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eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa Prime Minister King of Bahrain His Royal Highness Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Crown Prince & Deputy Supreme Commander of Bahrain Defence Force His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa His Royal Highness Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Prime Minister King of Bahrain Crown Prince & Deputy Supreme Commander of Bahrain Defence Force eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Contents Introduction 2 7 eOpportunitiesin Bahrain 11 Outsourcing Opportunities 41 Setting up eCommerce-based business in Bahrain 47 Risks and Challenges 55 Case Studies 59 eCommerce 69 About Bahrain 73 Final Click 79 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Table of figures Figure 1 - Step-by-step guide to setting up eCommerce-based business in Bahrain 49 Figure 2 - Entities in eCommerce transacting with each other 69 Figure 3 - Standard eCommerce models 70 Figure 4 - eCommerce as flow of information, funds, goods and services 71 For more information, please contact us Directorate of eCommerc&Information Technology Ministry of Industry&Commerce, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: +973 17574806 Fax: +973 17530276 email: [email protected] Website: www.moic.gov.bh Building 175, Street 1703, Block 317, Diplomatic Area, P.O. Box: 5479, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Copyright is reserved by Ministry of Industry&Commerce Kingdom of Bahrain 3 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain 4 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain H.E. Dr. Hassan A. Fakhro Minister of Industry & Commerce Kingdom of Bahrain eCommerce in my opinion has become an inalienable component of strategic decision making in today’s emerging global economy and provides significant impetus to the development of digital economies all over the world. eCommerce has demonstrated strong capabilities to shrink boundaries, thus, providing global reach for every business, anywhere in the world. In fact, it has offered the significant possibility to optimize costs, better reach to customers and to establish competitive survival in the market. Statistics over the last decade has demonstrated accelerated trends in eCommerce and it is evident that more and more new types of businesses have stated to utilize the electronic commerce opportunities. Regional reports have shown that the Kingdom of Bahrain has always been on the forefront in ICT adoption and services. We at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC) have initiated a comprehensive study in form of a handbook to assess the scope of eCommerce, investment opportunities in eCommerce and the availability of enablers like telecommunication, ICT services, real estate, etc. We hope that the handbook “eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain”, is an important source of information for all investors interested in establishing eCommerce businesses in Bahrain. This handbook offers a glimpse of the untapped vastness of opportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain in the perspective of electronic commerce and electronic businesses. While we have listed 25 potential ICT opportunities to meet the current and future needs, there are many more. Ministry of Industry and Commerce has well defined effective processes and business friendly staff to take investor’s interest forward. It is our pledge to provide all possible assistance to investors and businessmen in order to expedite the formalities needed to realize these electronic opportunities into sustainable and prosperous businesses in the shortest possible time. We welcome each of you to make use of this handbook to tap into the enormous potential within the eCommerce environs in the Kingdom of Bahrain. 5 Introduction eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain 6 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Introduction The Middle East is one of the most dynamic and fastest growing regions in the world today. Bahrain, being the epicenter of banking and financial services is riding high on the recovering economic surge and is seeing sustainable growth in economic activities across industries. Bahrain also offers world class facilities, which attract investors from all parts of the world. As Bahrain continues its relentless acceleration towards economic growth, it is becoming eminent to assess the current stature of information and Internet technology in commerce and to take initiatives in upgrading it to the next level. This is to establish itself as the leader in application and adoption of information technology in commercial activities. In this regard, the Ministry of Industry & Commerce (MOIC) is responsible for a diverse range of activities, which make up the commercial environment in Bahrain. MOIC is responsible for the registration of all forms of commercial business, commercial agencies, industrial property, standards and metrology, foreign trade as well as a number of other related activities. In general, the ministry’s aim is to ensure the maintenance of an open, transparent and market driven commercial environment so as to develop Bahrain’s economic competitiveness and to encourage inward investment, at the same