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8. UNDERSTANDINGSummary8.1 It is critical that UK industry andGovernment should develop a greaterunderstanding of the opportunities andthreats resulting from e-commerce in orderto achieve the Vision set out in chapter six.8.2 This chapter argues that e-commercehas created new challenges for ourunderstanding and also for our associatedskills and goes on to detail solutions toaddress these. Recommendations fall intotwo main categories – promotingunderstanding and building skills:Recommendations to promoteunderstanding:– Reach the whole market:Recommendation 8.1: mount aconcerted PR campaign inpartnership with industry tocreate an e-commerce “buzz” inthe UK. Commission research toidentify the most appropriatebranding to support this campaign.– Ensure shared understanding withindustry sectors:Recommendation 8.2: carry outand communicate sharedindustry/Government sectorspecific“e-commerce impactassessments” to highlight theopportunities, threats and barriersin each sector, and in particular inthe audiovisual content industry.– Seek to influence particularbusiness groups:Recommendation 8.3: work withkey business influencers toincrease boardroom recognitionof the strategic challenges ofe-commerce;Recommendation 8.4: develop amulti-channel marketing strategyto influence small, medium andmicro businesses; andRecommendation 8.5: the newEnglish RDAs and devolvedauthorities in Scotland, Wales andNorthern Ireland should addresse-commerce as a priority in theireconomic development strategies,where they have not alreadydone so.Recommendations to build skills:Recommendation 8.6: set NationalTargets for IT literacy.8.3 The Government’s role as an exemplarwill be critical to driving both understandingand skills. Chapter eleven explores thisfurther. In addition, training programmes inlocal access centres, which will be necessaryto build skills in individuals, are discussed inchapter nine.Background anddefinitions8.4 E-commerce is creating new challengeswhich individuals and businesses need tounderstand and develop the skills to exploit.These challenges include:increasing globalisation – new businessvalue chains and technological uncertainty(for example over the development ofinteractive digital TV) require new strategicthinking from businesses;E-commerce@its.best.uk43