Emerging issues on E-commerce growth
Telecommuting With Albert Chinamano
The increasing globalization of industry, and the extensive
adoption by business of internet-based data communications
systems are fundamentally changing the way firms relate to
their suppliers, customers and other stakeholders.
At the start of 2000, the promise of e-commerce began to
be felt. For Government, productivity improvements and economic
growth seemed assured; for industry, growth in profits and
stock valuations seemed equally assured. As 2000 unfolded,
the benefits of e-commerce seemed just as strong, but no one
has really promoted it and all economic players are to blame.
Over time, the balance of power in the supply chain is shifting
from manufacturers and retailers towards consumers, and forcing
companies to find new collaborative ways of delivering specific
products and services. The common Zimbabwean customer still
has to become knowledgeable about the benefits of e-commerce.
We have witnessed a trend in industry where consumers are
coming to expect greater customization of products and services
to suit their individual needs. At the same time, they are
also used to a constant stream of innovations in the goods
and services they use that either reduces the cost or improves
the benefits they receive.
This, added to globalization and technological change, are
forcing a change to the way we are interacting with the rest
of the business world. Companies are recognizing that the
Internet is becoming a virtual flea market, where it’s
a one-stop shop for every commodity.
In response to this, data and voice communication technologies
have resulted in a rapid growth in e-commerce, especially
business to business (B2B) e-commerce. The banking sector
in Zimbabwe has gone further in making e-commerce available
to the end user. They have realized that because of the nature
of their target markets, the only way to do so is via the
Internet media.
The Internet is global and it will result in further globalization
of the economy, possibly as great as that resulting from tariff
and land reforms, while for some sectors (education, health,
finance), the effects will be far greater.
The telecom providers of both data and voice services should
be striving to make the platform for e-commerce to the ordinary
consumer a reality. With the liberalization of the telecom
sector, we should see a major shift in improving the economy
through e-commerce.
We need to addresses the following concerns to as we try
to build a platform for e-commerce. We are unfortunate that
we fall behind in terms of technology access. European and
United States companies are the creators of most of the technology
we use, so we often adopt it 12 or more months after the date
of launch.
Our businesses’ logistics and tracking systems require
development to integrate with B2B trading systems, in particular
the integration of spatial information and real time location
information into these systems. Few firms have moved their
inventory, sales and supply systems onto web compatible platforms.
The role of government should be felt in developing the platform
for e-commerce. We have seen the development of e-commerce
being led primarily by the private sector. In an environment
where technology and related systems are evolving rapidly,
an appropriate role for government is to work in partnership
with the private sector to ensure that Zimbabwe is world-class
in its standards, infrastructure, research and technology,
awareness and regulation. The government is responsible for
developing of national and international protocols for interoperability,
security and privacy. Such developments are necessary to lower
the entry cost for widespread business and consumer adoption
of e-commerce and to increase business and consumer confidence.
In addition, it is important for governments to apply the
benefits of the Internet to increase the effectiveness and
efficiency of their own activities. Opportunities for improving
the delivery of programs and services, and the administration
of regulatory and compliance functions exist, or are being
implemented, in a wide range of fields.
These emerging issues need to be addressed so we know the
full potential of e-commerce. For comments contact
chinamanoa@afri-com.com
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