time promoting employment for the local population. The Directorate of eCommerce and Information Technology at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce is the regulator/promoter of eCommerce in the Kingdom of Bahrain. It is the focal point and the functional arm for all activities related to eCommerce, both on a local and international scale, in liaison with the other directorates within the ministry and other related organizations in the public and private sectors. The directorate seeks to promote eCommerce infrastructure development both in piloting new and innovative eCommerce products and solutions and also in partnering with commercial businesses to attract infrastructure resources to the Kingdom, thus fueling the competitive advantage to organizations/ businesses operating in and from the Kingdom. This handbook comes as one of the attempts to highlight the opportunities in eCommerce in the Kingdom. This in turn helps in the creation of a hassle-free environment for the eInvestors. In keeping with the increasing importance of eCommerce, the Directorate of eCommerce and Information Technology at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce is proud to launch the ‘eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Handbook’. This handbook aims at highlighting supply, demand, trends, practices, opportunities, gap, risk and challenges in the present day in relation to eCommerce across economic sectors, industries and various other parameters in the Kingdom of Bahrain. 7 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain The objective of this handbook is to aid investors and entrepreneurs in their decision making process regarding investment in eCommerce-based businesses in the Kingdom. This handbook comes as one of the attempts of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to highlight the opportunities in eCommerce and Internet-based businesses in the Kingdom to aid the decision making process of potential businessmen and investors. This handbook is divided into eight chapters; the first two chapters highlight opportunities identified during interactions with participants of the survey. Opportunities have been classified in terms of model of operation and capital requirement. The report further describes business process outsourcing as outsourcing business opportunities in the Kingdom. Chapter three illustrates a stepby-step guide to setup eCommerce- based business in the Kingdom. Chapter four provides details about the survey conducted as part of the study and its key findings. Responses from the survey are illustrated as figures, graphs and diagrams with key findings highlighted. Chapter five highlights the key risks and challenges faced by eCommerce-based businesses. Chapter six is, which includes local and international case studies, is an added perspective to this report. These case studies are based on researches that had been undertaken by credible and prominent organizations worldwide. Chapter seven provides a quick overview on eCommerce, work models and its applications. Chapter eight is a brief on the Kingdom of Bahrain in terms of geography, legal structure, demographics and economy. Survey methodology: This research has been conducted by Ernst & Young with the consent of the Directorate of eCommerce and Information Technology in 2009. Ernst & Young assisted the Directorate in designing the framework of the research, acquiring and analyzing data and preparing the report. This research highlights trends, achievements, areas of concerns and the researcher’s insight on Internet and Internet- based businesses in the Kingdom. For reasons of statistical uniformity, 8 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain we limited our survey participation to private organizations only. The survey was conducted in two phases, covering the enabler (supply) and the demand side of the value chain. Based on the discussions, questionnaire and meetings, more than 80 participants across 18 economic sectors in the Kingdom provided their responses on eCommerce. The subsequent findings were analyzed and representations were drawn based on the adequacy of responses. The overall trends for the key topics have been highlighted and supported by diagrams and illustrations. The opinions and information contained in this publication are solely based on responses provided by the participants. Hence, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Directorate of eCommerce and Information Technology, or Ernst & Young does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, authenticity or objectivity of the data. 9 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain 10 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Chapter 1 eOpportunities in Bahrain The Internet economy today continues to grow robustly, with both new and established companies reaping profits online. There still is a huge untapped potential in eCommerce. Typically, large companies implement Internet technologies to streamline and improve their bottom lines; however, today these initiatives have been seen as the key differentiator. Internet today can have an even larger impact on smaller companies as they are more flexible than their larger counterparts. A small company that integrates Internet technologies into its business model is assured to