Developing a healthy e-business culture

The success of the e-business plan will rely to a large extent on the existence of a healthy e-business culture amongst all staff. If staff and management do not fully embrace the use of the Internet as laid out in the plan, no matter how fast the Internet connection or how good the website, the long-term success of the uptake of e-business is likely to be limited. Developing a healthy e-business culture is no easier for micro-businesses just because they have few staff. They have their challenges here too.

A healthy e-business culture in any sized business would have all of these characteristics:

• the Internet is embraced as a way of conducting everyday business to the extent that it is practical in the organisation 
• staff are encouraged to suggest and try new ways of using the Web or email to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the business
• staff are competent and keen users of the Internet and of their organisation's website
• the website is not seen as outside core business but part of it and supportive of it
• staff feel they have control of the website
• there is a commitment to continual improvement of the e-business plan.  

What to do

To achieve a healthy e-business culture a communications and training plan needs to be developed and implemented. It should ensure that staff and other stakeholders (eg important clients or suppliers) are part of the e-business planning process so that they have ownership of the plan and any changes it brings in their working day. Training in the use of the website, email and any other e-business-related technologies should be planned so that staff are not afraid to use the technology and can use it well.

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