadmap (0.7 CEUs)

Achievement Award B2C ECM

• CTGE 443J Online E-Commerce Brand Building (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443N Global E-Commerce Taking Your Business Global on the Web (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 443O How to Build an E-Commerce Business Plan (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 443P Business to Consumer E-Commerce Marketing Case Studies in the Making (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443T E-Commerce Fulfillment and Distribution Behind the Buy Button (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 443U E-Commerce Market Research (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443V Online Communities to Drive E-Commerce - What, Why and How (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 443Z Bridging ECM Technology and Business (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 442A Increasing Your Early Stage Dot Com Valuation (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442C Architecting E-Commerce Solutions for Delivery Over the Web (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442I Building an E-Business Roadmap (0.7 CEUs)

Achievement Award 360 Degree Customer Focus

• CTGE 443I Developing and Managing Your E-Commerce Content (1.4 CEUs)
• CTGE 443J Online E-Commerce Brand Building (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443P Business to Consumer E-Commerce Marketing Case Studies in the Making
• (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443Q Driving Net Market Maker Success Content, Traffic and Revenue (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 443T E-Commerce Fulfillment and Distribution Behind the Buy Button (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 443U E-Commerce Market Research (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443V Online Communities to Drive E-Commerce What, Why and How (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 443W E-Commerce Personalization (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 442F ECM User Interface Strategy, Design and Development (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442I Building an E-Business Roadmap (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442K Metrics Measuring the Effects of E-Commerce Changes (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 442L Customer-Led ECM Change Management (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 442M ECM Organizational Alignment (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442N Mobile ECM (1.4 CEUs)

Achievement Award ECM Marketing

• CTGE 443I Developing and Managing Your E-Commerce Content (1.4 CEUs)
• CTGE 443J Online E-Commerce Brand Building (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443P Business to Consumer E-Commerce Marketing Case Studies in the Making
• (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 445O 25+ Internet Marketing Techniques (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 443S E-Commerce Business Development (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443U E-Commerce Market Research (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443W E-Commerce Personalization (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 442J Creating Strategic ECM Partnerships on the Internet (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442O How to Influence the Influencers A Crash Course in Analyst, Media and Public Relations (0.6 CEUs)

Achievement Award ECM Entrepreneurship

• CTGE 443K How to Raise Money from the Professional Investment Community for Your E-Commerce Business (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 443O How to Build an E-Commerce Business Plan (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 443P Business to Consumer E-Commerce Marketing Case Studies in the Making
• (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443Q Driving Net Market Maker Success Content, Traffic and Revenue (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 443U E-Commerce Market Research (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443S E-Commerce Business Development (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 442A Increasing Your Early Stage Dot Com Valuation (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442C Architecting E-Commerce Solutions for Delivery over the Web (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442G Communicating Effectively with Technical Professionals (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442J Creating Strategic ECM Partnerships on the Internet (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442O How to Influence the Influencers A Crash Course in Analyst, Media and Public Relations (0.6 CEUs)

Achievement Award International ECM

• CTGE 443I Developing and Managing Your E-Commerce Content (1.4 CEUs)
• CTGE 443J Online E-Commerce Brand Building (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 443N Global E-Commerce Taking Your Business Global on the Web (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 443O How to Build an E-Commerce Business Plan (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 442 Starting an ECM Initiative Within Your Company (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442C Architecting E-Commerce Solutions for Delivery over the Web (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442D Taking Your Business to Europe (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 442E European ECM Momentum (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 442I Building an E-Business Roadmap (0.7 CEUs)
• CTGE 442K Metrics Measuring the Effects of E-Commerce Changes (0.6 CEUs)
• CTGE 442L Customer-Led ECM Change Management (1.2 CEUs)
• CTGE 442N Mobile ECM (1.4 CEUs)

Most classes require outside time to complete unsupervised group and/or individual homework assignments. The outside time needed will range from four to six hours with the exception of E-Commerce Solutions Thinking Outside the Box (CTGE 443G), which requires 20 to 25 hours to complete an outside team activity.

The classes in this program can be taken in any order except E-Commerce Solutions Thinking Outside the Box (CTGE 443G), which should be taken after the completion of eight CEUs. It is recommended that you take E-Commerce Management The Big Picture (CTGE 443) early in the program.

Electives may be taken at any time. All required courses and most, or all, of your electives should be completed prior to taking E-Commerce Solutions Thinking Outside the Box (CTGE 443G).

Course credit is offered in continuing education units (CEUs), nationally recognized units of credit for professional development. CEUs earned in these classes become part of your official San Jose State University Professional Development transcript.

Faculty - Learn from industry experts from the "real-world" of e-commerce. These professionals are implementing, managing and evolving e-commerce systems as part of their day-to-day jobs. As instructors, they bring genuine e-commerce experience, not just theory. Read about our faculty.

Alumni Association - The Electronic Commerce Management Alumni Association (ECMAA) of San Jose State University is a professional society dedicated to providing ongoing value to the alumni, instructors, and students of our program. It is a platform for networking and mentoring, in addition to providing a vehicle for SJSU ECM graduates and potential employers to link up and explore opportunities. For more information visit our website or contact Mitchell Levy, Alumni Director, at (408) 257-3000 or Mitchell.Levy.SJSUPD@ecnow.com. At the Alumni site, you can also read students comments on the program.

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