1. IT USAGE FOR INDIRECT EXPORTS BY SMEs SPEAKERS Ngo Quan Hung, VIETNAM Antonio Jose Junqueira, BRAZIL Commentary by Merlin Alejandrina Barrera Nov. 23th, 2004

2. MAIN DIFFICULTIES FACED TO EXPORTS BY SMES Foreign Language Foreign Language Lack of experience in foreign business Lack of experience in foreign business Lack of knowledge of the external market, including information and export procedures Lack of knowledge of the external market, including information and export procedures Lack of marketing strategy and promotion of materials and companies in others countries Lack of marketing strategy and promotion of materials and companies in others countries Absence of organizational and technical capacity in the companies to be present in a competitive market Absence of organizational and technical capacity in the companies to be present in a competitive market Lack of internal competitiveness in the companies to comply with requirements and international standards Lack of internal competitiveness in the companies to comply with requirements and international standards

3. MAIN DIFFICULTIES FACED TO EXPORTS BY SMES Technological imbalance Technological imbalance Low productivity according with international standars Low productivity according with international standars Environmental degradation Environmental degradation Lack of access to financial resources Lack of access to financial resources Low production capacity according with the international demand Low production capacity according with the international demand

4. PROBLEMS FOR SMEs IN INTRODUCING AND UTILIZING IT Small production scale Small production scale Lack of familiarity with new technologies Lack of familiarity with new technologies Scarcity of working capital Scarcity of working capital Scarcity of institutional credit for IT Scarcity of institutional credit for IT High indebtedness High indebtedness Lack of specialized workers Lack of specialized workers Lack of knowledge about advantages of using IT inside the companies Lack of knowledge about advantages of using IT inside the companies

5. ADVANTAGES OF INDIRECT EXPORTS BY SMEs Let to export to a most important number of SMEs Let to export to a most important number of SMEs SMEs can concentrate mainly in production process and local marketing SMEs can concentrate mainly in production process and local marketing The standard and regulations are provided step by step by big companies buying the products and services The standard and regulations are provided step by step by big companies buying the products and services SMEs selling the products like a local purchase SMEs selling the products like a local purchase Promote specialization and competitive among the SMEs in the supply chain Promote specialization and competitive among the SMEs in the supply chain

6. IT USAGE FOR INDIRECT EXPORTS BY SMEs Websites oriented to promote suppliers of local products and services. Websites oriented to promote suppliers of local products and services. This tool must provide training, marketing assistance, information and consulting, besides support services as webmail, e-commerce, e-catalogue, legal assistance, tool box, etc. Information Portals with professionals and organizations information, events as congress, seminars, fairs and showrooms export oriented; scientific or technical nature information, markets and market research and e-commerce Information Portals with professionals and organizations information, events as congress, seminars, fairs and showrooms export oriented; scientific or technical nature information, markets and market research and e-commerce Suppliers programs by internet Suppliers programs by internet Network supplier systems by economic sectors, exe. foods and beverages, wood products, etc. Network supplier systems by economic sectors, exe. foods and beverages, wood products, etc. E-commerce oriented to sell products paying outside of the country with local delivery (Ex. E-commerce with Salvadoran community in El Salvador E-commerce oriented to sell products paying outside of the country with local delivery (Ex. E-commerce with Salvadoran community in El Salvador

7. Important All of this measures will get positive results as digital divide as reduce because one of the most important obstacle that SMEs faces is the access and using of IT in order to be more competitive All of this measures will get positive results as digital divide as reduce because one of the most important obstacle that SMEs faces is the access and using of IT in order to be more competitive