THE IMPORTANCE OF E-COMMERCE IN DEVELOPING

COUNTRIES

A SEMINAR TOPIC
PRESENTED

BY

OSHARE BLESSING
DSPZ/SST/10/15881

TO

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE DELTA STATE

POLYTECHNIC, OZORO.
IN
PARTIAL FULFILMENT FOR THE AWARD OF NATIONAL DIPLOMA

SEPTEMBER, 2012.

ABSTRACT
Electronic commerce (EC) has the potential to improve efficiency and
productivity in many areas and, therefore, has received significant attention in
many countries.
However, there has been some doubt about the relevance of ecommerce for
developing countries. The absence of adequate basic infrastructural, socioeconomic and the lack of government national ICT strategies have created a
significant barrier in the adoption and growth of e-commerce in developing
countries. The study shows that, in order to understand the adoption and
diffusion of ecommerce in developing countries, cultural issues need to be
considered. In this paper, we present and discuss E-commerce, the issues
hindering e-commerce adoption in developing countries.

INTRODUCTION
Electronic commerce and its related activities over the internet can be the
engines that improve domestic economic well-being through liberalization of
domestic services, more rapid integration into globalization of production, and
leap-frogging of available technology.
Electronic commerce integrates the domestic and global markets from its very
inception. Negotiating on trade issues related to electronic commerce will
demand

self-inspection

of

key

domestic

policies,

particularly

in

telecommunications, financial services, and distribution and delivery.

Technical aspects of electronic commerce, its complexity and the characteristic
of network externalities should change the way that developing countries
approach the external negotiating process to depend more on cooperative effort
through their regional forums (APEC, FTAA). Second, since electronic
commerce is characterized by network externalities, developing countries
should take advantage of the technical leadership coming out of the private
sector in the most advanced countries (and their own private sector, even if
nascent) and draftin behind.
E-commerce is not a service, nor a good, but something that is comprised of
both. In the context of WTO commitments, embracing this idea could lead to a
liberalizing bias in favor of electronic delivery of goods and services as
compared to delivery by a scheduled mode. Rather than view this outcome with
alarm, developing countries should encourage it as a positive force that furthers
the development both of electronic commerce, as well as engenders deeper
liberalization and deregulation throughout the economy.

WHAT IS E-COMMERCE?
E-commerce as the name implies is Electronic commerce. E-commerce is a
shorthand term that embraces a complex amalgam of technologies,
infrastructures, processes, and products. It brings together whole industries and
narrow applications, producers and users, information exchange and economic
activity into a global marketplace called the Internet.

INFRASTRUCTURES OF E-COMMERCE
Technological Infrastructure To Create An Internet Marketplace:
Electronic commerce relies on a variety of technologies, the development
of which are proceeding at breakneck speeds (e.g., interconnectivity
among telecommunications, cable, satellite, or other Internet backbone;
Internet service providers (ISPs) to connect market participants to that
backbone; and end-user devices such as PCs, TVs, or mobile telephones).
Process Infrastructure To Connect The Internet Marketplace To The
Traditional Marketplace. This infrastructure makes payment over the
Internet possible (through credit, debit, or Smart cards, or through online
currencies). It also makes possible the distribution and delivery (whether
online or physical) of those products purchased over the Internet to the
consumer.
Infrastructure Of Protocols, Laws, And Regulations: This
infrastructure affects the conduct of those businesses engaging in and
impacted by electronic commerce, as well as the relationships between
businesses, consumers, and government. Examples include technical
communications and interconnectivity standards; the legality and
modality of digital signatures, certification, and encryption; and
disclosure, privacy, and content regulations.
These infrastructures provide as a means of process, market and product
innovations.

ELECTRONIC COMMERCE IS INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT AS AN

ECONOMIC
ACTIVITY
Estimates of the growth of internet usage and electronic commerce both within
domestic markets and worldwide are notorious for their hyperbole. Even so,
each year the actual growth has surpassed the estimate rather than falling short
of it. Respected sources such as Forrester Research expect worldwide electronic
commerce revenues to surpass $300 billion by 2002 and accelerate to $1.3
trillion in 2003. Currently an overwhelming (close to 85%) share of electronic
commerce is concentrated in the United States, but diffusion into Europe and
Asia, followed by Latin America and Africa will be rapid.
In developing countries internet use and its economic potential are growing
exponentially. The share of active internet users in Asia/Pacific Rim, Latin
America, and rest of world could increase from 23 percent in 1999 to 35
percent in 2002.5 In India, for example, the number of internet users nearly
doubled in the last year to 270,000, and could rise to over 2 million by the end
of 2000. E-commerce revenues could jump from $2.8 million in 1998 to
$575 million in 2002. In China, a reported 60 percent of businesses are using
the internet, and ecommerce revenues could rise from $11.7 million in 1998 to
$1.9 billion in 2002.7 In Latin America, internet usage rose nearly eight-fold
between 1995 and 1997 with revenues estimated to be $167 million in 1998 and
projected to be $8 billion by 2003.8 Africa is fully wired now that Somalia
recently added its first ISP; in South Africa, electronic commerce is expected to
generate US $1.1 billion in 1999.Two important facts about e-commerce are
often overlooked. First, the vast bulk of the actual and to an even greater extent
the expected growth in revenues from e-commerce comes from business-tobusiness transactions. In 1998, the ratio of B-to-B over B-to-C was 5.5 to 1; but
by 2003 the ratio is expected to be 12 to 1. Second, in virtually all countries

other than the United States, electronic commerce is export oriented. In the US,
the share of export sales in total ecommerce revenues is only 10 percent, but in
Canada it is 83 percent, in Latin America it averages 79 percent, and in
Asia/Pacific it is 38 percent.10
Moreover, the nature of the production process (comprising both manufacturing
and

services)

is

becoming

increasingly

fragmented

and

globalized.

