Perhaps the larger impact of e-commerce on labour market can be seen in the form of online job search. In terms of formal information and services, there would be advantages in the development of more interactive jobs search sites, allowing job seekers to store search preferences and user profiles, and to follow through identified vacancies by making online applications. The internet has become an invaluable tool for sourcing and recruiting qualified staff. The ease of posting employment openings, the relatively low cost of advertising and the speed of candidates response has many hiring managers devoting more time than ever before to recruiting online. However, very little is known about the importance of online job applications or direct employer initiated contracts with the potential candidates. Even then, online job posting has grown spectacularly (Autor, 2001). Estimates place the number of online job boards6at over 3000, the number of active resumes online at over 7 million, and the number of job posting over at 29 million (Boyle et al, 1999; Computer Economics,2000). Kuhn and Skuterud (2000) reported that 7 per cent of employed workers regularly use the web to search for a new job in 1998. The leading job boards7, Monster.Com offered 3.9 million resumes and 4, 30,000 jobs in August 2000 (Nakamura and Pugh, 2000). As with other tools, the internet is not without the limitations as a means of attracting qualified candidates. For example, companies listing opportunities on major job boards may receive applications from a much wider geographic region- and sometimes less qualified applicants-requiring additional sorting and review. Firms are also noting that some candidates who post their resumes online may be more passive job seekers;
Table 9.1 Benefits of E-commerce http://www.wiley.com/college/turban/0471073806/sc/ch09.pdf • Expands a company’s marketplace to national and international markets. With minimal capital outlay, a