Methodology

The study will be divided into two phases. In the first phase, secondary research will be conducted to find out the metrics which are most influential in deciding the success of B2B E-Marketplaces.
The second phase will be an exploratory research, where a comprehensive questionnaire (containing both open ended and closed questions) will be created and sent to around 40 SMEs to gauge their opinions about B2B E commerce. The response from this questionnaire will then be analysed to answer the last two research questions.

Questionnaire

Company Demographics:

1. Year of establishment
2. What is the primary industry or line of business?
3. What is the approximate total number of employees?
4. What is the annual revenue?

IT and Technology familiarity:

1. Does it maintain a website?
2. Does the company use an ERP system? If yes, which one?
3. Does the company use any standalone knowledge management system, HR system, accounting system etc.? 
4. If yes, please name them.
5. Does the company have a separate IT budget? What is the approximate budget?
6. Does the company provide computers (desktops/laptops) employees?
7. Does the company provide internet access to its employees during working hours?
8. Does the company use social media marketing? Maintaining Blogs, Social network pages, twitter accounts etc.?

CEO/MD and CIO/IT Head (if there is one) qualifications:

1. What is the level of education of the CEO/MD?

         a. Matriculation
         b. Graduate
         c. Post Grad
         d. PhD

    2.  What is the level of education of CIO/IT Head (if there is one)?

         a. Matriculation
         b. Graduate
         c. Post Grad
         d. PhD

Presence in B2B E Marketplace:

     1. Does the company use B2B E – Marketplaces to source raw materials or sell their products?
         a. Yes
         b. No

If yes:

1. List the names of E market places that the company has registered with.

2. What does the company use the B2B E Marketplace for?
a. Source
b. Sell
c. Both

3. Will your company continue to use the existing e-marketplace?
a. Yes
b. No

4. If ‘No’, does your company plan to adopt a new e-marketplace within a year?
a. Yes
b. No

5. Did the CEO/MD champion the idea of adoption of E-Marketplaces?
a. Yes
b. No

6. What was the level of support from senior management to the decision of registering in B2B E Marketplaces?
a. Very High
b. High
c. Medium
d. Ambivalent
e. Not Supportive at all

7. According to the company, what were the motivations behind participating in a B2B E Marketplace?
a. Competitive pressure (others are doing it, so follow them)
b. To get access to a larger marketplace
c. Increased number of suppliers to choose from
d. To improve margins and profitability
e. To lower the overall supply chain cost
f. To gain competitive advantage
g. Others – Please mention

8. According to you, rate the following advantages that your company derives by registering and participating in a B2B E marketplace. (In a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest)

Sourcing

a. Superior quality of raw materials
b. Lower prices
c. Timely delivery (reliable)
d. Increased choice of suppliers/vendors
e. Others – Please mention and rate

Selling

a. Increased customer base
b. Increased sales
c. Better visibility
d. Better customer relationship
e. Lower transaction cost
f. Lower marketing and advertising cost
g. Others – Please mention and rate

If no:

1. Does your company plan to adopt an e-marketplace within a year?
a. Yes
b. No

2. Reason for not registering in a B2B E marketplace (Please select one or more):
a. Was not aware till now
b. Lack of senior management support
c. Unreliable internet connectivity
d. Not too beneficial compared to its cost
e. Do not want to move away from the well-established sourcing process
f. Not enough IT infrastructure
g. Not enough skilled persons to handle the online transactions
h. Others – Please mention

3. Is there any plan to move to B2B E Market places in the near future?
a. Yes
b. No

4. If yes, what is the time frame?
a. < 6 months
b. 6-12 months
c. 12-18 months
d. 18-24 months
e. >24 months