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e-Commerce
This page contains resources on what is e-commerce, how it works, and how it could affect and transform businesses in developing countries.
ICTs, and in particular, the Internet, has revolutionized the way one does business. However, not all businesses have equal access to these ICT tools and are able to use them successfully. In fact, some studies show that ICTs are increasing the gap between wealthy and poor businesses.
For policy makers, resources include policy guidelines for promoting e-commerce, including among small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and enabling them to compete with international capital-rich firms.
For entrepreneurs, there are resources on different business options for maximizing the potential of e-commerce, as well as guidelines on dealing with issues of security.
Financing Technology Entrepreneurs & SMEs in Developing Countries: Challenges and Opportunities
In developing countries, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have great difficulty in obtaining the necessary financial resources to effectively scale up and grow their businesses. This report provides: (i) an assessment of the financing needs voiced by techno-entrepreneurs; (ii) a review of the financing opportunities available; and (iii) a series of suggestions regarding possible measures to alleviate the financing gap.
Internet Use for Business Development: An Introductory Set of Training Modules for Policymakers
This publication is the output of the project on “Capacity Building in Internet Governance” financially supported by the Government of the Republic of Korea. The project aimed at the government policy makers and implementers to utilize their capacity for formulation and implementation of essential public and other policies relevant to internet governance for sustainable socio-economic development and to enhance effective participation in the regional and global internet governance forums. The training modules were presented and endorsed at the regional workshop on the use of Internet for business development in Asia and the Pacific that was held in October 2006 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Developing Women’s Entrepreneurship and E-business in Green Cooperatives in the Asian and Pacific Region
Through the formation of women’s cooperatives and development of their capacity in entrepreneurship, women can become better equipped to enter the market for green products and gain access to vital resources needed for businesses. With dramatic growth in ICT innovation, women’s green cooperatives in the region can benefit from the use of e-business practices. This guidebook provides policy makers and entrepreneurs with background information in this niche area, with guidelines on developing women’s cooperatives, entrepreneurship and e-business. Some good practice cases are illustrated that can be replicable in some countries.
Small and Medium Enterprises and ICT
This e-primer looks at how the knowledge-based economy has impacted small and medium enterprises (SMEs); explores why so few SMEs have adopted information and communications technology (ICT) and why SMEs should adopt ICT; and provides some policy recommendations for promoting SME adoption of ICT.
The Innovative Use of Mobile Applications in the Philippines: Lessons for Africa
Mobile phones are now the primary form of telecommunication in developing countries and they are used for communications, information and, more recently, access to a range of services from m-Banking to m-Education and m-Governance. The transformation of society by mobile telephony, and especially mobile applications, is perhaps most profound in the Philippines. This publication digs deeper into the Philippine experience and attempts to identify best practices and lessons learned.
APDIP e-Note 12 - The Role of Governments in Promoting ICT Access and Use by SMEs: Considerations for Public Policy
This APDIP e-Note provides an overview of the policy considerations that are needed to promote information and communications technology (ICT) usage among SMEs. It discusses critical components for a comprehensive policy and legislative strategy that would address the various policy, legal, market, technical and social considerations needed in order to create conditions conductive for encouraging ICT-enabled SMEs.
E-Business Development Services for SMEs in Selected ASEAN Countries and Southern China
This publication is one of the outputs from a project entitled "Development of e-business development services for SMEs in selected ASEAN countries and Southern China." The publication is based on findings from a desk study, a survey on the use of ICT by SMEs, six national stakeholders consultations, a regional workshop, two training workshops and four pilot projects. This publication includes a CD that contains, among other things, training modules in English and in six languages. This publication provides policy makers and enterprise support agencies with background information on the status of ICT use by SMEs, experiences on the formulation of a strategic framework for the development of e-business services for SMEs, and results of the evaluation of the four pilot projects implemented.