Multinational firms and strategic business alliances communicate, get price

quotes, submit bids, transfer data, produce product designs, and basically do
business in an international arena. Countries that do not have an environment
conducive to internet usage and electronic commerce will be cause to feel less
important from the globalized production process and global economy, at
increasingly great cost to their citizens.
First, business to business transactions often build on existing legal and
regulatory foundations from physical trade so that issues of content, liability,
and encryption

ADVANTAGES OF E-COMMERCE
1. It allows the ability of markets to interact and trade without concern about
their geographical location or time.
2. It allows the volume of goods traded internationally to increase in both
developed and developing countries
3. It allows companies to trade internationally without negatively affecting the
environment
4. It reduces the amount of materials, energy and land consumed by these
structures
DISADVANTAGES OF E-COMMERCE
1. It has lack of privacy, data protection and security for the companies
involved.
2. It is difficult for both parties to communicate which brings problems in
verifying records when transactions are conducted online.
3. Since the U.S is the leader in defining the internet, by trading internationally
companies will design their internet and e-commerce around the U.S.

BARRIERS HINDERING E-COMMERCE IN DEVELOPING

COUNTRIES

The study identified specific infrastructural barriers hindering the adoption of ecommerce in developing countries. There is a wide range of reasons why
ecommerce adoption in developing countries is hindered, see figure 1 for a
framework of barriers hindering ecommerce adoption in developing countries.
Figure 1: Framework barriers hindering ecommerce adoption in
developing countries

Infrastructural Barriers
The study identified specific infrastructural barriers hindering the adoption of ecommerce in developing countries. Some of the barriers include lack of credit
cards (the wide availability of them for the general public in developing
countries) and convenient payment means, poor distribution logistics.
Telecommunication (Network)
The Internet connection in most developing countries is unreliable because of
the poor telephone communications and the erratic power supply. The majority

of developing countries are not ready for ecommerce, because of their lack of
network infrastructure especially among individual users and entrepreneurs.
High Access Cost
The cost of the Internet access makes it inaccessible to most users in developing
countries. The cost of accessing the infrastructures also influences the growth of
ecommerce.
Access To Computer Equipment
There is still a low level of PC penetration and the cost of Internet access is too
high. Majority of developing countries population lacks the income required to
have telephone services, especially the low-income and rural populations
(OECD, 2004).
Socio-Cultural Barriers
Most cultures in developing countries do not support ecommerce and the
conditions are not ripe because of lack of confidence in technology and online
culture (Efendioglu et al, 2004).
Transactional Trust (ordered goods will arrive, payment will be made) Ecommerce is a radical behaviour that goes contrary to experience and culture.
The move to electronic commerce challenges many of the basic assumption
about trust. Confidence and trust is an essential requirement for secure
electronic trading

Shopping as a Social Place

In developing countries, shopping is seen as a social place where friendly
conversations between the vendor and the customer. The success of doing

business depends heavily on the quality and sometimes the quantity of personal
relationships.
Limitation on Personal Contact
The adoption of e-commerce depends on the cultural and social environment. In
most developing countries, people consider shopping as a recreational activity
(Boerhanoeddin, 2000).
Language/ Content
Language is another important hindrance to ecommerce adoption. Language has
been identified as a socio-cultural barrier that hinders both access to information
and to the Internet and participation in ecommerce.
Socioeconomic Barriers
Developing countries need to address a number of socioeconomic and
regulatory barriers before they can participate in electronic commerce
Educational system
The poor state of educational system in most developing countries is seen as
barrier to ecommerce adoption. Lack of ICT skills and business skills are
widespread impediments to effective adoption of ecommerce. The lack of
appropriate IT education is perceived to be a reason why the potential value of
computers and the Internet as a means to participate in ecommerce is not
appreciated.

Political and Governmental Barriers

The poor state of most developing countries telecommunications infrastructure
is the major barriers hindering the adoption of ecommerce. The lack of

telephone lines, low quality, slow speed and high cost of bandwidth and security
concerns needs to be addressed before users and enterprises in developing
countries can think of participating in ecommerce.

CONCLUSIONS
Despite the limitations of most developing countries, it appears that ecommerce
is indeed relevant to developing countries, despite the current limitations with

the existing infrastructure and other issues related to the economical and sociocultural conditions. Ecommerce can be an extremely beneficial tool in
developing countries provided that certain problems are resolved and provided
that the governments of developing countries demonstrate that they have the
political will to remove the barriers that currently stand in the way of
widespread adoption.
Electronic commerce and the internet integrate both services and goods sectors,
across domestic and international boundaries. it can be a forum where
developing countries use their existing regional relationships to convey
information to the individual countries to raise knowledge levels and work with
private sector partners.

REFERENCES
Berger, M. (ed.) (1997): After the Third World special issue of Third World
Quarterly 25(1).
Bernstein, Henry (2004). Colonialism, capitalism and development: in Allen,
Tim and Alan.
Clapham, Christopher (1985). Third World Politics Madison: University of
Wisconsin Press.(Chapter 1: pp 1-11). and Enterprise Management, Vol.
2, No. 4
Kole, Ellen (2000) Cyber democracy: a condition not an outcome
http://www.x4all.nlekde/public/toolart.hmtl
Lawrence, J.E. (2002): The Use of Internet in Small to Medium-Sized
Enterprises, PhD thesis, University of Salford, UK.
Mann C. L. (2000): Electronic Commerce in Developing Countries
Thomas Eds. Poverty and Development into the 21st Century Milton Keynes:
Open University Press (Chapter 11: pp. 241-70).