'Net Results: Internet Important To Purchasing Activities

ByJohn S. McClenahen More than two-thirds of manufacturers -- some 68.9% -- surveyed during this year's second calendar quarter by the Institute for Supply Management, Tempe, Ariz., and Forrester Research Inc., Cambridge, Mass., report "some progress" toward fully adopting the Internet in their purchasing activities. In contrast, 4.1% of the companies responding have no plans to employ the 'Net. Meanwhile, 54.7% of the manufacturers say the Internet use is "somewhat important" to their purchasing and supply-management plans during the next 12 months. Some 25.2% rate the 'Net as "very important" and 3.8% say it is a "critical" element of their plans. In contrast, 16.4% say use of the Internet will not be important. The survey results are based on responses from 331 manufacturing and non-manufacturing organizations.