Impacts of Internet Technologies
HITECH firms experienced the greatest impacts of Internet technologies across all areas of the business. Change was perceived as being transformational in nature. The Internet helped such firms increase sales, reduce costs, streamline operations, and improve communications with business partners (Figure 2). There appeared oittle significant difference between the impacts of the Internet on MFG and SER firms. However, SER firms noted slightly more impact on improving customer service and MFG firms relatively more impact in reducing the cost of operations. These differences are to be expected given the nature of service and manufacturing firms.