Special Issue
Measuring e-business for Development
Table of contents
- Measuring e-business for Development
Gagnon S., Hung P.C.K., Passerini K. and Vargas-Martin M. abstract - Measuring the Diffusion of e-Business in the Information Society
Salmeron J.L., Banuls V.A. abstract - Assessing e-Business Capabilities and Effectiveness: A Set of Key e-Business Metrics
Chatterjee D., Segars A. abstract - E-governance in India: A Strategic Framework
Mahapatra R., Perumal S. abstract - Synthetic indicators for measuring e-business: A target approach
Vilaseca J., Meseguer A., Torrent J. abstract - Measuring e-business in Developing Countries
Teltscher S. abstract - Toward a Multilateral Effort in Measuring e-Business for Development
Gagnon S. abstract
Paper abstracts
Measuring e-business for Development
Gagnon S., Hung P.C.K., Passerini K. and Vargas-Martin M.
Full paper (PDF, 79Kb)
Among many positive outcomes from the first World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS-1, Geneva, December 2003), Heads of States have recognized the importance of clearly measuring the diffusion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), and Internet Technologies, e-commerce, and e-business in particular. The upcoming 2nd WSIS (WSIS-2, Tunis, November 2005) shall prove even more promising in bringing innovative methods and solutions to support ICT policy making for development.
However, research and policy communities must overcome several challenges in order to build a truly international measurement process that will yield relevant, reliable, and comparable metrics. In addition, they must build the institutional framework to ensure a coherent measurement system addressing the particularities of ICT in various economies. Finally, working relationships must be redefined among statistical agencies, ICT and industrial policy units, research centers, local industry associations, etc.
Measuring the Diffusion of e-Business in the Information Society
Salmeron J.L., Banuls V.A.
Full paper (PDF, 238Kb)
In this paper a review of the e-business indicators used in the last supranational benchmarking exercises is done. This contribution aims to bring a framework from researchers and practitioner in the e-business measurement field. Moreover several challenges from the e-business measurement research agenda are proposed. Basically these challenges would be resumed in (1) spreading the use of the e-business indicators (2) extending the set of e-business dimensions covered by the indicators (3) spreading the existing methodologies among the research networks in order to set standards (4) integrating the advances in related scientific areas like Policy Analysis and Technology Foresight in the e-business measurement field.
Assessing e-Business Capabilities and Effectiveness:
A Set of Key e-Business Metrics
Chatterjee D., Segars A.
Full paper (PDF, 154Kb)
Measuring e-business activities and initiatives poses two major challenges. First, the all-encompassing and abstract nature of e-business makes it difficult to develop metrics that will solely measure the effectiveness of e-business ventures. In fact, many experts contend that companies make a mistake in trying to separate e-business from the rest of business. Therefore, a more holistic approach to e-business measurement is needed. The other challenge lies in identifying the key measures. Several e-metrics are available, and if a company tried to adopt every one of them, it would be lost in a flood of e-metric data. Thus, companies need a set of key metrics to assess their e-business capabilities and performance efficiently and effectively. This paper presents such a set of metrics by drawing from best practices data from a major field study that examined e-business transformation efforts across several industries and firms in the United States and abroad. Conceptualizing e-business capability as the ability to engage effectively in different forms, scopes, and modes of electronic exchange, this study provides three classes of metrics to assess digital readiness, collaborative capability, and viability of electronic marketplaces.
E-governance in India: A Strategic Framework
Mahapatra R., Perumal S.
Full paper (PDF, 413Kb)
E-governance in India has been a focus area recently. Some of the success stories have also been publicized. While the implementations are praiseworthy, they are effort-centered rather than being result-centric. Objective of this paper is to provide a strategic framework for the implementation of e-governance projects in Indian context, to achieve a result-centric implementation. An extensive literature survey is presented on the various aspects encountered in arriving at the strategic framework. This literature survey discusses about the need for transformation to e-governance from traditional governance. In addition, it discusses about the existing approaches, methodologies, technologies, factors and strategic frameworks. Further, literature on e-governance implementation in India is presented. Further to this, this paper analyses some of the successful Indian e-government projects and lists their strengths and weaknesses. This analysis leads to a conclusion on various factors contributing to success of e-governance and the strategic framework. This paper specifically addresses those e-government initiatives that have a direct impact on the citizens and in which the citizens derive benefit through direct transactions with the governmental services.
Synthetic indicators for measuring e-business: A target approach
Vilaseca J., Meseguer A., Torrent J.
Full paper (PDF, 256Kb)
The quantitative approach, by defining appropriate synthetic indicators, to a qualitative description of targets concerning the development of e-business and the settlement of a general framework for the detailed socioeconomic analysis of changes promoted by the intensive use of ICTs, are the two main elements of originality of the paper.
The target description is founded on the e-Europe Action Plans, where targets are proposed to make of Europe “the most competitive and dynamic economy in the information and communication society”. For the definition of synthetic indicators, indicators from different European projects are classified into three different levels of concretisation, covering information about changes in demand and supply, and the internal organisation and business strategy. These synthetic indicators built on the idea of “importance” of an indicator in the description of each level of concretisation. With these indicators and using data from those European projects and from other regional projects, static analysis is developed for comparing different regional and national realities concerning the development of e-business.
Measuring e-business in Developing Countries
Teltscher S.
Full paper (PDF, 141 Kb)
Reliable and comparable data on how companies use ICTs in their business processes, and the impact this may have on firm productivity and competitiveness, are scarce in developing countries. Currently, few statistical offices measure e-business, for example, through enterprise surveys, and only at a very basic level. Therefore, several international agencies working on the subject matter have joined forces to advance ICT measurement in developing countries. As a first step, a set of core ICT indicators has been developed and adopted internationally, as a basis for data collection and harmonization, and database development. But much more needs to be done, in particular concerning the training of practitioners in developing countries to develop their e-measurement programmes and tools.
Toward a Multilateral Effort in Measuring e-Business for Development
Gagnon S.
Full paper (PDF, 167Kb)
We propose a new multilateral effort in measuring e-business (including e-commerce), as well as other forms of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), in support of development policy and programs. It would require that international organizations, governments, businesses, and non-governmental organizations coordinate their efforts in producing more accurate, reliable, and comparable metrics on ICT usage and their impact on development, especially economic through the use of e-commerce and e-business. We focus on 4 action areas: (1) developing an international database; (2) building new policy capabilities; (3) creating forums for exchange; and (4) providing training to transfer best practices. We first discuss the present international trends in ICT policy, and the importance of measuring progress in this area. We then address the goals this new multilateral effort could seek to achieve in the measurement process. This leads us to outline the present state of measurement, from the perspectives of the end-users (mostly policy makers) and producers (mainly National Statistical Organizations or NSOs) of such data and information. Finally, we try to identify the key challenges in building the proposed measurement infrastructure.
