Internet Use for Exporting Purposes: The Challenges for Greek SMEs
Πλήρης Αναφορά του Άρθρου
Hajidimitriou, Y.A. and Azaria, A.C. (2004), “Internet Use for Exporting Purposes: The Challenges for Greek SMEs”, 9th International Conference of the Economic Society of Thessaloniki on “Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness and Growth in South-East Europe”, University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece, 23-25 September.
Abstract
In the past 15 years a lot of academic inquiry has been made on the role of the Internet in international marketing and business activities, as evidenced by the growing volume of information on the subject. On the other hand, little space has been devoted to the potential use of Internet in exporting. This paper reports the results of a survey of the sporadic empirical investigations that have been conducted throughout the world both in developed and developing countries in order to identify the best practices on the subject of Internet use for exporting purposes by SMEs. The literature survey leads to the identification of the advantages of Internet use as an international marketing tool, the exporting problems that can be resolved by the use of Internet, and the perceived barriers to exporting by firms that possess their own Web site. Finally, based on the international experience, we present the potential challenges and opportunities for Greek SMEs regarding Internet use in exporting.
Keywords: E-Commerce, Internet, SMEs, Exports, Greece