Policy Brief in ICT Applications in the Knowledge Economy, No. 2: ICT application in trade facilitation
ICT applications in trade facilitation refers to activities,processes and procedures that have adopted some degree of information and communication technology (ICT) in order to facilitate trade transactions, particularly in the fields of Customs formalities, trade documentation flow and trade security. This policy brief examines why there is a need for trade facilitation, and who are the stakeholders and players involved. Some policy recommendations are also provided.
Policy Brief in ICT Applications in the Knowledge Economy, No. 1: Enhancing Asia-Pacific small and medium-sized enterprises productivity through e-business
Since small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for the majority of the enterprises and employment in developing countries, their level of ICT adoption deserves special consideration. How do SMEs in Asia and the Pacific use ICT in their business? What are the challenges that they face in adopting ICT? This policy brief examines the factors that contribute to the adoption of e-business, defined as the use of ICT in business, by SMEs in the developing and the least developed countries of Asia and the Pacific. ESCAP recommends five areas for policy intervention to enhance e-business adoption among SMEs.
Guidelines on ICT Application for Trade and Transport Facilitation for Landlocked Countries in the Asia and Pacific Region
This guideline is one of the outputs of a project entitled "Institutional Capacity Building for Facilitation of International Trade and Transport in Landlocked and Transit Countries" funded by the Royal Government of the Netherlands. The guidelines intend to address challenges and opportunities that landlocked developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region face in applying ICT to the facilitation of trade and transport. It also provides guidelines on the implementation of Single Window systems.
Entrepreneurship and e-Business Development for Women
Competitiveness of businesses owned by women is usually constrained by limited access to information and resources to support the development and marketing of their products. e-Business can address this limiting factor. It promotes innovations by creating new products, new markets and even new industries. Moreover, it can help empower women by facilitating women’s entrepreneurship. This publication reports the outcomes of the International Workshop on Entrepreneurship and e-Business Development for Women that was held in Seoul, Republic of Korea on 3-8 July 2006. The Workshop was organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Asian Development Bank Institute, International Telecommunication Union and Asian Pacific Women’s Information Network Center.
e-Procurement
This publication reviews diverse business models and trends in e-procurement; examines the policies, legal framework and technological infrastructure required for e-procurement; and identifies the overall current status of e-procurement in the Asia-Pacific region.
APDIP e-Note 4 - Why Should Countries Embed ICT into SME Policy?
This APDIP e-Note illustrates the benefits that information and communication technologies (ICTs) can have for small- and medium-enterprises (SMEs) and shows why countries should be proactive in embedding ICTs into SME policy.
WTO, E-commerce and Information Technologies: From the Uruguay Round through the Doha Development Agenda
The purpose of this book is in large part to take stock and explain most of the IT- and ecommerce-related World Trade Organization (WTO) issues. It provides a historical overview of the WTO’s role with regard to e-commerce and IT trade between 1995 and 2003. It provides contextual background of and a detailed insight into the complex set of existing rules, categories and debates. Its aim is to inform the representatives of developing nations, civil society, and others who want or need to understand more about the WTO’s role in information technology governance and policy.
Becoming e-Cities: Legal Issues and Challenges
The paper highlights various legal issues that may hinder e-commerce and the solutions that have been devised at international and regional levels to resolve the issues. This includes comparative studies of countries that have successfully implemented or incorporated e-commerce solutions into daily government activities. The intended result is to show how e-commerce can be transformed to work.
E-Commerce and Development Report 2004
The report gives information on ICT usage for economic development, with topics that include: Internet usage, governance, and technologies; e-business with focus on small and medium size enterprises (SMEs); e-education; and e-government. The report emphasizes on Internet capabilities and the scope of e-commerce on the topics mentioned and also on security and privacy issues surrounding these applications.
e-Commerce and e-Business
This e-primer provides an introduction to e-commerce – what it is, how it works, and how it could affect and transform businesses. It also provides policy guidelines for promoting e-commerce that contributes to sustainable economic development.
Legal Frameworks and e-Commerce Training Program in Indonesia
This article describes the recent development on basic telecommunications infrastructure regulation for conducting electronic commerce in Indonesia, as well as contract according to Indonesian civil code.
(in Korean)