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Part 1  Introduction

     Introduction 

 Defining an adequate technology infrastructure is vital to all start-up online businesses and 

existing companies making the transformation to digital business. The infrastructure and 

support of different types of digital platforms directly affect the quality of service experienced 

by users of the systems in terms of speed and responsiveness. The range of digital services 

provided also determines the capability of an organisation to compete through differentiat-

ing itself in the marketplace. Mcafee and Brynjolfsson (2008) suggest that to use digital tech-

nology to compete, the mantra for the CEO should be: 

  Deploy, innovate, and propagate: First, deploy a consistent technology platform. Then sepa‑

rate yourself from the pack by coming up with better ways of working. Finally, use the platform 

to propagate these business innovations widely and reliably. In this regard, deploying IT serves 

two distinct roles – as a catalyst for innovative ideas and as an engine for delivering them.