"A report on BP (Oil and Chemical company) and its E-commerce Arm"
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Introduction to BP
Several questions arise if we are given the possibility that an oil exploring company wants to use e-commerce for its B2B and B2C operations. These open-ended questions are well replied to by BP’s ‘digital business program’ which has been globally recognized for its present and future initiatives. Before we critically analyze BP’s e-commerce operations I would like to briefly outline BP’s position in the world market.
BP Amoco (now known as BP) is one of the largest most integrated oil companies in the world. Operating in more than 100 counties, in six continents and serving 10 million customers every day throughout the world. The companies’ main activities are exploration and production of crude oil and natural gases; refining, marketing, supply and transportation; solar power manufacturing and marketing of petrochemicals. BP acquired Arco and merged with Amoco to become one of the most strategic businesses in the energy industry. Its annual sales are estimated at 25 million tonnes of petrochemicals, specialties and fabricated products worldwide, creating an annual turnover of nearly $101 billion in 1998-1999.
BP always understood that market efficiency and success required articulate technology and the corresponding use of e-commerce. In July 1999, Sir John Browne CEO embarked on the mission of the digital transformation of BP. He was quoted as saying, " We needed to respond to the new opportunities presented by digital business and perhaps even more importantly, tackle the challenges presented by the new players in the marketplace." Other energy players had a ...