47. Competitive Differentiation in the Digital Environment and Social Networks

Differentiation of services means the inclusion of new services that represent variations to those services that are already part of a range of services. Differentiation of services exists on the basis of service with a real or perceived, rational or emotional value and occupying a place in the mind of the customer. The extent to which these values are important to the customer determines whether they have differentiated themselves. The contribution deals with the so-called virtual value chains in the digital environment e.g. in the two worlds: in physical and in virtual world of information. The comparison of selected social network based on the value chain is included too. This virtual world provides an opportunity to penetrate into the world of electronic business as a new centre of value formation. In buying electronic services with the use of market place in the form of virtual sphere, there are services in the form of digital information which are provided through information channels. Building a virtual value chain through which a company integrates information that is necessary for ensuring processes in the value chain provide managers with an ability to “see” these information flows in the value chain from the beginning to the end as the basis for differentiation as well as for success on the market.