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Gunter Grittmann
Head of Information and Communication
E-mail: grittmann@zew.de
Phone: +49 (0)621-1235-132
Fax: +49 (0)621-1235-255
Kathrin Böhmer
Public Relations Officer
E-mail: boehmer@zew.de
Phone: +49 (0)621-1235-103
Fax: +49 (0)621-1235-225
Internet shopping is becoming more and more popular. On price comparison sites users can obtain helpful advice, where to find the best price. A recent study conducted by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim and the University of Linz shows that price comparisons are worth the effort. The study is part of the ZEW research programme "Strengthening Efficiency and Competitiveness in the European Knowledge Economies"(SEEK). read more
Among the service providers of the information society it has become increasingly common to make use of e-commerce in the procurement of inputs rather than in sales and marketing of ones own products and services. Roughly 64 per cent of all firms in this sector confirm having ordered products and services over the internet in 2010. However, only 29 per cent of all firms sold their products or services over the internet in 2010. This is the result of the March 2011 survey conducted by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim in cooperation with Creditreform Neuss. (See details on the survey at the end of the press release.) read more
Thirty five percent of innovative German companies already use cloud computing. However, several companies consider its impact on the protection of sensitive business data and the dependence on external providers to be problematic. These are the findings of a representative survey conducted by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) among 1,000 innovative companies and the analysis of a special question, which was part of the quarterly survey conducted by ZEW and Creditreform among the service providers of the information society (see details at end of press release). read more
More than one fourth of businesses in Germany now offer customers the possibility of rating their products and services on their own company website. Some businesses evaluate online information about themselves in order to obtain a picture of their current company or product image. Companies are very hesitant compared to other online advertising channels, however. Only seven percent have their own blog and only six percent have their own profile in social networks. This are the findings of a current representative survey conducted by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW.) A total of 4,400 firms in the manufacturing industry and selected service sectors with more than five staff members were surveyed. read more
The effective use of modern information and communication technologies requires a high-performance broadband infrastructure. The European Commission (EU 2020 strategy) and the German government (broadband strategy) call for a massive expansion of broadband internet access. A current ZEW study supported by Deutsche Telekom AG indicates that broadband internet access gives significant impulses to firms in Germany and makes them more innovative. In the early phase of the DSL expansion from 2001 to 2003, firms using broadband internet access were able to increase the probability of realizing product and process innovations by 25 percentage points on average. Broadband internet gave impulses for innovations particularly in the service sector. read more
Internet-based technologies and services are used diversely among the businesses in the economic sector service providers of the information society. Thus, internet platforms for the development and the offer of own applications and services meet with only little approval. In contrast, for the vast majority of the businesses, the occasional or even intensive usage of communication- and online-information services goes without saying. read more
Currently the question is raised if all data sent online are still going to be treated in the same manner or if certain data are going to be prioritised in the future. Internet providers like Google, Amazon or eBay as well as many internet users and internet activists think that the responsibility to maintain the status quo lies with the government. The status quo guaranteeing net neutrality, i.e. equal treatment of data on the internet, regardless of content, sender and urgency, is to be laid down in law. An analysis by researcher Dr. Margit Vanberg at the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) indicates, however, that internet users in particular could benefit from prioritised data transport. read more