firms were using the web to a greater or lesser extent to obtain information about inputs, product markets,
and specific customers. Only half of the firms (6) were reported to be using the web to accept or place
orders internationally.
Only two firms were using an extranet (see Table 6) to accept orders from international business
customers and to place orders with international suppliers, in one case frequently and in the other,
infrequently.
EDI was not in widespread use. Of the two firms that reported its use, both respondents
said that they frequently used EDI to place orders with domestic and international suppliers, and one
always used EDI to place orders with domestic suppliers. In the case of orders with international
suppliers, one of these firms was a frequent user of EDI while the other placed orders in this way
infrequently.
5.6 Firm Registration with Web-based Trading Sites
The number of firms reported to have registered with international electronic trading sites hosted on the
World Wide Web was rather small. Five firms were registered at such e-marketplace sites. One firm
was registered at a local e-marketplace, e-sokoni (see section 5.3), another at a Dubai based site, and a
third at a site in Hong Kong (Two firms did not provide the location of the e-marketplace at which they
had registered). These sites were of two types: On-Line Auctions or Requests for Quotes and the products
posted at these sites were shirts, shorts, and T-shirts.
None of the respondents reported that their firms had completed a sale at these sites. One, however, was
using the site to obtain contacts which he then pursued using e-mail and other means. Two firms were
reported to have used the e-marketplace sites to purchase garment accessories such as buttons.
5.7
Supply Chain Management
Only two respondents reported using the public Internet to support supply chain management. In one
case, the use of the Internet was very basic and involved managers making decisions about new products,
designs, fabric, etc., based on information found on the Internet. The firm was not using the Internet to
integrate its operations with those of its suppliers or customers.
The second firm had developed its Internet-based supply chain management capability more fully so that
its suppliers and customers had access to real-time information about its sales and stock levels and its
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