achieve greater visibility and market share and can penetrate new markets more effectively. During this study (conducted in 2009), participants were asked to highlight the gap. This gap became ground zero for eOpportunities in the Kingdom. Following is the list of identified opportunities. These initiatives are expected not only to help introduce greater efficiency, but also help to support the economic growth in the kingdom of Bahrain. Global research shows that a 10% increase in electronic payments in a country can generate a 0.5% increase in overall consumers spending. The fund requirement mentioned herein has been calculated for Internet-based businesses only. Funding an eOpportunitiy has two major components - fixed and recurring costs. Prices discussed herein are subjective. These prices have been estimated assuming that a particular eOpportunity initiative is completely new or is an online extention of exsisting business in the Kingdom . Any existing physical business in Bahrain intending to offer eCommerce-based services shall use only the second section of the costing structure. 11 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Costing structure for eOpportunities Cost for setting up completely new eCommerce Business Particulars Estd. in USD Estd. in BD Details/Source Business Setup Cost Establishment Cost Component Commercial Registration (CR) 82 30 Office equipment (Fixtures) 5,406 2,000 Total Establishment Cost (A) 5,488 2,030 Office Rent Yearly 9,730 3,600 547 200 80 30 1،200 444 Office Consumables Yearly Commercial License renewal Administration - Yearly Payroll - Yearly 129،730 21،600 Total Re -occuring expenses (B) 141،287 25،874 200 74 6،757 2،500 500 185 Registration fee 30 BD for eCommerce based business in Kingdom of Bahrain Standard calculation for 5 employee @ 6 BD per sq meter per month (developed business district), 10 sq meter per employee, 5 employees Office Supplies like paper, stationery, Printer Supplies @ 20 BD per year Postage, accounting expenses etc. 3 employees at different levels 400BD x 2, 600x1 eCommerce Component Establishment Cost Component Domain name registration Web development Copy Writing As per Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (“ICANN”) policies From BD 1,000 to 5,000 on a basic site, with ecommerce capability @ 185 BD one time fee Computer - Hardware 5،406 1،200 Standard calculation for 3 employee setup Computer - Software 3،500 1،295 Standard calculation for 3 employee 16،363 5،245 Electronic payment systems (Yearly) 6،000 2،200 “Source - 1. Average of leading payment gateway companies in US. 2. In Bahrain typically payment gateway charges 2-3% per transaction with no or very less setup charges.” @ 160 Internet service - Yearly 5،406 2،000 BD per month, Download speed 8-10 Mbps, Upload speed 512 Kbps, unlimited data usage volume @ 50 BD Telephone 1،622 600 per month (Assumption) 500 185 @ 136 BD per year Security Assessment, Marketing insights Website hosting - Yearly 1،200 444 @ 37 BD per month, Industrial strength, SSL security, cgi-bin access, unlimited space, Mysql database @ Website Maintenance - Yearly Total Establishment Cost (C) Recurring Component Professional services - Yearly 5،676 2،100 Site Analystics 60 22 Shopping Cart 600 222 @ 1.5 BD per month, Unlimited product catalog, 2000MB Disk Space, 100GB Bandwidth SEO - Search Engine Optimization 600 222 @ 13.6 BD per year, Search Engine Visibility, Web site listed with Google®, Yahoo!®, MSN® and others Advertising - Offline - Yearly 541 200 Advertising - Online - Yearly 1،200 444 23،405 8,659 Total Re-occuring expenses (D) Total for first year (C+D) 39،768 13,913 Grand Total (A+B+C+D) 186،543 41,817 35 BD per hour, 5 hours per month Site statistics, real time statistics conversion tracking @ 37 BD per month Cost for setting up completely new eCommerce Business Opportunities categorized by capital requirement are based on the complexity or scale of operation into high, medium and low. Opportunity Category Scale/Complexity Factor Cost for setting up completely new eCommerce Business in BD 12 High Medium Low 2 1 0.5 83,634 41,817 20,909 The above estimates are guidelines to provide a high level overview of cost structure. The mentioned amount is an approximation of the probable cost for a component, computed as an average on the basis of available information. The cost estimated is a planning estimate based on the market prices in 2010 and is subject to change. These cost estimates are built on the assumptions mentioned in the details column. Cost estimate for specific opportunity will have to be carefully examined as part of investment decisions and such considerations should include scale of the opportunity, complexity of the opportunity, infrastructure models, choice of location etc. Smaller businesses desirous of start up eCommerce infrastructure could aim to significantly reduce cost of set up by using shared service and outsourcing model. In such cases, a start up eCommerce initiative could be realized at a lower cost basis starting from approximately BD 3000. eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain eOpportunities in Bahrain During the study conducted in 2009, participants from different commerce and industry backgrounds were asked to highlight the current usage, gap and future requirements of technology in