Half of UK firms now order goods and services online, a 52% increase on 2001, according to a new study by the Department of Trade and Industry.
The International Benchmarking Study 2002 revealed that UK companies are becoming increasingly acquainted with the merits of e-business. Over 90% of businesses now have access to the internet, while 80% have their own website. Around one-fifth of firms claimed that they now made payments online, an increase of 20% on this time last year.
“UK businesses are beginning to make the best of, and get the benefits from, new technology,” said E-commerce Minister Stephen Timms.
Although the proportion of firms using information and communication technology (ICT) is relatively unchanged this year, those online are clearly becoming more adventurous in their use of new media. Approximately 47% of companies use ICT for research and development while 87% of firms who adopted e-business solutions to reduce costs and improve efficiency found that ICT had a positive effect,
