Mixed results on the Internet

Nation's Business, May, 1997

Respondents to a recent Nation's Business poll on the Internet, the global network of computer networks, said they have experienced mixed results in their use of this relatively new electronic business tool.

Twenty-six percent of the respondents to the March poll said their use of the Internet has resulted in "decreased productivity," while 15 percent reported "increased productivity." Nineteen percent said they have experienced improved communication with workers and/or customers, and 16 percent cited improved marketing and sales since incorporating Internet use in their operations. Nearly one-fourth said the impact was not clear.

While more than three-fourths of the respondents said they were using or planning to use the Internet, nearly one-fourth said they had no plans to use it.

Two-thirds of those who are not on the Internet said they had not gone on-line because they felt it was either too costly or too complex.

Here are the complete results of the poll:

Questions And Answers

Do you use the Internet for business purposes?
Yes                                        54%
No, but I'm planning to do so              23
No, and I have no plans to do so           23

If not, what is your primary reason?
It's too costly                            36%
It's too complex                           31
I'm concerned about privacy
   and security                             9
I lack the necessary equipment             10
I don't need it                            14

If you are connected to the Internet, what company provides
your connection?
A commercial on-line service, such as America Online,
   CompuServe, the Microsoft Network, or Prodigy           43%
A company that provides Internet connections only           8
A cable-TV company                                          5
A long-distance phone company                              18
A local phone company                                      26

If you use the Internet, what has been the major impact on your
business?
Increased productivity                           15%
Decreased productivity                           26
Better communication with
   workers and/or customers                      19
Legal problems                                    1
Improved marketing and sales                     16
The impact is still unclear                      23

If you have a home page on the Internet, who designed it?
I did                      3%
A company employee        30
An outside consultant     67

If you do not have a home page, do you plan to have one within
the next 12 months?

Yes                       39%
No                        27
Maybe                     34%