Helping European Smes to Benefit from B2b Emarketplaces: a Guide for Policy Makers

B2B eMarketplaces are generally seen to bring various benefits to their participants in terms of cost reduction, efficiency gains, simplification of business processes, improvement of information flows and more. However, particularly SMEs still remain hesitant with regards to trading on eMarketplaces. In this book the author analyses the benefits that those trading platforms could offer to SMEs as well as the barriers - whether perceived or real ¿ which still tend to hinder SMEs from taking part in B2B eMarketplaces. Subsequently the book discusses the preconditions that would be necessary to foster SME-participation and the role that public authorities, as well as the SMEs themselves, would have to play in this. The author closes with recommendations to policy makers at regional, national and European level, especially highlighting the role of the European Commission. Besides addressing policy makers and public institutions on all levels, this book aims at business representatives and all kinds of stakeholders in the eBusiness sector as well as European SMEs themselves that are willing to harness the potential of B2B eMarketplaces.