This document discusses the potential for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Trinidad and Tobago to engage in e-commerce to increase innovation. It aims to enhance competitiveness of non-oil sectors and empower disadvantaged groups through self-employment. The presentation evaluates e-commerce policies relating to SMEs. It finds that e-commerce provides opportunities for SMEs to promote, market and sell products globally. However, SMEs must be innovative in their e-commerce strategies to remain competitive. The document recommends that SMEs and businesses in Trinidad and Tobago upgrade their technology and infrastructure to engage more with e-commerce.

1. THE IMPACT OF E-COMMERCE ON SMEs
Forum theme:
“Community-Based Entrepreneurship and Innovation: A
Strategy for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).”
Title:
“The potential for Small and Medium-size
Enterprises (SMEs) in Trinidad and Tobago
engaging E-commerce to be more innovative.”
Jeanette R. M. Marcelle BA (Hons), MBA

2. THE IMPACT OF E-COMMERCE ON SMEs
Forum theme:
“Community-Based Entrepreneurship and Innovation: A
Strategy for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).”
Title:
“The potential for Small and Medium-size
Enterprises (SMEs) in Trinidad and Tobago
engaging E-commerce to be more innovative.”
Jeanette R. M. Marcelle BA (Hons), MBA

3. PRESENTATION OBJECTIVES
• To enhance the competitiveness of the non-oil sector;
• To empower communities, disadvantage and otherwise
challenged groups and alleviate poverty through self-
employment opportunities;
• To evaluate the policies and procedures on e-
commerce as it relates to small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) in Trinidad & Tobago.
Jeanette R.M. Marcelle BA (Hons) MBA

4. INTRODUCTION
• E-commerce can be defined as Electronic Commerce that
enables a firm or individual to conduct business over an
electronic network, typically the internet.
• There are three (3) forms of e-commerce - business to business
(B2B), business to consumer (B2C), and
• Consumer to consumer (C2C) is probably the most radical and
recent form of information and communication technology
(ICT) innovation in the areas of e-commerce.

5. THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this research is to emphasize the relationship
between e-commerce and the development of SMEs and how
they can use e-commerce to promote, market, and sell more of
their services and products locally, regionally and globally.
This research focuses on both the opportunities and the threats
facing SMEs in Trinidad and Tobago by evaluating how such
issues concerning adequate levels of telecoms infrastructure,
regulation and investment either help or hinder SMEs from
finding the right and new opportunities through e-commerce.

6. THE GROWTH OF SMEs IN T&T
SMEs
Catering/restaurant owner
Hair dresser/Nail tech
IT technicians/Website developers
fashion designer
Other
2008 2009 2010
People employed Growth Financial contribution
20%
10%
15%
5%
30%
25%
15%
20%
10%
30%
58%
40%
39%
36%
60%

7. How can e-commerce be used by small and medium-
sized enterprises (SMES) in Trinidad and Tobago to
strategically extend their competitiveness in the
region and global markets?

8. THE HOW
 The strategy for setting up Internet-based electronic commerce,
and the opportunities and obstacles experienced can vary widely
from one SME to another.
 SMEs need to think social and not shopping because Facebook
and other social media network is a “social” environment where
individuals gather to share updates about their lives and interact
with the rest of the world, not as a place to shop.
 To be competitive and remain relevant SMEs need to think
“outside the box” and to do this they need to be innovative which
means spending a lot more time and effort on IT.

9. THE WHY
• The Internet is also instrumental in enabling SMEs in developing countries
to join discussion groups with their peers across the globe that are engaged
in the same business, and thereby share information, experiences, and even
solutions to specific technical problems.
• This is valuable especially to entrepreneurs who are geographically isolated
from peers in the same business.
• The advent of Internet-based electronic commerce offers considerable
opportunities for firms to expand their customer base enter new product
markets and rationalize their business.

10. Figure 4.1 What type of business are you into?
40%
15%
35%
10%
TYPE OF SMEs
Other SMEs Fashion sector Hospitiality/Culinary sector IT sector

11. Figure 4.2
55%35%
5%
5%
BUSINESS STRUCTURE
Sole Trader Social Enterprise (NGO) Partnership Private company

12. Figure 4.3 THE USE OF E-COMMERCE
30%
15%
5%
50%
The use of e-commerce
Yes
No
Do not know about e-commerce
Still working on implementing e-commerce

13. Figure 4.4 THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
5%
35%
15%
25%
20%
The use of social media
Public relations Promations/marketing Purchasing/sales Advertising Other

14. Figure 4.5

15. Figure 4.6 INTERNET USERS

16. Laws of managing social media content
.• The Law of Listening
Success with social media and content marketing requires more listening and less
talking.
• The Law of Focus
it’s better to specialize than to be a jack-of-all-trades.
• The Law of Quality
Excellence trumps quantity. It’s better to have 1,000 online connections who read,
share and talk about your content with their own audiences than 10,000 connections
who disappear after connecting with you the first time.
• The Law of Patience
Social media and content marketing success doesn’t happen overnight.

17. Major limitations and challenges that face
entrepreneurs and small businesses
.
• Not sufficiently focused policies in place
• Difficulty in accessing financing
• Low levels of productivity and quality
• Insufficient resources for research and development
• Inadequate business information
• Inadequate transport and communication and ICT infrastructure
• Need to access new technologies
• Lack of opportunities to build on the prevailing entrepreneurial
culture

18. The most important determinant of a country’s competitiveness is its human
capital and talent — the skills, education and productivity of its workforce.
Women account for one-half of the potential talent base throughout the world,
according to ITU’s new report
.• Closing the male-female employment gap is good for economic growth.
• Engaging women and girls in high-flying ICT careers is not only the right thing to do
from the point of social justice; it is also smart economics.
• Governments are increasingly recognizing the importance of taking steps to support
girls and women in ICT, and a range of initiatives is already under way
.
• In India’s ICT sector plays a pivotal role in bridging the gender divide in the country’s
workforce by helping to overcome biases against women and girls.
• Girls and women are encouraged to take up training courses in computer and ICT
engineering.
• The Philippines is another important ICT player in Asia, and women account for
about 65 per cent of the total professional and technical workers in IT services and
IT-enabled services.

19. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
• All businesses in Trinidad and Tobago need to become more competitive,
globalization has shrink time and space bringing so many virtual
competitors right to your door.
• To SME this is a major threat especially when for the year 2014 ‘Trinis’
spent close to US $1 million in online shopping. However, instead of
viewing it as a threat, think of it as an opportunity to improve your already
existing business or ways to start your business.
• Firms and businesses in Trinidad and Tobago must place importance on the
continuous upgrade of plant and equipment used in their daily operations if
there are to maintain their competitiveness in the domestic and global
marketplace.
• In addition; to the rules and regulations that governors electronic
commerce such as: Laws such as the Libel and defamation Act, the Data
Protection Act, Social welfare Act, Cybercrime bill.

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