A new research center at Virginia Tech will help businesses develop expertise in electronic commerce and promote research and education in this rapidly growing field.

The center has a threefold mission: to respond to the need for training in implementing and managing e-commerce businesses; to promote interdisciplinary research on business and the Internet; and to design a curriculum for e-commerce education. It will hold regular seminars for businesses, conduct customized strategic planning and plan implementation, and develop online resources. Sample topics may include "development and maintenance of customized electronic commerce systems," "electronic marketing assistance," and "legal, regulatory, and ethical awareness."

The Center for Global Electronic Commerce comprises a diverse group of faculty members at the university's Pamplin College of Business whose expertise ranges from information technology systems to the legal, managerial, accounting, and marketing aspects of e-commerce.

The center is directed by business law professor Janine Hiller, an expert in Internet law and regulation. She and other faculty members proposed starting the center more than a year ago to share information about their research in e-commerce and to respond to growing business demand for assistance.

Businesses are turning to e-commerce, Hiller says, because of large cost savings, speedier processing of orders, and better information flow inside and outside the business.