The Reality of E-commerce with Developing Countries.

["Irfan Khan" <khania2@super.net.pk>]

[with thanks to the developmentgateway.org for the lead]


The Reality of E-commerce with Developing Countries.
by John Humphrey, Robin Mansell, Daniel Pare and Hubert Schmitz

Based on research on e-marketplaces in the garments and horticulture 
sectors and on the experiences of firms in Bangladesh, Kenya and 
South Africa, this study examines the expectations and assumptions 
behind the drive to invest in B2B e-commerce. It investigates what 
actually happens in Internet-based e-marketplaces and how developing 
country firms use the Internet for business. The overall finding is 
that the main effect of B2B e-commerce is to enhance the 
relationships between existing trading partners. It does little to 
help forge ongoing relationships with new firms. There is a clear 
message for policy makers and practitioners - understanding how 
international trade is organised and how inter-firm relationships are 
developed is essential if the use of some types of B2B e-commerce is 
to assist producer firms in gaining more equitable access to 
international markets.

The report summarises the results of research led jointly by The 
London School of Economics and the Institute of Development Studies 
at Sussex, and funded by the UK Department for International 
Development under its Globalisation and Poverty research programme.

To download the Executive Summary, click here 
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/media@lse/pdf/ExeSummary.pdf (pdf 
29kb)

To download the full report, click here 
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/media@lse/pdf/Report.pdf (pdf 206kb)

To request a hard copy, email k.moir@lse.ac.uk 

Other results are available at: 
www.gapresearch.org/production/ecommerce.html