ICT use by companies by sector of industry (SIC 2008) and size of company
Explanation of symbols
Dataset is not available.
This table contains figures on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) by companies. These include:
- use of computers;
- internal and external networks, including the internet;
- software and its application;
- Supply Chain Management;
- Automated Data Exchange;
- communication with government via the internet;
- the extent to which companies use the internet for buying and selling;
- Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).
The figures refer to companies with 10 and more employed persons. Reference date is 31 December.
Data available from: 2008.
Status of the figures:
The figures are final.
Changes as of 8 March 2019:
None, this table is discontinued.
When will new figures be published?
Not applicable anymore
Description topics
- ICT specialists and users on 31 December
- ICT stands for information and communication technology.
An ICT specialist is an employee who may specify, design, develop,
install, administer and manage ICT systems, including network management
and conducting evaluations and ICT research, such as a software developer,
system administrator or a 'head IT department'.
An ICT user is an employee using a computer and standard packages (such as
word processing, spreadsheets, databases) and/or office-related software
(such as accounting packages, CAD/CAM packages, SPSS) at work.- Staff working with a computer
- Number of employed persons who work at a computer at least once a week.
- Staff working with internet
- Number of employed persons regularly using a computer with internet
access for their work.
- Teleworkers
- Number of employed persons who regularly, at least half a day a week,
work outside their place of work and have access to the ICT system of the
company. The employed person must have access to files and/or software,
not just email.
- Companies with external networks
- External networks include internet or other networks than the internet,
such as Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).
EDI is a standard for electronic exchange of structured messages between
business partners.- Internet, type of connection
- The use of internet by companies broken down by type of connection. A
company can use more than one type of connection.- Analogue and ISDN modem
- Number of companies that use either an analogue modem, connected to a
telephone line or an ISDN connection for their internet connection. ISDN
is Integrated Services Digital Network.
- Broadband
- Companies that use ADSL, SDSL etc., cable (radio and tv cable) or other
high-quality fixed connections such as glass fibre and leased lines for
their internet connection.- Total broadband
- Number of companies that use ADSL, SDSL etc., cable (radio and tv cable)
or other high-quality fixed connections such as glass fibre and leased
lines for their internet connection.
- ADSL, SDSL etc.
- Number of companies that use ADSL, SDSL or VDSL for their internet
connection. (A/S/V)DSL is an abbreviation for (Asymmetric/Symmetric
/Very-high-bitrate) Digital Subscriber Line.
- Cable
- Number of companies that use the RTV cable for their internet connection.
RTV cable is the cable that transmits radio and TV signals to households.
- Other high-quality fixed connections
- Number of companies that use other high-quality fixed connection than
ADSL, SDSL etc. for their internet connection. Examples include fixed
connections with a large bandwidth such as glass fibre and leased lines.
- Internet, general applications
- Use of internet by companies for one or more of the following general
applications: education and training and financial services.- Training and education
- Number of companies that use the internet for training and education
(e.g. e-learning).
- Internet, facilities offered
- Supply of facilities/equipment by companies on the internet, such as
after sales support and information about the company and its products.- Product catalogues and price lists
- Number of companies that provide product information through catalogues
with products and prices on the internet (via a website).
- Companies with software/ICT applications
- ICT applications: special software with a limited application (e.g. an
accounting package).- Open source software
- Open source software is not necessarily free of charge and is
characterised by three aspects:
1 the source code of the software is freely available, at least in part;
2 everyone can add to it or improve it;
3 everyone can distribute it.- Office and business applications
- Number of companies using open source software for office and business
applications. Examples are the Star Office and Open Office word processing
packages, AbiWord, Gimp, LDAP and the Firefox web browser.
- ICT applications for order processing
- Use of related software and hardware for processing the received sales
and/or purchase orders placed in other companies. The orders do not have
to be sent/received by computer.- Sales
- Invoicing and accounting systems
- Number of companies whose sales order processing system within the
company is automatically (without human intervention) linked to the ICT
system for sending invoices and accounting.
- Purchases
- Payment and accounting systems
- Number of companies whose purchase order processing system within the
company is automatically (without human intervention) linked to the
payment and accounting system.
- Supply Chain Management (SCM)
- Supply Chain Management is the integration of a company's business and
ICT system with that of its business partners to coordinate the
availability and supply of products/services. This is electronic data
exchange on expected production, stock, demand, supply, product
development etc. and can be done via:
- the internet or another network;
- Automated Data Exchange.
Hand typed emails are excluded.- With suppliers
- Expected demand or inventory level
- Total number of companies using SCM with suppliers on expected demand,
inventory levels or production plans.
- With customers
- Expected demand or inventory level
- Total number of companies using SCM with customers on expected demand,
inventory levels or production plans.