Abstract - E-COMMERCE FOR DEVELOPMENT: PROSPECTS AND POLICY ISSUES
Abstract - E-COMMERCE FOR DEVELOPMENT: PROSPECTS AND POLICY ISSUES
application to the development process in poor countries. In historical perspective, the
Internet has diffused at a far faster rate than earlier generations of communications
technology: from 1990 to early 2000, the estimated number of Internet users grew more
than tenfold to roughly 300 million, affecting the way in which people communicate with
each other, acquire information, learn, do business, and interact culturally. Our particular
focus is on the opportunities e-commerce offers to small-scale entrepreneurs in developing
countries and the challenges they face in exploiting e-commerce’s potential.
There is a risk that a “digital divide” will emerge, reinforcing existing income and
wealth inequalities within and between countries. Yet, a major potential benefit of
globalisation is the freer movement of technology, including information and communication
technology (ICT), across borders. In principle, ICT can have a levelling effect, giving poor
countries and poor people access to markets, information, and other resources that would
otherwise have been inaccessible.
The evidence of real benefits is still scattered and anecdotal and the obstacles to
affordable access remain formidable, but e-commerce does present real opportunities to
small entrepreneurs in developing countries. The need to overcome infrastructural
bottlenecks in telecommunications, transport, and logistics must be addressed in parallel
with the governance aspects of e-commerce, including consumer protection, security of
transactions, privacy of records, and intellectual property. While as far as possible the
extension of the telecom and Internet infrastructure in developing countries can be left to
private investors, official development assistance (ODA) may be able to leverage private
investments. With respect to legal and regulatory issues, capacity building via ODA can
assist the participation of developing countries in negotiations and discussions that are
shaping global rules and protocols governing e-commerce. Finally, thinking “outside the
envelope” is needed with ODA, just as it is with private ventures in this age of e-novation.
There may, for example, be scope for initiatives targeted specifically at small e-ntrepreneurs
in poor countries, as with support for their individual or collective participation in Webbased
online rating schemes or with publicly-sponsored portals for small producers’ wares
to overcome barriers to trust. Information asymmetries persist in the information age.
OECD DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
Working Paper No. 164
E-COMMERCE FOR DEVELOPMENT: PROSPECTS AND POLICY ISSUES
by
Andrea Goldstein and David O’Connor
Abstract ECOMMERCE FOR DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS AND POLICY ISSUES - To learn more about this author, visit OECD Development Centre's Website.
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In this paper, we analyse the potential contribution of the Internet and its commercial
application to the development process in poor countries. In historical perspective, the
Internet has diffused at a far faster rate than earlier generations of communications
technology: from 1990 to early 2000, the estimated number of Internet users grew more
than tenfold to roughly 300 million, affecting the way in which people communicate with
each other, acquire information, learn, do business, and interact culturally. Our particular
focus is on the opportunities e-commerce offers to small-scale entrepreneurs in developing
countries and the challenges they face in exploiting e-commerce’s potential.
There is a risk that a “digital divide” will emerge, reinforcing existing income and
wealth inequalities within and between countries. Yet, a major potential benefit of
globalisation is the freer movement of technology, including information and communication
technology (ICT), across borders. In principle, ICT can have a levelling effect, giving poor
countries and poor people access to markets, information, and other resources that would
otherwise have been inaccessible.
The evidence of real benefits is still scattered and anecdotal and the obstacles to
affordable access remain formidable, but e-commerce does present real opportunities to
small entrepreneurs in developing countries. The need to overcome infrastructural
bottlenecks in telecommunications, transport, and logistics must be addressed in parallel
with the governance aspects of e-commerce, including consumer protection, security of
transactions, privacy of records, and intellectual property. While as far as possible the
extension of the telecom and Internet infrastructure in developing countries can be left to
private investors, official development assistance (ODA) may be able to leverage private
investments. With respect to legal and regulatory issues, capacity building via ODA can
assist the participation of developing countries in negotiations and discussions that are
shaping global rules and protocols governing e-commerce. Finally, thinking “outside the
envelope” is needed with ODA, just as it is with private ventures in this age of e-novation.
There may, for example, be scope for initiatives targeted specifically at small e-ntrepreneurs
in poor countries, as with support for their individual or collective participation in Webbased
online rating schemes or with publicly-sponsored portals for small producers’ wares
to overcome barriers to trust. Information asymmetries persist in the information age.
OECD DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
Working Paper No. 164
E-COMMERCE FOR DEVELOPMENT: PROSPECTS AND POLICY ISSUES
by
Andrea Goldstein and David O’Connor
Abstract ECOMMERCE FOR DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS AND POLICY ISSUES - To learn more about this author, visit OECD Development Centre's Website.
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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Joe DagerJoe Dager is President of Business901, a progressive coaching company providing no-nonsense direction in areas such as Lean Six Sigma Marketing and organized referral marketing. What others say: In the past 20 years, Joe and I have collaborated on many difficult issues. Joe’s ability to combine his expertise with “out of the box” thinking is unsurpassed. He has always delivered quickly, cost effectively and with ingenuity. A brilliant mind that is always a pleasure to work with.” - James R. If you want to learn more about Business901, start a conversation with us. We can be found @ Web/Blog: Business901.com Web/Blog: FundingYourNonprofit.com LinkedIn Profile Follow me on Twitter - Visit Joe Dager's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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