Phase I

The overall objective of the e-Trade Bridge Programme (ETB) for SMEs is to help bridge the digital divide by empowering SME managers to make rational decisions on where and when they should be using the digital tools for building competitiveness. During the first phase (2002-2005) the programme assisted enterprise managers, administrators of multiplier organizations and the government policy makers to better understand the new information and communication technologies (ICT) based tools and services and to build capacities to apply them in day-to-day business to improve international competitiveness and trade prospects of SMEs. The programme objectives were to develop and deliver tools and materials that link “e-trade” to strategic and export competence of managers.

Consistent with the views of experts and major players in the field, the programme’s definition of "e-trade" was not made in terms of buying or selling goods and services over the Internet. It was defined rather as the digitization of business processes and managing them to improve the efficiency and the effectiveness of enterprises.

The e-Trade Bridge Paradigm was developed to ensure the consistency of the tools and materials and that the programme services are designed and delivered to meet the needs of the beneficiaries. This paradigm asserts that “e” is a way to do things, not a thing to do. New technologies can help competitive businesses to become more competitive. Therefore, the paradigm defined the prerequisites of enterprise competitiveness as resting on three pillars comprising management-readiness, export-readiness and e-readiness.

During the first phase (2002-2005) the programme activities resulted in the preparation and extensive field-testing of training materials, documents, e-tools, and guidelines and their delivery to the beneficiaries particularly to the regional hubs in three languages (English, French and Spanish). Since May 2004 the programme has been field-testing its materials and methodology to empower SME managers to make rational decisions on where and when they should be using the digital tools to improve SME competitiveness.

The beneficiary countries and the outputs of the Phase I are as follows:

related documents: