Information age business and knowledge-driven virtual market places

For the production in an e-business environment digitalisation of economy requires an excellent coordination in virtual customer-related organisations. The efficiency depends on the competence to integrate knowledge into processes. Therewith the value of products and production in an information age society is based on the value of knowledge. The effects of this development can be seen in innovative forms of marketplaces and new aspects of business like information broking, consumer-driven virtual cooperation as well as the material and immaterial accounting of knowledge. This leads to future challenges and opportunities especially concerning global markets of sourcing and distribution, the competition and competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises as well as the value of knowledge in an information oriented global society.