THE “OTHER” DIGITAL DIVIDE Presented by Beverley Mahony Industry Canada OECD Digital Divide...
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Transcript of THE “OTHER” DIGITAL DIVIDE Presented by Beverley Mahony Industry Canada OECD Digital Divide...
THE “OTHER” DIGITAL DIVIDETHE “OTHER” DIGITAL DIVIDETHE “OTHER” DIGITAL DIVIDETHE “OTHER” DIGITAL DIVIDE
Presented by Beverley Mahony Industry Canada
OECD Digital Divide Workshop
December 7, 2000
500+ employees(0.2%)
<5 employees (78.4%)
50-499 employees(2.4%)
20-49 employees(4.0%)
5-19 employees (15.0%)
Total of 941,144 Businesses with paid employees
Source: Statistics Canada, Employment Dynamics (1998)
SMEs Play a Major Role in the Economy SMEs Play a Major Role in the Economy
1
15
Number of Employees
Percentage of Firms Using the Internet
SME Internet Use by Size of Business1997 to 1999
28.3
38.1
51.154.9
65.9
37.642.5
54.0
68.372.7
82.6
52.155.2
66.2
78.883.9
91.3
65.1
5–19 20–49 50–99 100–499 Total
1997 4th Quarter1998 4th Quarter1999 4th Quarter
Source: Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Our Members’ Opinions survey, #41 (July to December 1997), #43 (July to December 1998) and #45 (July to December 1999).
0–4
Excellent Growth in SME Internet Use Excellent Growth in SME Internet Use
2
32.8
60.663.7 63.0
40.5
65.9
89.1
52.8
95.4
5.7
27.631.7
26.1
16.0
27.2
61.7
21.7
69.2
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Forestry,Logging &SupportActivities
Mining & Oil &Gas Extraction
Manufacturing WholesaleTrade
Retail Trade Finance &Insurance
ICTs Total for PrivateSector
Total for PublicSector
Percent
Using the InternetWeb Site
Source: Statistics Canada, Information and Communications Technologies and Electronic Commerce Survey, August 2000.
Canadian Businesses at E-Readiness Stage Canadian Businesses at E-Readiness Stage
Overall Internet connectivity is good but early days for e-commerce
3
Government
Business
Trade
Why Is It Important To Be On-line? Why Is It Important To Be On-line?
Transforming all areas of lifeTransforming all areas of life
Education
4
E-Com Radically Changes Traditional Supply ChainE-Com Radically Changes Traditional Supply Chain
Customer Distribution Marketing Manufacturing Suppliers
Customer
Distribution Marketing
Manufacturing
Suppliers
SMEs Need to Keep Pace to SurviveSMEs Need to Keep Pace to Survive 5
“Other” Kinds of Digital Divides: Location Gap: Being left behind because of where
located, e.g. small towns and rural areas Speed gap: Between large businesses with high-
speed access versus small and medium-sized firms with low speed access
Timing Gap: Individuals and businesses in rural and remote communities will be disadvantaged with expensive access, late access or no access
Evolving Concepts of Digital Divide Evolving Concepts of Digital Divide
“The high-speed, broadband networks of the 21st century are essential to attracting and retaining businesses,
providing state-of-the-art healthcare, and offering children the benefits of distance learning and the
Internet.”Center for the New West, September 1999
6
Businesses Gap growing between large businesses (on high-speed
on-ramps) and small and mid-sized firms (on electronic dirt roads), particularly in small towns & rural areas
Public Institutions High-speed critical to providing ALL government services
online: telehealth, e-learning, electronic government transactions, etc.
Households As volume increases, speed decreases using current
legacy infrastructure Utility of digital platform for commercial, social, civic and
learning activities will be greatly impaired or eliminated
Canada Established National Broadband Task Force Canada Established National Broadband Task Force
Limited Bandwidth = Lost OpportunitiesLimited Bandwidth = Lost Opportunities
7
Supportive policy & regulatory framework
Raising awareness /education on benefits
Leading by example / model user
Stimulating development of ICT and advanced
applications
Mobilizing resources, in partnership with private
sector, where required to address market failure
Benchmarking domestic performance and
sharing best practices
Government Roles in Fostering Access & Use Government Roles in Fostering Access & Use
8