The Official Assessment of the EDI Action Plan


In 1998 the EDI Council evaluated the outcome of the EDI Action Plan. It was acknowledged that although a number of initiatives had been implemented within different sectors, including development of low-cost EDI software, the diffusion of EDI had failed to progress at the pace expected in the EDI Action Plan. The first initiative, establishing EDI standards, was based on information obtained from the business associations. The initiative was close to implementation in sectors related to mortgage, shipping, and insurance. However, sectors such as industry and trade progressed at a slower pace and the EDI Council expected that the objective of standardization would be fulfilled by 1999. The EDI Council realized that especially SMEs had not implemented EDI as much as expected. In relation to standardization issues, the EDI Council realized that the XML (eXtended Markup Language) standard presented a promising alternative to EDIFACT. It was also suggested that the Internet might be an attractive means of transportation of EDI messages in terms of cost and simplicity. According to an assessment made by the EDI Council, the fifth initiative in the EDI Action Plan, development of EDI-software, had had a slow start. One major problem from the beginning was the failure to consider the different needs of the participating organizations. For instance development of EDI-software had failed to consider price and functionality in relation to individual organizations' needs and levels of ambition for EDI usage. However, remedial action had been taken by the business associations initiating a number of pilot projects.

In the overall evaluation document of the EDI Action Plan prepared by the EDI Council, it was concluded that the EDI Action Plan had been a success. One of the reasons for its success was the wide support it had elicited from the business associations. According to the managing director of the EDI Council, the criterion for success was to provide business and administration with the necessary opportunities and tools for EDI application. Thus, the objective was to create the opportunities to use EDI rather than to convince as many organizations as possible to adopt EDI.




Social and Economic Transformation in the Digital Era
Social and Economic Transformation in the Digital Era
ISBN: 1591402670
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 198

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