3. COMPETING IN THE WORLD ECONOMY
3.11. Internet access and use by businesses
The Internet is a tool which enables businesses to
reach large numbers of new customers every day. Small
While the model survey has contributed to the
and medium-sized enterprises can now advertise and
use of common methodologies, concepts and
reach customers on a scale that just a few years ago
data items across OECD countries, there is still
was possible for only a handful of large corporations.
some variation. The OECD has attempted to
Broadband access to the Internet is therefore an impor-
standardise data where possible; the main area
tant way to compete in the global economy.
of standardisation is the use of a common size
Business use of the Internet has become fairly standard
cut-off. Most countries provide data based on a
practice in most OECD countries. Increasingly, busi-
size cut-off of 10 or more employees. Because
nesses use broadband platforms to connect to the
larger businesses are generally more likely to use
Internet. The share of businesses that use broadband
ICT, penetration rates for countries that include
in all businesses with ten or more employees ranges
businesses with fewer than 10 employees and
from 46% in Mexico to 99% in Iceland. In Iceland, Korea,
those that do not would not otherwise be compa-
Canada, France, Spain, Finland, Belgium and New
rable. Several countries are unable to apply the
Zealand, over 90% of businesses have a broadband con-
common cut-off (Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and
nection. The OECD average is 83%.
Switzerland). Their ICT use rates are therefore
In a majority of OECD countries, over half of businesses
less comparable than those of other countries.
have their own website. The share of businesses with
their own website in all businesses with ten or more
employees ranges from 46% in Portugal to 89% in Japan,
with an OECD average of 69%. At 85% or higher, Japan,
Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands have the high-
est proportion of businesses with their own website.
Official data on access to and use of information and
communication technologies (ICTs) by businesses are
Sources
relatively scarce outside the OECD area, as the surveys
to collect these data can be expensive to undertake and
OECD, ICT Database, 2009.
this is generally not a priority in developing countries.
Eurostat, Community Survey on ICT Usage in Enter-
Supported by the work of the Partnership on Measuring
prises, 2008.
ICT for Development (see  Going further at right), the
UNCTAD, E-business database May 2009.
list of economies undertaking such surveys is set to
grow in the coming years.
Going further
Most non-OECD economies for which data on Internet
access by business are available report broadband
OECD (2009),  Guide to Measuring the Information
penetration rates lower than those in OECD countries,
Society 2009 ,
although the figures presented here are certainly not
www.oecd.org/sti/measuring-infoeconomy/guide.
representative of all developing countries.
Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development,
www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/partnership/.
Comparing ICT use by businesses
Figure notes
To improve data comparability, OECD countries
For Australia, website includes a presence on another
agreed in 2001 on a model survey on ICT use by
entity s website.
businesses. In order to maintain comparability
For Japan, businesses with 100 or more employees. For
and relevance of information, the model survey
Mexico, businesses with 50 or more employees. For
was revised in 2005.
New Zealand, businesses with 6 or more employees
The questionnaire is composed of self-contained
and with a turnover greater than NZD 30 000. For
modules which can be used either in their total-
Switzerland, businesses with 5 or more employees.
ity or as separate modules in specific national
surveys. The model survey is intended to pro- Broadband: download speeds equal to or faster than
256 kbit/s. Size cut-off: Brazil (9+), China (size
vide guidance for measuring ICT use (including
unknown), Colombia (0+), Thailand (1+). For
e-commerce), and participating countries are
Hong Kong, China, establishments instead of enter-
encouraged to use it as a core part of their survey
prises. For Egypt, the sample was not extrapolated to
development work.
the target population.
OECD SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRY SCOREBOARD 2009 © OECD 2009
104
3. COMPETING IN THE WORLD ECONOMY
3.11. Internet access and use by businesses
Business use of broadband and websites, 2008
Percentage of businesses with ten or more employees
Broadband Have own website
%
100
75
50
25
0
1 2 http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/745454340233
Business use of broadband and websites in non-OECD economies, 2008
Percentage of businesses with ten or more employees
Broadband Have own website
%
100
75
50
25
0
1 2 http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/745457261215
OECD SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRY SCOREBOARD 2009 © OECD 2009
105
l
)
)
)
)
)
e
y
s
y
k
a
y
y
c
c
e
d
n
d
d
n
g
d
7
n
d
a
i
i
i
l
i
m
m
r
r
5
7
7
7
r
3
a
c
c
l
l
e
d
n
a
n
n
n
n
n
2
r
a
a
g
a
u
o
a
t
u
0
0
0
0
e
0
n
a
b
b
t
a
a
a
d
n
a
p
a
i
w
U
l
p
l
l
u
l
l
I
d
g
s
e
o
a
0
0
0
0
0
e
a
u
a
u
r
t
g
m
e
a
l
e
E
r
m
n
o
r
l
S
g
n
u
b
r
J
2
2
2
2
2
i
p
p
o
r
r
n
r
w
c
e
F
e
P
G
n
I
u
A
o
e
e
F
I
e
e
e
i
N
m
S
B
H
a (
a (
a (
P
h
d (
o (
e
G
D
i
t
e
l
d
c
n
w Z
x
k R
i
h R
e
r
d K
a
a
a
e
u
a
x
c
l
r
o
e
N
n
t
r
L
t
v
N
e
e
K
i
a
s
e
z
o
l
n
z
M
C
u
C
t
S
U
i
A
w
S
t
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
a
a
a
a
s
a
a
a
a
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
t
p
5
5
6
6
7
7
7
7
6
7
6
7
7
7
7
u
t
l
r
v
n
n
n
n
y
r
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
a
a
t
a
e
a
a
o
g
p
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
a
o
t
g
v
u
M
l
y
E
r
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
m
s
L
o
h
u
l
C
C
o
E
t
i
l (
B
S
e (
y (
a (
a (
a (
a (
a (
a (
i
a (
n (
n (
d (
n (
n (
R
i
i
L
r
z
a
n
a
a
n
b
a
n
d
n
o
i
i
b
j
i
b
i
t
t
o
a
u
i
u
a
u
t
r
t
h
h
l
r
s
s
p
a
g
i
m
e
C
n
a
z
h
C
B
m
a
r
a
b
u
e
o
S
r
y
k
l
, C
r
r
g
e
h
g
e
g
a
e
o
g
n
r
d
U
T
r
i
z
z
B
n
e
C
A
y
a
S
A
o
K
K
n F
a
g K
i
n
s
o
s
u
H
R