ABSTRACT
The electronic exchange of commercial data was a direct consequence of the computerization of businesses as a way to increase operational efficiencies through automation. The need for standardization became acutely apparent after the introduction of just-in-time (JIT) production in global enterprises and increased focus on the efficiency of the procurement process to improve the response to market stimuli as well as control operational costs. Specifically, supply networks are constituted by firms that purchase goods, their suppliers, and their suppliers’ suppliers. Increasing the efficiency of the supply networks is a key objective of supply chain management by linking the activities of buying, manufacturing, and shipping products from suppliers to purchasing firms to improve response to market conditions. More recently, the adoption of the Internet in commercial applications has generated new possibilities in the fragmented markets and for small and medium enterprises.