the Kingdom of Bahrain. These gaps became the starting point for the eOpportunities in the handbook. Responses within each category (Community, social and personal and personal, construction, education, health and community work, real estate and rental, restaurant and hotel) were further analyzed with lead inputs (market adaptability, demand from market, gaps and global trends) to develop the eOpportunities. The chart below explains gradual evolution of eOpportunities in the handbook. First area in the chart illustrates the consolidated response for each business areas (payroll, recruitment, order tracking, processing, e-Exchange, procurement, inventory, sales, accounts and finance), second area in the chart highlights the breakup of the responses and the third area lists the related eOpportunities in the handbook. It is evident that baring few exceptions, a large number of eOpportunities were identified in the business areas with high response percentage. eOpportunities were envisioned in areas of business where greater usage, better adaptability and larger gaps were found. Areas of Business aided/enabled by IT (Current & Future) CR Categories Related eOpportunities Responses in percentage % 72 Payroll 11 Recruitment 72 Order Tracking Order Processing 78 50 eExchange/Market place 56 Managing Procurement Managing Inventory 67 72 Managing Sales Accounts and Finance Legend 94 0 25 50 75 A B C D E F Avg. 92 78 68 56 66 72 72 10 14 10 9 8 7 11 21 82 82 72 76 66 58 72 6,9,20 66 77 76 76 71 76 76 5,8,11,12,16,23,24,25 55 48 44 59 49 50 50 2,3,4,6,13,17,18,20 62 72 52 54 50 51 56 6,13 82 94 65 58 30 70 67 6 95 65 61 69 62 78 72 1,7,9,10,11,12,13,16,22 92 96 91 99 95 99 94 15 14 100 • Name of Category • Name of eOpportunities • Name of eOpportunities A Community, Social and Personal Services 4 Online Insurance Search Portal 15 Online Accounting as a Service B Construction 5 Online Food Ordering 16 Online Auction Portal C Education 6 Online Logistics Marketplace 17 Interior Designing Portal D Health and Community Work 7 Online Doctors Booking 18 Online Sports Portal E Real Estate and Rental 8 Payment Gateway for Schools 19 Online Library F Restaurants and Hotels 9 Online Learning Management Portal 20 SME - Community Portal 10 Online Arabic Translation 21 Online Recruitment and Internship Portal • Name of eOpportinity 11 Online Pet Care Advisory 22 Real Estate Comparison Portal 1 Online Diet and Fitness Advisory 12 Online Travel Booking 23 Car rental Portal 2 Online Pre-Paid recharfe Portal 13 Online Portal for Construction 24 Payment Gateway Portal 3 Online Loan Comparison Portal 14 Online Payroll as a Service 25 Certified Service Providers 13 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain The following section will describe a number of emerging electronic opportunities in the field of eCommerce and its applications as a result of a detailed field study conducted in 2009 by the Directorate of eCommerce & IT. The eOpportunities were classified according to approved activity sectors set by the Commercial Registration (CR) Directorate at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, which include: commercial activities, industrial of the previous sectors, fall a number were classified. Sector Community, social and personal services Community, social and personal services Community, social and personal services Banking, Financial services & Insurances Restaurants and hotels Community, social and personal services Health and Community work Education Education Community, social and personal services Community, social and personal services Community, social and personal services Construction Community, social and personal services Community, social and personal services Community, social and personal services Community, social and personal services Community, social and personal services Education Community, social and personal services Community, social and personal services Real-estate and rental Community, social and personal services Community, social and personal services Community, social and personal services Name of the opportunity Online diet and fitness advisory Online pre-paid recharge portal for mobile phones Online loan comparison portal Online insurance search portal Online food ordering Online logistics market place Online doctors booking Payment gateway for schools Online learning management portal Online Arabic translation Online pet care advisory Online travel booking Online portal for construction Online payroll as a service Online accounting as a service Online auction portal Interior designing - portal Online sports portal Online library SME - Community - portal Online recruitment and internship assistance portal Real-estate comparison portal Car rental portal Payment gateway portal Certified service providers The tables that illustrate the investment opportunities in Bahrain have been classified according to the scope of coverage so that investment opportunities turn into local opportunities that can be executed in the Kingdom of Bahrain or that the investment opportunities are regional or global and can be commenced from Bahrain and introduced to the rest of the world. Regional opportunity 14 Local opportunity Global opportunity eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Healthcare Online diet and fitness advisory Overview