Who's Sharing What with Whom? How Canadian Businesses Used Electronic Networks to Share Information in 2001 - ARCHIVED

Today, businesses and individuals are more frequently using electronic networks to obtain information; but are they also using these networks to share information or to create business solutions? Individuals can turn to the Internet to check out companies that post annual reports, catalogues and job opportunities. Businesses can post their catalogues, ask for and reply to tenders, offer training, communicate with customers and suppliers, and post job opportunities over electronic networks. Finally, public sector administrations have entered heavily into electronic information sharing under such initiatives as Government On-Line.

The Survey of Electronic Commerce and Technology captured how, in 2001, businesses used the Internet, intranets, extranets or electronic data interchanges (EDIs) to make information available within their organizations, to their suppliers or customers, or accessible to other organizations. Businesses were asked the types of information, or interactive or network-based activities they made available via electronic networks. Information included product descriptions or catalogues, order status, demand projections, inventory data, customer information and job opportunities. The one interactive or network-based activity captured was electronic training. The information flows captured by this question provide a better understanding of how e-business, in particular electronic customer and supplier relationships, is operating in Canada.