Foreword

In 2006 two conferences, ICEB and eBRF, joined forces in Tampere, Finland to create a joint conference for researchers, practitioners and policymakers all over the world. The conference was built around the main theme “Global Conference on Emergent Business Phenomena in the Digital Economy”. ICEB (The International Conference on Electronic Business) is an Asian based conference that has been organized earlier in Hong Kong (twice), Taipei, Singapore and Beijing. Behind the ICEB conference is an organization called the International Consortium for Electronic Business (ICEB), which was founded in 2001. The ICEB conference has been established as an important forum for both researchers and business people in the field of e-business. In 2005, the conference in Hong Kong received 160 camera-ready papers and welcomed 130 participants. The eBRF (Research Forum to Understand Business in Knowledge Society) was also launched in 2001 and has since been organized annually in Tampere, Finland. Every year the eBRF has attracted over 200 participants to Tampere, produced altogether over 230 reviewed research papers and established itself as a leading business conference in Finland. The eBRF has been organized by the eBRC (e-Business Research Center), which was a joint venture between University of Tampere and Tampere University of Technology and belonged to the eTampere knowledge society program.

The idea of a joint conference ICEB + eBRF emerged some years ago. The ICEB board wanted to internationalize the conference by taking it outside the Asian countries. The board of the eBRF wanted to welcome this new stronger international dimension. The goal in 2006 was to inspire discussion among the participants of both conferences and to open up new insights on emerging phenomena that are relevant for researchers and actors in the digital economy.

The main theme was divided into three areas: (1) Digitization of Business and its Global Infrastructure - Private and Public Challenges, (2) Creation and Management of Information and Knowledge, and (3) Building Business in the Network Economy. The conference received a total of 113 submitted abstracts and full papers that went through a double-blind review process. The abstracts/full papers were reviewed by an international group of senior scholars representing the themes at hand. An accepted abstract/full paper was followed by the submission of a camera-ready final paper. Presentation of an accepted paper in the conference was a necessary condition for publishing the paper in the conference proceedings.

A total number of 73 research presentations and 9 keynote presentations were held at the conference. Altogether 170 participants attended, and 21 countries were represented at the conference. The conference (Nov. 28 – Dec. 2.) started with a Get Together evening at hotel Holiday Inn. Some participants enjoyed the opportunity to attend company visits (Nokia Future Lab and Metso Automation). The 3-day conference was held at Tampere Hall, a modern conference center in the center of Tampere City. The Tampere City offered a City Reception at Old City Hall on Wed 29th, and the Conference dinner was held at Finlayson Palace on Thu 30th.

ICEB + eBRF 2006 was organized by the Institute of Business Information Management at the Tampere University of Technology. Co-organizers included the following universities: Tsinghua University (China), The National University of Singapore, National Chiao Tung University, (Taiwan), National Chengchi University, (Taiwan), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Macquarie Graduate School of Management, (Australia), California Polytechnic State University, (USA), California State University, Sacramento, (USA) and the University of Tampere (Finland). Because of the scale and breadth of the organizing committee and the joint nature of the conference, the International Program Committee was likewise exceptionally extensive.

I warmly thank the keynote speakers and researchers presenting their papers, as well as all who participated in the conference process as a member of Review Committee or International Program Committee, as session chairs, session coordinators and in other roles.

My warmest thanks belong to Professor Eldon Y. Li, executive director of ICEB for his contribution to the joint conference. I am also happy to thank other ICEB Board members, and especially those who participated in the conference, i.e. Professor Waiman Cheung, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor Russel K.H. Ching, California State University, Sacramento, USA, Professor Chi-Chun Lo, National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan, Professor Willem Selen, Macquarie Graduate School of Management, Australia and Professor Baoding Liu, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.

Without the contribution of dedicated stakeholder groups, this historic conference would have not been possible. I wish to thank the Academy of Finland, the Foundation for Economic Education (Liikesivistysrahasto) and the ICEB + eBRF 2006 Conference partners: IBM, Metso Automation, Nokia, OpusCapita, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Tampere Chamber of Commerce, Tampere International Business Office and Technology Centre Hermia for their co-operation and sponsorship. Tampere Hall and Project manager Tiina Lumio provided excellent premises for the conference. Chief information officer Teppo Sulonen at The City of Tampere as well as the performing artists at the conference dinner contributed in an important way to the success ad relaxed atmosphere of the conference.

As the Chair of the Conference, I express my gratitude to the local organizing committee members Prof. Mika Hannula and Dr. Marko Seppä, who acted as Chair of LOC. The central role of the Chief Coordinator of ICEB + eBRF 2006, Johanna Tommila (EBRC) cannot be overemphasized. I thank her as well as Project coordinator Mia Häkkinen (EBRC), Secretary Annamaija Paunu-Virtanen (Institute of Business Information Management), and earlier Chief Coordinator until 05/06, Hanna Martin-Vahvanen (Metso Automation) for their dedication and excellent co-operation.

I hope that you enjoyed your sojourn in Tampere. Looking forward to seeing you at the eBRF and ICEB conferences that will be held separately again in 2007: eBRF Business Research Forum in Jyväskylä, Finland, and ICEB in Taipei, Taiwan.

Marjatta Maula
ICEB + eBRF 2006 Conference Chair