Business-to-business integration: Applicability, benefits and barriers in the telecommunications industry

This paper statistically analyzes applicability of business-to-business integration (B2Bi), benefits from and barriers to electronic data interchange (EDI) and RosettaNet between major original equipment manufacturers and European operators in the telecommunications industry. Based on coordination costs and nine business processes, frequency of the business process and timeliness required in the business process have clearer positive influences on applicability of B2Bi than does accuracy required in the business process. Complexity of the business process does not have such a positive relation to this applicability. Comparison of 12 benefits and eight barriers between EDI and RosettaNet shows no considerable differences. RosettaNet yields only slightly higher direct benefits than EDI, whereas all indirect benefits from RosettaNet are significantly higher than indirect benefits from EDI. Surprisingly, barriers to RosettaNet are not lower than barriers to EDI although only a lack of knowledge on EDI or RosettaNet is a significantly higher barrier to RosettaNet.

► Frequency and timeliness have strong positive influences on applicability of B2Bi.
► Accuracy has a weak positive effect on this applicability.
► Complexity does not have such a positive influence.
► RosettaNet yields slightly higher benefits than EDI.
► Barriers to RosettaNet are not lower than barriers to EDI.