CGI.br presents results of ICT Microenterprises 2007

First edition of the survey reveals low usage rate of the network to optimize businesses

The Brazilian Internet Steering Committee — CGI.br (https://www.cgi.br), through the Brazilian Network Information Center — NIC.br (https://www.nic.br) presents the first edition of ICT Microenterprises, referring to the year 2007. The study covers establishments with up to nine employees, based on classification criteria used by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat). The objective is to outline the technological profile of Brazilian companies with 1 to 9 employees, as well as identify the main differences in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) compared to larger establishments.

According to the survey, only 81% of microenterprises have access to computers and an even lower percentage (69%) have network connections, whereas larger establishments exhibit computer and Internet usage above 90%. Regarding the use of the network to optimize businesses, it was found that 74% of companies with up to nine employees do not have a website and 36% have not performed any replacement of postal mail with electronic means. “In general, the numbers from ICT Microenterprises 2007 show that the potential for development offered by the Internet is not yet properly exploited by small companies,” comments Mariana Balboni, manager of the Center for Information and Communication Technology Studies (CETIC.br).

Even though the use of ICTs in microenterprises is lower, the percentage of employees with network access in small ones is significantly higher. In microenterprises, an average of 77% of employees access the web, while in companies with 10 or more employees this percentage is only 43%. “This significant difference likely reflects the fact that in small companies one employee performs multiple tasks, and among them, activities carried out via the Internet. In larger companies, there is a greater diversity of functions, many of which do not require network use,” says Mariana. The survey shows that 74% of Brazilian microenterprises use electronic government services, which seems to be the result of public policy efforts in implementing the necessary infrastructure and developing this modality. However, these initiatives are still insufficient, as contact with public agencies via the Internet is still considerably higher in establishments with more than 10 employees (89%). “Many companies miss out on great business opportunities with their clients or even with public agencies,” says Mariana. “Government auctions and other Electronic Government services, as well as e-commerce, are excellent options not only for citizens but also for micro-entrepreneurs, who can make a significant portion of their contacts more productive,” she notes.

Among small companies that use the Internet, e-commerce is a tool of great relevance: companies with up to nine employees that have already made online purchases account for 43% of the total interviewed, and 27% declared having received orders in the last 12 months. Among larger companies, the percentages are 64% and 45% for each e-commerce modality. However, although there is a lower percentage of microenterprises making purchases online, for those that do, online purchases represent a higher average percentage of total purchases made (31%) than for larger ones (24%). “This suggests that if we consider microenterprises that make purchases and receive orders online, business via the Internet represents a higher average percentage of total commerce compared to large enterprises, showing that, especially for small businesses, this tool is powerful for commercial transactions,” comments Mariana.

The survey also indicates that the attention given to aspects involving network security is low and decreases as the size of the company decreases. Almost 70% of respondents reported that their companies do not adopt any network security support measures. Among the security technologies used by microenterprises, only the antivirus is practically universal, showing indicators similar to those of large companies. “Since all other security tools show significantly lower usage rates in micros, we note that there may be less awareness of security issues among professionals connected to the use of computers and the Internet in small companies,” says Mariana. “Hence the lower response rate about virus attacks compared to large companies,” she adds.

The use of open-source software was indicated by 13% of small companies, with 52% declaring that it was installed on the server, 26% on the client, and 17% on both. In larger establishments, this indicator is 28%. “Even though the use of open-source software means, especially for microenterprises, considerable financial savings, the lack of habit in using non-proprietary software and the concern related to maintenance are obstacles to its use, mainly in this group where investment in training tends to be lower,” details Mariana.

In the twelve months preceding the study, 13% of microenterprises declared having hired IT (Information Technology) specialists, yet 18% pointed out difficulties in selecting these employees. Among the larger ones, the recruitment percentage was 20%. The main difficulty highlighted was the lack of specific IT studies and training, with an index of 84% in micro and 79% in larger ones. Next, the most cited obstacle was the lack of experience, mentioned in 75% of micros and 69% in those of larger size.

Data from the Annual Social Information Report (RAIS) demonstrate the importance of microenterprises for the Brazilian economy, as they represent 73% of formal companies accounted for, or 1.99 million establishments out of a universe of 2.72 million. Larger companies, with ten or more employees, generate 83% of formal jobs. According to Mariana, “the comparative analysis of these two universes helps us understand the country's technological development stage, allowing for a deeper discussion on corporate use of ICTs in Brazil,” she concludes.

The full study can be found at https://www.cetic.br/empresas/2007/tic-microempresas-2007.pdf.

About CETIC.br
The Center for Information and Communication Technology Studies (CETIC.br) is responsible for producing indicators and statistics on the availability and use of the Internet in Brazil, disseminating periodic analyses and information on the development of the network in the country. More information at https://www.cetic.br/.

About the Brazilian Network Information Center – NIC.br
The Brazilian Network Information Center — NIC.br (https://www.nic.br/) is a non-profit civil entity that implements decisions and projects of the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee. NIC.br's permanent activities include coordinating the registration of domain names — Registro.br (https://www.registro.br/), studying, responding to, and handling security incidents in Brazil - CERT.br (https://www.cert.br/), researching and researching network technologies and operations — CEPTRO.br (https://www.ceptro.br/), producing indicators on information and communication technologies — CETIC.br (https://www.cetic.br/) and hosting the W3C office in Brazil (https://www.w3c.br/).

About the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee – CGI.br
The Brazilian Internet Steering Committee coordinates and integrates all Internet service initiatives in the country, promoting technical quality, innovation, and dissemination of offered services. More information at https://www.cgi.br/.

For more information, visit: www.s2.com.br or www.nic.br

Press contacts - CGI.br:
S2 Integrated Communication - https://www.s2.com.br
Renata Albuquerque – renata@s2.com.br
Carolina Mendes – cmendes@s2.com.br
Erika Souza Cruz – erikac@s2.com.br
José Luiz Schiavoni (MTb 14.119) joseluiz@s2.com.br

This content was automatically translated with the support of artificial intelligence.