e-commerce@its.best.uk - Fatal System Error

Longer -term priorities1.17 Equally important will be to take actionon the longer-term programmes needed toachieve cultural and behavioural changes inunderstanding and trust.For instance, through a concerted effort toachieve recognition of the importance of e-commerce within business (especiallywithin the boardroom), through the use ofcase studies.Mentoring schemes for small businesses,where experience gained is cascaded, withthe credibility only achievable among peerswho have faced and overcome the samechallenges.Encouragement should be provided to theprivate sector for the swift introduction ofmulti-function smartcards, for use in e-commerce identification and for otherpurposes. Access to e-cash through suchcards would be one option for achievinggeunine social inclusion.Maximise the profile1.18 There are immediate actions that can betaken to maximise the profile of e-commercein the UK. These include:leveraging the UK's balance of theminimum necessary regulation andfreedom to innovate through thedevelopment of a 'based in the UK' brand(for example TrustUK), linking in to similarinitiatives in DCMS and British TradeInternational;providing greater visibility and quick actionon on-going measures, such as theElectronic Communications Bill;improving guidance on tax, responding tothe relatively poor levels of awareness ofthe steps already announced; andpublishing an annual 'state of e-commerce'report, detailing progress in theachievement of the goals and milestoneslaid out in this report.Background actions1.19 Finally, there are a number of actionsthat must be set in place in the background.These include:examining the new barriers to competitionthat electronic markets may create andassessing actions which might be takenbefore serious problems arise;driving forward the complex internationalwork on taxation, intellectual property andcopyright;establishing new targets in schools andacross the workforce for IT literacy andpromoting awareness of the role ofintellectual property in the newknowledge-driven economy; andmost importantly, setting up mechanismsto measure and monitor the developmentof e-commerce in the UK.1.20 Action in all these areas needs to beundertaken as a matter of urgency. E-commerce is remarkable not just for the scaleof change it is bringing about, but for therate of change. If the UK is to win in the racefor e-commerce success, Government andbusiness must act now.E-commerce@its.best.uk5