New estimates for e-commerce growth

Forrester Research, the well-regarded market specialist, says that as Y2K projects wind down, spending on internet technologies will rise dramatically. The company projects a total spend of over $60bn in the US alone by 2003.

"In late 1999 and 2000, the international demand for e-commerce services intensifies," Forrester projects, "as leading overseas markets cross the commerce threshold - a window of opportunity in which a country's public and private sectors must act to participate fully in e-commerce hypergrowth."

This 'hypergrowth' looks set to transform many existing businesses and create many new suppliers, specialising in application strategy, design, implementation and support.

Current consultancy thinking focuses on the need to de-construct existing business models so that they can be re-built to be more effective in a new technology-oriented environment.

Elliott Chase