A Contextual Perspective on E-Commerce Across Industries in Singapore and Lagos: Implications of Local Imperatives

Globalization of production and the increasing competitive pace spurs greater business use of online networks. As economic globalization extends its reach over cities and regions, the positions of regional economies within the emerging global paradigm is changing. Only those regions and cities that can mobilize assets for local advantage are expected to succeed. This research examines the role of electronic commerce (EC) and the implications of location for industrial operations through the lens of management. A resource-based perspective and Porter’s (1990) frameworks provide the theoretical underpinning for this work. Our findings reveal varying results between industries and across cities. Industries with well-configured inputs are more likely to experience efficiency in EC activities and outputs, given conducive operational conditions. However firm-specific feature was not linked to improved output, a finding inconsistent with prior studies. Finally, EC business models that focus on operational efficiency strongly complement the historically relevant location variable in industrial undertakings.