Can ICTs address the needs of small enterprises?

• Autores: Oliver Wakelin
• Localización: Enterprise development & microfinance, ISSN 1755-1978, Vol. 15, Nº. 4, 2004, págs. 45-52
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • Oasis is a website that is amed at overcoming the shortage of relevant business information for micro and small enteprises (MSEs) in Kenya. The design and updating of the website is carried out centrally, but to encourage the dissemination of information to MSEs, a group of 'infomediaries' were trained to download the information at internet bureaus, and to sell it to MSEs. Experience in two towns shows that MSEs were willing to pay for the information from Oasis, and that infomediaries were able to cover their costs. The time taken to research and upload useful sector-specific information centrally is considerable, however, and as yet income from sponsorship and advertising does not cover this cost. The article recommends that business information that is researched for Oasis could also be used in other outlets, such as radio programmes, and costs could be shared in this way.