[ebxml-dev] RE: [EDI-L] Article on ebXML Core Components ...

[Christopher Harvey <ckharvey@zaratechnology.com.sg>]

Mike, and others,

It's great to see such a likely discussion. It is only through discussion
that we get understanding...

Don't get me wrong; my sentiment comes from years of working with SMEs in
Asia - I cannot speak for other parts of the world - Here, there is a
definite *problem* with *them".

Our government is very hands-on (in the best kind of way). It makes it very
clear and direct (at the highest levels): "Go regional, go global, or die".
The response is classic: "I have done business like this for 30 years why
should I change, it will not affect me". (Many still apply this argument to
even basic the use of technology!).

Now, in a small country, we cannot afford to let them die. So the
powers-that-be encourage a combination of sticks AND carrots. It is a
necessity; especially when one lives so close to China considering
everything she will achieve over the next 20 years.

Perhaps the best way to describe my sentiment is to say that I would like to
use the big guys to "wake up" and get the attention of the SMEs to the
global economy, shrinking world, massive opportunities, power of the
Internet, etc... Perhaps small and developing countries have a different
perpective to the developed world.

My company has been working towards affordable fully-integrated SME
solutions along the e-commerce model for some time. I am very interested in
anyone developing anything in this space. WIll check it out Peter.

Like others in this discussion, to me the most important component are
document layouts and basic protocols for the exchange of those documents.
ebXML must succeed; a simple set of document formats that can be supported
to become a de facto standard must be the first step. People must get
hooked.

Regards
Chris Harvey


----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Rawlins" <mike@rawlinsecconsulting.com>
To: "Christopher Harvey" <ckharvey@zaratechnology.com.sg>
Cc: "'Todd Boyle'" <tboyle@rosehill.net>; <rachelf@ix.netcom.com>;
<ebxml-dev@lists.ebxml.org>
Sent: 23 April 2002 03:15
Subject: Re: [ebxml-dev] RE: [EDI-L] Article on ebXML Core Components ...


> Excuse me, but I can't help but violently disagree with most of this
> sentiment!  The main problem is not necessarily with the SME, but with
> the tools that are available to them.  Most would accommodate a big
> customer's request to do business electronically if it was cost
> effective for them to do so.  In the current way of doing things (and
> I'm afraid how ebXML may turn out the same way) it costs them more to do
> business electronically than by other means.  And you blame *them* for
> that?  That's exactly how the big guys work.  If they can't show an ROI
> on something, they won't do it.
>
> Your thinking reflects a big stick approach which I am increasingly
> seeing, with large buyers imposing financial penalties of all sorts upon
> their suppliers in force a shift of costs from the customer to the
> supplier.  Does this produce efficiencies?  In some cases yet, but as
> often as not it forces the supplier to raise their prices so that they
> can recover costs and still make a profit.  This is *not* a very good
model.
>
> We need better solutions, not bigger sticks...