Objective
The main objective of KITS is to increase the effective use of advanced Ecommerce technologies and methodologies by SMEs involved, at different stages, in value chain relationships. The project will address this through two lines of activity:
1. Researching and analysing the current use of Ecommerce technology by SMEs engaged in value chain relationships, their role(s) and economic relationships in extended value chains and between SMEs in dynamic networks;
2. Identifying such SMEs and bringing them into a Community of Interest (COI) spanning four regional clusters. The COI will concentrate on benchmarking the SMEs? use of E-commerce technology and developing strategies to enable them to progress to more advanced technology, so that they can reap greater business benefit.
OBJECTIVES
The main objective of KITS is to increase the effective use of advanced Ecommerce technologies and methodologies by SMEs involved, at different stages, in value chain relationships It will thus:
1) Acquire an understanding of the current economic position of SMEs in value chain relationships, the organisational and technological requirements for SME participation in value chains today, and as new types of value chain evolve;
2) Track how this position and these needs change over time as SMEs leverage advanced E-commerce technology;
3) Encourage and support SMEs in the uptake of the required technology through a Community of Interest (COI) and to Benchmark the Ecommerce activities of the SMEs of the COI against the research findings of Ecommerce of SMEs in supply chain relationships;
4)Publish the results to help SMEs adopt advanced Ecommerce technology.
DESCRIPTION OF WORK
The project will achieve its objectives through two lines of activity:
1. Researching and analysing the current use of Ecommerce technology by SMEs engaged in value chain relationships with suppliers and customers. Researching and analysing the role(s) and economic relationships between SMEs and their customers in extended value chains and between SMEs in dynamic networks;
2. Identifying such SMEs and bringing them into a Community of Interest (COI) spanning four geographical regions in Germany, Belgium, France and Italy. The community of interest will concentrate on benchmarking the SMEs? use of E-commerce technology and developing strategies to enable them to progress to more advanced technology, so that they can reap greater business benefit, e.g. cutting costs of serving customers, positioning themselves to move into new value chain relationships etc. The incentive for SMEs to join the CoI will be the hands-on support in introducing advanced Ecommerce in their business and the support to participate in public call for research projects.
Both activities are synergistic. The research and analysis activity is necessary to ensure that the awareness creation and recommendations offered to the SMEs in the Community of Interest, and to the wider SME community, have a sound basis. Original research is needed to understand the effect of E-commerce on SMEs? Position in the value chain as this is an emerging area brought about by the maturing of the E-commerce market, and one which has not yet been widely explored. On the other hand, the Community of Interest anchors and focuses the research on a specific group of SMEs, which can test the lessons learned from the research and participate in a process of continuous improvement.
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
ACM - Preparatory, accompanying and support measuresCoordinator
39179 BARLEBEN
Germany