GEC Survey Project Description
The Global E-Commerce Survey was designed to
help researchers in CRITO determine whether the Internet and
e-commerce are making some firms, industries and countries more
competitive than others. Data were collected via telephone interviews
in 10 countries (United States, Mexico, Brazil, Denmark, France,
Germany, Taiwan, Singapore, China and Japan) during the period
February 18, 2002 – April 5, 2002. A total of 2,139 companies
were interviewed. CRITO partnered with the International Data
Corporation (IDC) located in Framingham, MA, to conduct the
survey.
Specifically, the survey focuses on:
About the Data Collection
The questionnaire was designed by researchers at the University
of California, Irvine and reviewed/critiqued by IDC consultants.
The questionnaire was translated into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese,
French, German, Japanese and Danish; translations were reviewed
by country experts selected by IDC and by CRITO.
Except for Japan, all surveys were conducted by Market Probe (subcontracted
and managed by IDC). For Japan, Adams Communications conducted
the surveys.
The establishment (site) was the sampling unit and is the unit
of the database. An establishment is defined as the physical location.
The sampling was a stratified random sample; stratified by size
(large – 250 or more employees and small – between 25 and 250
employees) and by industry (manufacturing -- SIC 20-39, wholesale/retail
distribution -- SIC 50-54,56-57, 59; and banking & insurance --
SIC 60-65). A stratified sampling method without replacement was
used, with sites selected randomly within each vertical/size cell.
The sample frame was obtained from a list source representative
of the entire local market, regardless of computerization or Web
access. Dun & Bradstreet was used for the United States, Denmark,
France and Germany. Kompas was used for Brazil, Mexico, Taiwan
and Singapore. The Census of Enterprises and Yellow Pages was
used for China. The Teikoku Data Bank was used for Japan.
A predetermined number of interviews were completed in each establishment
size and industry category to ensure an adequate sample to report
on for each establishment size and industry group for each country
at the 95% confidence interval. Interviews were conducted only
with those companies that make use of the Internet in conducting
its business. Target completes were a minimum of 200 interviews
per country (except for 300 interviews in the U.S.) equally divided
by size (large/small) and sector (manufacturing/wholesale & retail
distribution/banking & insurance).
A national sampling approach was used in data collection for all
countries except China. That is, sites were selected regardless
of geographic location within the country. In China (PRC), however,
the sites were selected from the following cities: Beijing, Shanghai,
Guangzhou, and Chengdu.
Eligible respondents were the individuals at each site best qualified
to speak about the site’s overall computing activities. For medium/large
sites, the respondent was the CIO, an IT Director, or IT Manager.
For small sites, it was an IT Manager or Owner.
