The take-up of business-to-business e-commerce will be driven by resource and cost pressures and the need for competitive advantage. E-business will play a significant role in supporting efforts to improve productivity. Already the World Wide Web is used for conveying information simultaneously throughout value chains. Information such as data on customers will be spread in both directions along a value chain to increase its responsiveness and eliminate inefficiencies such as stock holding. For example, information about the availability and costs of raw materials, such as a sudden shortage, will be passed at once through the tiers of the value chain so that all participants can take appropriate action.
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