The term “eBusiness” has a very broad application. It can describe companies operating in the ICT producing sectors as well as new emerging sectors and industries such as in the area of digital content.
It is this aspect of eBusiness that is addressed in this document. The document is intended to form the basis of a new national eBusiness strategy aimed at encouraging and assisting SMEs, including micro-enterprises, across all sectors of the economy, to use ICTs in a way that will maximise their competitive advantage. Effective use of ICTsby enterprises is a key element in building competitiveness.
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Establishment of eBusiness Strategy Project Group
In November 2003 the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment, in conjunction with Forfás,
Enterprise Ireland, Shannon Development and the County Enterprise Boards established a Project Group.
The aim of this Group was to examine the factual position as regards current levels of usage of ICTs by Irish enterprises, in particular SMEs and micro-enterprises, and to identify the obstacles to more effective usage and ways in which the Department and its agencies could assist in overcoming these obstacles. The objective was to present the results of this work in the form of a new strategy to encourage and assist SMEs,including micro-enterprises to use eBusiness in a way which will maximise their competitive advantage. Context for the development of a new strategy
Since 1999 a myriad of actions have been taken by the Department and the agencies to foster an environment conducive to eBusiness in the broadest sense, and to help enterprises benefit from the potential of the Information Society. A number of reports with recommendations for further actions in this regard have also been published. Considerable emphasis has also been placed on the development of IT skills for the ICT producing sector. However, co-ordinated strategy specifically targeted