Attitudes towards use of electronic data interchange in industrial buying: some Australian evidence

Considering the growing importance of EDI in improving business performance examines the level of EDI usage in industrial buying and attitudes towards EDI among Australian organizations. Reports the results of a survey. Suggests that the use of computers for communication is expected to increase considerably in the next five years for most activities in industrial buying. The majority of respondents felt that the introduction of EDI will have a dramatic effect on buyer/seller relationships with computers becoming the dominant form of communication with their suppliers in the future. General concern was expressed regarding the possible threat to the security of organizational databases from EDI. Also found that cost reduction, competitive advantage, accuracy and improved customer service were perceived to be the major advantages of EDI and there is a growing preference among firms to deal with vendors/customers who have EDI facilities.