Business process outsourcing can be a win-win deal, even for small firms in developing countries.

The Malaysian design firm Veritas went into business with an international outlook. In this challenging service sector, it learned how to ride out the storms as well as take advantage of international opportunities.

Business and professional services form more than a third of global service exports — and their share continues to grow.

According to the International Monetary Fund, business and professional services have been the fastest-growing sector of world trade from an export earnings perspective since the General Agreement on Trade in Services was launched in 1995, with an average annual growth rate of 7.6%. This compares with growth of 4.9% for goods exports and 3.8% for tourism. Since 1999, the average annual growth rate has risen to 8.9%.

ITC launched a new project to help women entrepreneurs in Cameroon expand their business regionally and internationally, using information and communication technologies (ICTs) and networks.

The coffee market is oversupplied, with the price of coffee at its lowest in a century. Over the years, ITC has supported several projects and initiatives to help coffee producers. One of the most innovative projects was the world’s first Internet coffee auction, the origin of what is today the Cup of Excellence® programme.

Small exporters in developing countries can sharpen their competitive edge using information and communications technologies (ICT).

“Worldsourcing” — global outsourcing — is benefiting a number of developing and transition economies. It is also fundamentally changing the structure of firms.

If communities in developing countries are to benefit from technology, we need to ‘put “e” to work’. Technology is one thing. Applying the benefits of technology to boost exports, jobs and income, is another.

This issue of Trade Forum is part of ITC’s contribution to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), taking place in Geneva in December 2003 and Tunis in November 2005. ITC’s contribution aims to help small firms improve their competitive position by using information and communications technologies.

From agriculture to industrial products, consumer goods and business services, technology matters. Whether companies manage traditional exports in new ways or exploit opportunities in new export sectors, they are ‘putting “e” to work’ to sharpen their compet

Using Internet auctions to sell premium coffee generates high prices for gourmet coffee growers in developing countries. An ITC project has enduring success.

Keeping technology applications simple and focused; working collectively through business networks; and tapping into a network of global contacts for technical adaptations has helped this business support organization offer online solutions to small exporters.