Overcoming the Digital Divide: Integrating Bulgarian Business into the New Economy
The idea behind the project was to make an assessment of the current degree of diffusion of ICT technologies among business and citizens in Bulgaria, as well as to analyze the voids and gaps in the existing legal framework. On the basis of the results of the research work CED’s experts identified measures to increase quality and broaden the scope of ICT and suggested directions on developing e-commerce and e-business for enhancing the performance of the Bulgarian companies.
In the course of the project two major documents were prepared – “Opportunities for E-business Development in Bulgaria” and “Legislative Framework of the Information and Communication Technologies in Bulgaria – Present State and Perspective”.
The first document offered a review of the Internet market in the country (number of users, audience profile and potential), macroeconomic framework for e-business, online payment schemes available, issues of security and privacy in the global network, business models already introduced in Bulgaria and their potential, problems encountered and future perspectives for e-business development. The preparation of this paper is considered as an add-on for another review of the e-commerce issues – “Stages and Development of Electronic Commerce”, that CED published in 2001.
The second research paper presented an overall assessment of the legal framework concerning ICT sector and usage in Bulgaria. The document encompasses several major issues – legal status of players in the ICT sector; laws active in the sphere of ICT; E-government and e-commerce issues (legal aspects); privacy and security issues; hindrances for better utilization of the ICT in the country; necessary changes for improving the situation.