The use of the Internet for business: the experience of early adopters in Singapore

Focuses on business firms in Singapore, identifying the industries in which the Internet is being used for business. These firms are early adopters in the local environment where use of the Internet for business is a new phenomenon still, and they provide information about their Internet experience in terms of their use, perceptions, and the problems encountered. Finds that companies in seven major industries lead in the business use of the Internet in Singapore: computer and information technology; hospitality; manufacturing; travel; retail; publications; and banking and finance. Most of the survey respondents use the Internet for marketing and advertising, customer service and support, information gathering, and, to a lesser degree, electronic transactions. The respondents’ perception of the attributes of the Internet are largely positive. The problems encountered by the respondents include difficulty in locating information, rising costs of Internet use, and security.