The document discusses trends in e-business adoption across European industries. It finds that while ICT infrastructure has improved, a digital divide still exists between basic online transactions and more advanced e-business processes. Most large companies conduct some business processes electronically, compared to smaller companies. Adoption of e-invoicing has increased but methods used vary by company size. Advanced e-business is often linked to process innovation, but bridging the digital divide requires coordination between stakeholders and a focus on customer and business needs.

1. e-Business Trends
Bridging the gap from 'simple'
to advanced data exchanges
Hannes Selhofer
empirica GmbH, Bonn
CEN Industry Conference on Electronic Invoices,
18 June 2009, Brussels
CEN eInvoicing Conference, 18/06/2009 H. Selhofer, empirica GmbH 1

2. The eMaturity Ladder
Digital
Steps /
divide
value
Transformed
eBusiness
eCommerce
Website
e-Mail
Extent of organisational change
("sophistication")
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3. Share of business processes
conducted electronically
"In summary, which of the
following best describes the
relevance of e-business for your
company:
Would you say that most of your
business processes are (e-Business telephone
conducted as e-business, surveys among
a good deal of them, some, IT decision makers -
2007, 2009)
or none?"
CEN eInvoicing Conference, 18/06/2009 H. Selhofer, empirica GmbH 3

4. Share of business processes
conducted electronically
Chemical, rubber and Glass, ceramics and
plastics industry (2007) cement industry (2009)
"most"
"none"
26 8% 15
"a good 31
20 deal" %
% %
%
46 53
"some"
% %
(Self perception by companies, e-Business Surveys 2007/09)
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5. Adoption of eInvoicing
Chemical, rubber and plastics industry (2007):
Companies sending electronic invoices
CEN eInvoicing Conference, 18/06/2009 H. Selhofer, empirica GmbH 5

6. Adoption of eInvoicing
Chemical, rubber and plastics industry (2007):
Companies receiving electronic invoices
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7. Methods used for e-Invoicing
Glass, ceramics and cement industry (2009):
(% of companies using e-invoicing)
100
80
60
40 88
72
58 47
20 32 42
14 25 0 28 28 27
0
as PDF (with e- via EDI from ERP-to- as online
signature) ERP invoices
Small (10-49) Medium (50-249) Large (250+)
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8. General e-business trends
Improved quality of companies' ICT
infrastructure
Externally: focus of activity is shifting from
accomplishing transactions ("e-commerce") to
providing services
Main internal benefits: improved processes
Better information management
Improved transparency of processes
Outsourcing & e-intermediaries
ICT and innovation inseparably linked
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9. ICT as a major enabler of
process innovation
Example: Glass, ceramics and cement industry (2009)
% of companies having introduced new processes in 2008/9
"The new processes are supported by ICT" (fully / partly)
"The new processes are supported by ICT" (applies fully)
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10. Basic ICT infrastructure –
a commodity
small firms
medium firms
large firms
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11. Advanced e-Business processes –
the digital divide
medium
small
large
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12. Key action lines
to bridge the digital divide
For EU innovation & economic policy
Stakeholder coordination
Reduce uncertainty and risk - continuous improvement
of legal framework (European dimension)
For industry associations & businesses
Strategic approach to e-business
Take a critical look at value chain & business
processes – what could be improved? ("Kaizen"!)
Focus on customers – what matters for them?
Other issues
Promote wider use of e-standards
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13. Summary
Digital divide between 'simple' and advanced
e-business activity
Good progress in ICT adoption, but:
Technology (hardware & software) in itself is not the
key parameter;
business processes matter
Advanced e-business is typically closely linked
with process innovation in the company
... and thus the basis for product innovation
Accelerating advanced e-business capabilities as
a means to strengthen Europe's competitiveness
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14. "Process need" as a key driver
of innovation
" 'Opportunity is the source of innovation' ...,
'Necessity is the mother of innovation.' "
Peter F. Drucker (1909 – 2005),
in: "Innovation and Entrepreneurship"
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15. More information
www.ebusiness-watch.org
info@ebusiness-watch.org
entr.innov.ict.ebiz@ec.europa.eu
A research project led by
All sector studies of 2008 available at
www.empirica.com http://www.ebusiness-watch.org/
hannes.selhofer@empirica.com resources/by_sector.htm
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