The Knowledge Network of E-Commerce and Internationalization of Entrepreneurship

A theory of knowledge networks is used to trace theearly scholarly foundations of e-commerce.First, the potential impact ofe-commerce on customers, suppliers, competitors, entrepreneurs, organizations,and society is discussed.What follows is a description of the theory ofknowledge networks, which are defined as collections of interconnectedknowledge resources capable of portraying the developmental patterns anddiffusion processes in e-commerce-centered knowledge systems. Next, the results of a multi-phase research study, which was designed todevelop a preliminary perspective on the knowledge network of e-commerce, arepresented. Adopting bibliometric epistemology as a primary research method, aknowledge network is uncovered that features lists of frequently cited authors,documents (including books, chapters, and reports), and other mediasources. The highlights of this knowledge network are presented, followed byconclusions and implications.It is noted that this research paves the wayfor a greater understanding of various connected concepts in the e-commercecontext, as well as the implicit alliances among stakeholders, includingresearchers and practitioners. (SAA)