Downloads - empirica

e-Business in the chemical, rubber and plastics industrySMEs in this respect is less pronounced than could be expected. Even about two thirds ofthe small companies said that at least some of their processes were "e-business", while,on the other hand, there is a relatively high percentage of large companies whichreported to have no electronic processes (23%). This raises questions, as this contradictsthe empirical evidence found in case studies. It is possible, however, that intervieweeshad a different concept of "e-business" in mind when responding to this question.To gain further evidence, companies were also asked to assess which of the followingstatements best described the way they exchanged data with business partners: whether"orders and related messages were mostly …processed and exchanged electronically;electronically processed internally, but then exchanged in a paper-based format; orprocessed and exchanged in paper based format, i.e. by letter or fax.Exhibit 3.3-2 shows how firms assessed their own position within these categories,comparing different size-bands and European with US companies.In Europe, about 30% of the mediumsizedand large firms say that theirdata exchanges with businesspartners are "mostly processed andexchanged electronically", while only8% of small firms say so. In total,firms representing 27% of employmentfeel that their exchanges aremostly digitised. It strikes that moreUS companies appear to havereached this status, at least in termsof their self-perception. In the USA,47% (by employment) place themselvesinto the highly digitised category.Among the European countriescovered by the survey, the percentageof firms in the digitised category washighest in Sweden, the UK and Spain(about 35% each), while the group ofcompanies saying that paper-basedexchanges dominate was highest inItaly (46%).Among small companies with up to 49employees, paper-based manual processingof documents is still thedominating reality – 50% say that thischaracterises their exchanges withsuppliers and customers.Exhibit 3.3-2: % of companies saying that theyexchange and process documents … (2007)CRP (EU-7)ChemicalRubber & plasticsSmall (10-49)Medium (50-249)Large (250+)CRP (USA)1727252828mostly electronically0 20 40 60 80 10031electronic processing - paper-based deliverymostly paper basedThe survey was conducted in 7 EU Member States (DE,FR, IT, ES, PL, SE, UK) and in the USA.Base (100%) = companies with at least 10 employeesexcl. those saying "don't know". N (Chemical, EU-7 andUSA) = 891.Weighting: Figures for sector totals and countries areweighted by employment ("firms representing x% ofemployment in the sector / country"), figures for sizebandsin % of firms.334733393750413634253950352817Source: e-Business Survey 2007 by the SeBW52