Like most forms of communication or marketing, many “Web” awards are presented for the “Best,” “Top” or “Most Visited” Web sites. However, the Web site is not successful dependent on any of these or any other number of categories. For, like communication and marketing, the Web site is a management tool for organizations or individuals who wish to coordinate its use in helping them achieve their particular objectives. This is because the Web site is “yet another powerful tool to help achieve the goals of the enterprise. The enterprise can be a business, a school, a government agency, or an individual. It doesn’t matter who sponsors the Web site; the Web site should be viewed as a key new tool and must play its team role,” (Sachs and Stair, 1997: 14).
The Web site is anchored on the Web by the design and utilization of the Web or “Home” page which often has various links to other Web pages that have less general and more specific forms and types of information, communication or product and service offerings. However, the Web page is essential for many different reasons. First of all, it is useful because it is designed to support company goals. All stakeholders in the organization (vendors, suppliers, partners, customers, etc.) benefit from the formal or informal advertising the Web page represents. A Web site is often valuable because it can bring speed and efficiency (often with less expense) to many of the activities carried out by the company using them.
One of the biggest purposes of the Web page is its role of acting as the first introduction between the customer and the firm who has created it. It is from this page that all other information, products or services the company offers can be gleaned. It is a road-map in cyberspace, so-to-speak, between the company’s offerings, the client and the effective route for the two coming together in such a way as to produce mutual satisfaction...