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This article presents an alternative perspective on the nature and function of the firm.

Proposes a reform in the intellectual property rights system. The proposed changes give employees/inventors the right to claim back their patents from firms that do not commercialize the patented inventions within a limited period of time. Large corporations commercialize only a fraction of their patent portfolios, and yet the current intellectual property laws do not provide employees/inventors with alternative ways to realize their ideas. The proposed reform empowers nimble employees by providing them with ownership claims against the patent assignees. Ownership claims are considered more effective in empowering employees in an economy where technological and organizational transformation undermine the significance of stakeholder claims.

In 1998 J.P. Morgan’s analysts forecast that the market for e‐CRM (customer relationship management) solutions would grow rapidly. Since then more than 700 e‐CRM firms have emerged. The convergence of information technologies caused enterprise information systems providers to add e‐CRM functionality to their systems, thus further increasing the number of e‐CRM suppliers. The proliferation of e‐CRM concepts, models and technologies causes significant confusion and uncertainty. Corporate executives question the economic benefits of investing in multimillion dollar e‐CRM projects, ponder about the right business and organizational models for e‐CRM, and are uncertain which e‐CRM models and technologies will prove both profitable and sustainable over time. With so many failed e‐CRM initiatives some executives wonder whether e‐CRM is not simply a hype. In the present paper what e‐CRM is, from where the economic benefits from investing in e‐CRM derive, and the evolution of alternative e‐CRM models are elaborated. It is also argued that successful e‐CRM projects are not narrowly departmental, but instead organization‐wide initiatives. The paper presents a conceptual framework for e‐CRM organizational architecture. The findings in the paper are based on e‐CRM industry analysis, evaluation and work experience with over 50 e‐CRM vendors, and on consulting experience with numerous corporations.