Internet Business, Home Business, Franchise
Electronic business, commonly referred to as \"eBusiness\" or \"e-business\", or an internet business, may be defined as the application of information and communication technologies (ICT) in support of all the activities of business. Commerce constitutes the exchange of products and services between businesses, groups and individuals and can be seen as one of the essential activities of any business. Electronic commerce focuses on the use of ICT to enable the external activities and relationships of the business with individuals, groups and other businesses. In practice, e-business is more than just e-commerce. While e-business refers to more strategic focus with an emphasis on the functions that occur using electronic capabilities, e-commerce is a subset of an overall e-business strategy. E-commerce seeks to add revenue streams using the World Wide Web or the Internet to build and enhance relationships with clients and partners and to improve efficiency using the Empty Vessel strategy A home business (or \"home-based business\" or \"HBB\") is a small business that operates from the business owner\'s home office. In addition to location, home businesses are usually defined by having a very small number of employees, usually all immediate family of the business owner, in which case it is also a family business. Home businesses generally lack shop frontage, customer parking and street advertising signs. Such businesses are sometimes prohibited by residential zoning regulations.
The prospect of working from home as gained credibility over the years. Home offices can now compete with small commercial businesses and save on rent in the process. Faxes, high speed internet connections, dedicated home telephone lines, and cell phones help to make a home-based business a reality.
Home business are becoming popular for freelances. For instance writers who have been let go by their companies can do freelance work from home because there is still a demand for their services. A franchise buisness in one that has been purchased and that uses another firm\'s successful business model. The word \'franchise\' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a (transitive) verb. For the franchisor, the franchise is an alternative to building \'chain stores\' to distribute goods and avoid investment and liability over a chain. The franchisor\'s success is the success of the franchisees. The franchisee is said to have a greater incentive than a direct employee because he or she has a direct stake in the business.
Except in the US, and now in China (2007) where there are explicit Federal (and in the US, State) laws covering franchise, most of the world recognizes \'franchise\' but rarely makes legal provisions for it. Only Australia, various provinces within Canada, France and Brazil have significant Disclosure laws but Brazil regulates franchises more closely.