The European e-Business Report 2004 - Berlecon Research GmbH

More documents

Recommendations

Info

The European E-Business Report 2004Secondly, it has frequently been experienced that the adherence to traditional, establishedbusiness cultures can be very strong among small firms, particularly in craft and trade sectors.• A certain degree of reluctance among many small firms to abandon traditional business culturesand models, even if for the benefit of doing things more efficiently, can also be an obstacle to cooperationamong themselves. In some sectors, however, new ways of co-operation among SMEshave already proved to be successful and necessary, for example in the furniture industry. 41Policy measures to stimulate the participation of SMEs in business networks are thereforeparticularly relevant in these sectors where such co-operations appear to have the highestpotential and impact.Exhibit 1.8-1: Relevance of SME e-business policy objectives by sectorTo improvemanagerialunderstanding andskills for e-businessamong SMEsTo improve theavailability ofe-businesssolutions for SMEsTo promoteparticipation ofSMEs in businessnetworks ande-marketplacesTextile industries Chemical industries Electronics Transport equipment Craft and trade Retail Tourism ICT services Business services Health services = not relevant; = some relevance; = rather relevant; = highly relevantSource: e-Business W@tch (2004)Othermeasures(sector specific)The grouping of policy challenges identified in the e-Business W@tch Sector Studies under the threeobjectives of the EC framework is a useful but rather crude simplification. Furthermore, the frameworkdoes not indicate whether the challenges must or should rather be dealt with at a European, nationalor regional level. Some policy approaches require the co-ordination of different governmental levels,for example RTD oriented policies, while others need to be implemented predominantly on a specificgeographical level. The support of standardisation developments, for example, which has beenrecommended in several of the reports, can best be addressed by the European Commission orEuropean industry groups, if at all (considering that standardisation is mostly a voluntary process).Awareness raising targeted at SMEs, on the other hand, can only be effectively achieved throughintermediaries at the regional level.Exhibit 1.8-2 groups suggestions for possible policy initiatives that were raised in the Sector Studiesaccording to the underlying objective and the policy level (from regional to European) on which thesuggested action should probably be addressed, acknowledging that many of the policies could ofcourse be addressed at different levels. Thus, it can be considered as an extension of the SME e-business policy framework proposed by the EC which can be further developed at the national,regional, local or sectoral level depending on the specific conditions. It is a main objective of the e-Business Support Network (eBSN) 42 to communicate and exchange such policies across the EU,together with the lessons learned. Replication of successful policies, while avoidance of making thesame mistakes again, is the goal of this initiative.4142See Sector Study on Craft and Trade, August 2004.The eBSN is an initiative launched by DG Enterprise to improve co-operation among e-business policy-makingactivities in Europe (for more information, see www.e-bsn.org).69
The European E-Business Report 2004Exhibit 1.8-2: Suggestions for policy actions mapped by objectives and levelObjectiveLevelEU National RegionalTo improvemanagerialunderstandingand skills fore-business amongSMEsTo improve theavailability ofe-businesssolutions forSMEsTo promoteparticipation ofSMEs in businessnetworks ande-marketplacesOthermeasuresMake it easier forsmall firms toparticipate inEuropean RTDprogrammesMonitor the demandfor ICT skills amongenterprises, possibly atsectoral level (at leaston the levels of manufacturingand services),develop profilesof skills required andassess the supplysituation for thoseskillsEncourage theadoption of e-standardsIn particular, promotethe standardisation ofcomputer languagesused for moreadvanced forms ofsupply chainmanagementMonitor the evolutionof marketplaces /Internet tradingplatforms and therelated businesspracticesMonitor marketconcentration in onlineretail marketsPublic administration as a rolemodel in using electronicprocurementPromote IT and e-businesstraining opportunities, forinstance by providingincentives for participationDevelop high-quality ICTeducation programmes (atuniversity level)Collect good e-businesspractice examples toovercome mental / culturalreservations among SMEsProvide financial incentivesfor innovation through e-business adoptionDevelop web-basedresources and interactivemodules for e-businesssupport in craft and tradeStimulate the customisation ofe-business tools as part ofinnovation policiesMonitor the participation ofSMEs on electronicmarketplacesReduce legal barriers to craftbusiness market entry (e.g. inDE, LU), particularly in ICTrelatedcraftsCreate the regulatoryenvironment for a competitivetelecommunication market, sothat companies have accessto services at low pricesSource: e-Business W@tch (2004)Encourage ICT training,especially among micro andsmall enterprises and in thenew Member StatesImprove access of SMEs toinformation about e-businessImprove the knowledge transferbetween competence centres,business developmentagencies and SMEsEducate SMEs aboutopportunities of using simpleInternet applicationsEncourage links between smallfirms and schools & universitiesto give them access to youngskilled peopleChange the investment attitudeof SMEs from saving costs bynot investing to building valueby investing in ICTStimulate co-operative projectsinvolving software providersand regional SMEsSupport the establishment oflocal e-commerce platforms forSMEs, particularly in retailEmphasis on and support forthe development of networkrelations among SMEs andcustomersEducate SMEs about regulatorychanges and consequences ofthe EU enlargement70
Page 1 and 2:
Third3Synthesis ReportThe Europeane
Page 3 and 4:
The e-Business W@tchThe European Co
Page 5 and 6:
The European E-Business Report 2004
Page 7 and 8:
Page 9 and 10:
Page 11 and 12:
Page 13 and 14:
Page 15:
Page 18 and 19:
Page 20 and 21: The European E-Business Report 2004
Page 42 and 43: Third3Synthesis ReportElectronic Bu
Page 44 and 45: Section I: The e-Business Index(a p
Page 46 and 47: Section II: The European e-Business
Page 52 and 53: Section III: 20 indicators on ICT a
Page 120 and 121:
Page 122 and 123:
Page 124 and 125:
Page 126 and 127:
Page 128 and 129:
Page 130 and 131:
Page 132 and 133:
Page 134 and 135:
Page 136 and 137:
Page 138 and 139:
Page 140 and 141:
Page 142 and 143:
Page 144 and 145:
Page 146 and 147:
Page 148 and 149:
Page 150 and 151:
Page 152 and 153:
Page 154 and 155:
Page 156 and 157:
Page 158 and 159:
Page 160 and 161:
Page 162 and 163:
Page 164 and 165:
Page 166 and 167:
Page 168 and 169:
Page 170 and 171:
Page 172 and 173:
Page 174 and 175:
Page 176 and 177:
Page 178 and 179:
Page 180 and 181:
Page 182 and 183:
Page 184 and 185:
Page 186 and 187:
Page 188 and 189:
Page 190 and 191:
Page 192 and 193:
Page 194 and 195:
Page 196 and 197:
Page 198 and 199:
Page 200 and 201:
Page 202 and 203:
Page 204 and 205:
Page 206 and 207:
Page 208 and 209:
Page 210 and 211:
Page 212 and 213:
Page 214 and 215:
Page 216 and 217:
Page 218 and 219:
Page 220 and 221:
Page 222 and 223:
Page 224 and 225:
Page 226 and 227:
Page 228 and 229:
Page 230 and 231:
Page 232 and 233:
Page 234 and 235:
Page 236 and 237:
Page 238 and 239:
Page 240:
Enterprise publications
show all

The European e-Business Report 2004 - Berlecon Research GmbH

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?