Maltese business fast adapting to online culture
The Maltese business community is adapting rapidly to the new online business environment, so much so that 14 per cent of all the Maltese companies owning a website already provide highly advanced facilities such as online payments and the possibility...
The Maltese business community is adapting rapidly to the new online business environment, so much so that 14 per cent of all the Maltese companies owning a website already provide highly advanced facilities such as online payments and the possibility of making online reservations and orders.
This new data is included in a new Eurostat publication entitled ICT Usage By Enterprises In 2008 published yesterday in Brussels.
Taking into consideration only European SMEs with a minimum of 10 employees, it emerges that although Maltese businesses are not yet as developed as the average business community in the EU, when it comes to ICT usage and website development, those who are exploiting this potential are making full use of the new technology.
According to Eurostat, until last January, 57 per cent of Maltese businesses had developed a website. The average in the EU stood 64 per cent with the highest ICT users to be found in the Scandinavian countries.
However, Maltese businesses which are making the most of the potential of the web are more successful than their European counterparts. In fact, 14 per cent of Maltese businesses having a website already offer advanced online payment facilities, against 10 per cent in the EU. Another 27 per cent are providing a facility of online orders. In the EU this facility is only offered by 25 per cent of businesses having a website.
At the same time 83 per cent of all Maltese commercial websites give information on products available and related price lists while 25 per cent advertise job vacancies.
Eurostat said that in the EU 27, 93 per cent of enterprises of 10 or more persons employed had access to the internet in January 2008 and 81 per cent had a broadband internet connection.
The highest proportions of enterprises with internet connection in the EU-27 were recorded in The Netherlands and Finland (both 99 per cent), Denmark (98 per cent) and Belgium, Austria and Slovenia (97 per cent).
The percentage was less than 90 per cent in only five member states: Romania (67 per cent), Bulgaria (83 per cent), Hungary (86 per cent), Latvia (88 per cent) and Cyprus (89 per cent).
Out of the enterprises having a website, Denmark came first at 87 per cent, followed by Sweden (86 per cent), The Netherlands (85 per cent) and Finland (82 per cent).
Only in Romania (27 per cent), Bulgaria (33 per cent), Latvia (42 per cent), Portugal (46 per cent), Cyprus and Hungary (both at 48 per cent) did less than half of enterprises have a website.
This new data is included in a new Eurostat publication entitled ICT Usage By Enterprises In 2008 published yesterday in Brussels.
Taking into consideration only European SMEs with a minimum of 10 employees, it emerges that although Maltese businesses are not yet as developed as the average business community in the EU, when it comes to ICT usage and website development, those who are exploiting this potential are making full use of the new technology.
According to Eurostat, until last January, 57 per cent of Maltese businesses had developed a website. The average in the EU stood 64 per cent with the highest ICT users to be found in the Scandinavian countries.
However, Maltese businesses which are making the most of the potential of the web are more successful than their European counterparts. In fact, 14 per cent of Maltese businesses having a website already offer advanced online payment facilities, against 10 per cent in the EU. Another 27 per cent are providing a facility of online orders. In the EU this facility is only offered by 25 per cent of businesses having a website.
At the same time 83 per cent of all Maltese commercial websites give information on products available and related price lists while 25 per cent advertise job vacancies.
Eurostat said that in the EU 27, 93 per cent of enterprises of 10 or more persons employed had access to the internet in January 2008 and 81 per cent had a broadband internet connection.
The highest proportions of enterprises with internet connection in the EU-27 were recorded in The Netherlands and Finland (both 99 per cent), Denmark (98 per cent) and Belgium, Austria and Slovenia (97 per cent).
The percentage was less than 90 per cent in only five member states: Romania (67 per cent), Bulgaria (83 per cent), Hungary (86 per cent), Latvia (88 per cent) and Cyprus (89 per cent).
Out of the enterprises having a website, Denmark came first at 87 per cent, followed by Sweden (86 per cent), The Netherlands (85 per cent) and Finland (82 per cent).
Only in Romania (27 per cent), Bulgaria (33 per cent), Latvia (42 per cent), Portugal (46 per cent), Cyprus and Hungary (both at 48 per cent) did less than half of enterprises have a website.