Making a global connection is tricky. American companies are more bullish about E-business than their European counterparts. A quarter of North American companies view E-business as the way that business gets done, according to Giga Information Group's Outlook Bleak For IT Solutions Demand In 2001-2002 report. Only 10% to 15% of European companies share this opinion.
Although adoption of E-business strategies is slower overseas, 45% of European and 43% of North American companies say it's having a significant impact on their operations. About two in five respondents agree that E-business will have a significant impact on the global economy.
While North American and European businesses say that there are definite benefits to E-business initiatives, North Americans are more hesitant, with 27% responding that their companies don't have an E-business strategy. Perhaps this is the fallout of the dot-com bust, as many North American companies are slower to throw precious investment dollars at uncertain strategies.
European businesses are twice as likely to have an E-business strategy at the enterprise level compared with North American companies. This implies that businesses overseas are taking a broader view of E-business strategies.
The biggest challenge European businesses face in the implementation of E-business strategies is a strong resistance to change. Many companies are finding it difficult to change employee and customer mind-sets on business-process and customer-service issues. One in four North American companies surveyed face this challenge, while 26% are finding systems integration to be the greatest barrier to overcome.
How important are E-business strategies to your companies and what challenges are expected? Let us know at the address below.
Lisa SmithManaging Editor, Research
[email protected]
E-Business Strategies A MainstayThe tight economy has limited E-business initiatives at some companies this year. However, not all investments or strategies have stalled. According to the E-business Strategies Are More Alike Than Different Across The Atlantic section of Giga Information Group's Outlook Bleak For IT Solutions Demand In 2001-2002 report, North American companies support E-business projects that simplify business processes and allow for stronger customer relationships.
While Europe continues to trail North America in the complexity of E-business applications, about half of European businesses surveyed are reengineering business processes, marketing, and conducting E-commerce as part of their current E-business strategies. European companies are also beginning to focus on customer-relationship management applications.