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Thursday, April 15, 2004
Exporters urged to hike spending in ICT to be competitive: survey
SMALL and medium-sized exporters in the country have some way to go in using information and communications technology (ICT) to boost their global competitiveness, according to a survey, which recommended government assistance to the sector.
Among the findings of the DigitalFilipino.com report on ICT and Internet usage by the export sector was that exporters consider cost more important than supplier credibility when spending on ICT.
“Perhaps this is the primary reason why many computer initiatives of SME (small and medium enterprise) exporters result to failure,” said Janette Toral, author of the report.
The survey of 43 companies mainly in the home décor, houseware, arts and crafts and furniture industries showed that technology superiority was the primary consideration, followed by cost, availability of support and then supplier credibility in ICT spending.
While the survey showed practically all the respondents having Internet access, it also revealed that less than half had websites, although some were planning to put up websites this year.
No plans
Websites are useful in reaching new clients around the globe and for communicating faster with suppliers, partners and customers. But some exporters still had no plans of creating one.
On spending for computer hardware and peripherals, those who had made a budget or these items revealed an average allocation of about P80,000 to P100,000 a year.
“Exporters, if not helped, will lag behind neighboring nations in the New Economy,” concluded Toral, founder of the Philippine Internet Commerce Society.
She urged the government to provide grants, as she said Malaysia does, to help SMEs adopt ICT.
DigitalFilipino.com, an information technology research-oriented organization, sells the results of its regular surveys. CTL
(April 15, 2004 issue)
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