ICT and e-Business in the Pulp, Paper and Paper ... - empirica

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Annex I: The e-Business Survey 2006 –
Methodology Report
Background and scope
Questionnaire
Population
e-Business W@tch collects data relating to the use of ICT and e-business in European
enterprises by means of representative surveys. The e-Business Survey 2006, which was
the fourth survey after those of 2002, 2003 and 2005, had a scope of 14,081 telephone
interviews with decision-makers in enterprises from 29 countries, including the 25 EU
Member States, EEA and Acceding / Candidate Countries. 131 Interviews were carried out
in March and April 2006, using computer-aided telephone interview (CATI) technology.
The questionnaire is similar to those used in the previous surveys from 2002 to 2005 in
order to ensure a basic continuity of the research approach. The module on ICT impact
was substantially extended compared to 2005, in response to current policy interest, in
exchange for some questions from other modules.
Some questions which were also used in previous surveys were slightly modified. The
most important change in this context concerns questions on e-commerce: up to 2005,
companies were asked whether they "purchase / sell online"; in 2006, companies were
asked whether they "place / accept orders online". This is a more precise question, since
the terms "purchasing" and "selling" leave it open whether ordered goods also have to be
paid online in order to qualify for "online purchasing / selling".
Some specific topics were added or expanded in the questionnaire in order to reflect the
latest e-business developments; examples are the new questions on the use of RFID and
Voice-over-IP.
The questionnaires of all four surveys (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006) can be downloaded from
the e-Business W@tch website (www.ebusiness-watch.org/about/methodology.htm).
As in 2005, the survey considered only companies that used computers. Thus, the
highest level of the population was the set of all computer-using enterprises which were
active within the national territory of one of the 29 countries covered, and which had their
primary business activity in one of the 10 sectors specified on the basis of NACE Rev.
1.1.
Evidence from previous surveys shows that computer use can be expected to be 99% or
more in all sectors among medium-sized and large firms. Differences are more relevant,
however, for micro and small enterprises, in particular in the food and beverages industry,
the textile and footwear industries, construction and tourism. In these four sectors, 10-
30% of micro enterprises and 4-15% of small firms (depending on the country and sector)
do not use a computer. 132 This should be considered when comparing figures over the
years, as figures either represent a percentage of "all companies" (as in 2002 and 2003)
131 The EEA (European Economic Area) includes, in addition to EU Member States, Iceland,
Liechtenstein and Norway. Acceding Countries with whom an Accession Treaty has been
signed are Bulgaria and Romania; Candidate Countries, which are candidates for accession
into the EU, are (as of September 2006) Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
and Turkey. In most of these countries, interviews and/or case studies were conducted.
132 Non-computer users include typically small craft firms (textile, construction), bars, restaurants or
pensions (in tourism), and small food producing companies.
183