EBIP Synthesis Report
Preliminary policy messages
Vladimir López-Bassols, OECD
EBIP Workshop
29-30 October 2001, Rome
1
Background and goals
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Cross-country Synthesis Report
Detailed responses from 179 firms
30 reports covering 14 sectors in 10 countries
Need for policy-makers to understand the ecommerce environment from the perspective of
participants
Identify where the scope for positive policy
intervention is greatest
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Factors examined
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Although some factors relate to micro-environment,
most are embedded within macro conditions
No simple obstacle/advantage dichotomy
Methodology (“data reporting sheets”) covers 6 areas:
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Telecommunications infrastructure
Regulatory factors
Internal factors
Relations with other firms
Competitiveness
General government policy
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Overall approach
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Initial focus was on messages from firms, followed by
additional analysis (inferred messages)
Also tried to capture size effects and sector
differences (tangible/intangible)
Initial analysis reveals a new set of 4 broad factors:
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Cost factors
Technology factors
Confidence factors
Competence factors
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Cost factors
Positive
Negative
No effects / not applicable
Costs of engaging in
e-commerce
Telecom costs
Taxation measures
Financial support for
R&D, diffusion or
uptake
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
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Cost factors: some results
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1 in 3 firms found it difficult to justify e-commerce
implementation costs
Declining equipment and software prices increase affordability;
Web-based solutions often more affordable
More than 50% of firms did not consider telecom costs a
significant obstacle. Concerns about costs in foreign markets.
Taxation: relatively neutral factor, perceived as somewhat
negative by large firms
R&D subsidy programmes: around 2/3 of firms considered them
“not applicable” or “not relevant”
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Technology factors
Positive
Negative
No effects / not applicable
Available technology
Netw ork reliability
Netw ork flexibility
Competition betw een
transaction systems
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
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Technology factors: some results
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Installed technology base: significant factor, evenly
split positive/negative
Public network infrastructure: flexibility, and to a
lesser extent reliability, deemed adequate (especially
by large firms)
Some concerns remain: bandwidth, insufficient
liberalisation and competition in the telecom industry
(Competing) transaction systems: high expectations
regarding interoperability and standards
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Confidence factors
Positive
Negative
No effects / not applicable
Transaction security
Authentication and certification
Legal structures
Protection of intellectual property
Brand image
Aw areness-raising & demonstration
Government online
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
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Confidence factors: some results
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More than a technological problem. Gap between perceived
risks and reality.
Solving security, authentication, certification problems has a
direct and positive impact
Overall satisfaction with underlying legal framework: main
problems cited were enforcement and uncertainty in foreign
markets
IPR protection: main concern in music industry (pace of
technological change, need for clarification)
Brands: important asset for large firms, mainly in markets where
buyers perceive high risk (banking, travel, logistics)
Public profile: disappointing results (sample? interpretation?).
Consensus that government has a role to play.
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Competence factors
Positive
Negative
No effects / not applicable
Management attitude
Skills and training
Human factors
Training programmes
Education system
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
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Competence factors: some results
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Management attitude a strong driver
Human factors: more difficulties for small firms
Skills and training: only 10% of firms identified these
as having no effect
Significant challenge: away from technical skills,
towards new e-business skills. Skill upgrading for
higher value added tasks
Education and training: challenges for both firms and
governments
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Other observations
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Type of asset base (tangible/intangible) did not yield
significant differences except in isolated cases
Quantitative analysis of implementation factors which
accounts for positive and negative responses reveals
an order of priorities (from the perspective of firms):
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High: competence factors
Moderate: cost
Low: confidence
Lowest: technology
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Considering policy options
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Refocusing the debate: from market governance
(facilitate organisation and coordination) to
stimulation (ensure opportunities and equity)
Messages from “proactive” firms not fully
representative
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Policy: looking forward
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Enhanced electronic infrastructure (broadband) and greater
coordination with physical infrastructure (logistics)
Importance of international market governance, cross-border
interoperability
Competition policy should not assume e-commerce has innate
dynamics that subvert competitive environment: new
commercial hierarchies within networks, different degrees of
intermediation, greater opportunities for value-chains to intersect
More effective SME support through better understanding and
analysis of sector and market characteristics
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