By Sally Watson, 5 February 2002 12:30
NEWS CEOs are still uncertain about the future of their ecommerce investments as worries over security and privacy continue to plague the boardroom. PricewaterhouseCooper's fifth annual CEO survey shows business leaders blowing hot and cold over web projects, with 54 per cent claiming internet sales are above expectation, but the other 46 per cent disappointed with the return. Of the 1,161 CEOs questioned, almost 70 per cent think the development of ecommerce is being hampered by concerns over the security and privacy of transactions. Samuel DiPiazza, CEO of PwC, said despite global uncertainty, the market for ebusiness remained promising. "But if companies are to realise the enormous potential of ecommerce, they must do more than simply tell customers that their online transactions are secure," he said in a statement. "They have to convince customers that they have stringent safeguards in place that are virtually immune to failure." The annual survey, launched today at the world Economic Forum in New York, shows that almost half of multinational corporations have been forced to lay off staff and outsource non-core functions as a response to the continuing economic crisis. But the sample of business leaders, taken from 33 countries across America, Asia and Europe, still believe there are abundant opportunities in the long term. DiPiazza said: "Chief executives are keeping the global economy in mind as they steer their companies through today's challenging environment."
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