slow and telephone service is expensive. Nevertheless, we observed that the respondents placed a high priority on face-to-face communications. Several of the firm owners travel extensively in order to maintain contacts with distant customers and suppliers. Some respondents were also concerned that the lack of laws governing the use of e-commerce could cause them difficulties. According to one respondent, the company’s management insists that information sent by e-mail must be followed up with a fax copy of the same message in order to verify the authenticity of the document and thus assuage fears of fraud. One respondent reported using the web ‘always’, while seven were using it ‘frequently’, three ‘seldom’, and one ‘never’. The firms that were reported to be using web had their own web sites or they were accessing other firm’s web sites to compare product prices or to obtain information on new styles and designs. The respondents were skeptical about any complete reliance on computer-mediated communication suggesting that it is not possible to assess the colour, finishing of products, and quality of goods, using electronic forms of communication. Table 6: Frequency of Use of Network Applications, by Type Application Always Frequently Seldom Never E-Mail 4 8 0 0 WWW 1 7 3 1 Extranet 0 1 1 10 EDI 0 2 0 10 Source: Enterprise Level Interviews 2002; N=12 Two firms were reported to be making use of extranets and two others were using EDI. One firm was using an Extranet ‘frequently’ while the other was ‘seldom’ using it. Both were using EDI ‘frequently’. 5.3 The Use of Internet in Purchasing or Selling Products Internationally The respondents were asked about the extent of their use of the public Internet for purchasing products and/or selling their products internationally. Six firms were reported to be using the public Internet to purchase products and five firms were selling their products internationally using the public Internet (see Table 6). Most firms that were reported to be using the public Internet were doing so as a result of their own initiatives, but one respondent reported that a client had demanded that the firm post its product on a web site. To meet this requirement, the firm registered with e-sokoni, a local e-market place (see Box 1). 17