This appendix describes the Global E-Commerce Survey (GEC Survey) – the primary data source used for the country case studies – including objectives, instrument construction, survey administration, sampling methodology, and response rates.

Objective

The GEC Survey was designed to benchmark the state of e-commerce diffusion in firms, industries, and countries, and to determine whether the Internet and e-commerce are making some more competitive than others. Specifically, the survey focuses on six areas: 1) globalization of firms and markets; 2) use of e-commerce technologies (EDI, Internet, extranet, etc.); 3) drivers for Internet use; 4) barriers to conducting business on the Internet; 5) prevalence of online sales and online service offerings; and 6) benefits from e-commerce use. Each country chapter uses the GEC Survey as the primary data source. Country cases may also employ secondary data sources, and authors were encouraged to supplement GEC data as needed.

Countries and time period

Data were collected via telephone interviews in ten economies: Brazil, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States. Interviews were conducted during the period 18 February 2002 to 5 April 2002. A total of 2,139 companies were interviewed.

Instrument design

The questionnaire was designed by researchers at the University of California, Irvine and reviewed and critiqued by International Data Corporation's Global Research Organization and its global subsidiaries in the countries studied.