This business helps customers attain their fitness goals through its expert ‹diet and fitness’ advisory. The website aims to attract fitness enthusiasts from all over the Middle East. Type of eOpportunity This is a B2C opportunity. The revenue model will be of hybrid type (content and commerce based). Market potential The awareness and related health risks of obesity is rising steadily in the Gulf countries, with a higher prevalence among women than men. Studies in the region show that overweight and obese numbers are growing rapidly. Bahrain has a large number of diabetic patients, which highlights low fitness level. Health goals can be attained by appropriate diet and fitness plan; however, one diet or fitness program does not fit all; every person has different needs when it comes to choosing a healthy, effective diet or fitness plan. Currently, Bahrain and the region lacks quality content-based websites to cater to customized fitness requirements. This opportunity will attract fitness enthusiasts, dietitians, physical training experts and health clubs to help each other in achieving their fitness goals. Market positioning - Regional This opportunity is targeted to draw visitors across the region. Application The website can provide users with diet and fitness information, products for sale, online personalized fitness training and diet coaching and offer online fitness evaluations and a combination of any or all of these products and services, designed by dietitians and trainers. The entire content will be delivered in a bilingual mode. Diet and fitness plans will be customized as per local food habits, culture and lifestyle. The online community will motivate member through challenges. Membership will be the main revenue stream for the website apart from advertisements from local health clubs and related fitness products. Capital requirements High - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval 1. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture 2. Pharmacy & Drug Control Directorate at the Ministry of Health Existing activities in the CR department 1. 2. 3. 4. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) Health club Health and food safety consultancy office Selling healthy food (suspended at the moment by the Ministry of Health) Requirements specific to this activity 1. Ability to work on full time basis 2. Masters degree 3. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain) 15 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Telecommunication Online pre-paid recharge portal for mobile phones Overview An online prepaid recharging portal which allows users to recharge their prepaid mobile phone from the comfort of their home or office 24X7. This opportunity reduces many levels in the prepaid voucher supply chain and bridges the gap between subscriber and the operators by offering a user friendly service for pre-paid and post- paid utility bill payment. Type of eOpportunity This is a B2C1 opportunity, the revenue model will be commerce based - selling online. Market potential The dynamic mobile phones market of the Middle East has very high penetration rates and, surprisingly, maintains such high growth rates as competition continues to increase. There are more than 100 million subscribers in the region and 50+ mobile operators. The market has high growth predictions for the next five years. Bahrain itself has a mobile subscriber base of over a million. Users across the region not only use regular top-ons but also make calls using calling cards, which again extends the scope of this opportunity. 1- B2C : Business to Customer (For details see eCommerce Chapter) Market positioning - Regional This opportunity is targeted at the Bahrain market. However, it has the potential to capture regional market space. Application To recharge the pre-paid, customer will go to the recharge page and select the mobile 16 operator, enter mobile number, amount for recharge and confirm payment by logging into the payment gateway and, depending on the recharge option, the user’s phone will be recharged instantly. It would become the easiest way to recharge a prepaid card online by using credit card or debit card, online bank transfers and Internet cards. The mobile recharge facility will be available 24Hr / 365 days. Strategic tie ups with service providers is the most significant success factor for this venture. Primary revenue model of this opportunity will be Internet-based commerce - selling online. Capital requirements Medium - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval 1. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. Import, export of magnetic and smart card Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommerce based Business in Bahrain) eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain BFSI Online loan comparison portal Overview This website aims to provide information on various types of loans to loan seekers. It offers detailed personalized comparison on loan rates, and offers information that assists customers in obtaining loans. This website helps loan applicants to make instant and intelligent choices. Market potential Bahrain’s financial market is well matured when it comes to corporate banking; consumer banking however, is still in a catching-up mode. There is a strong requirement of a highly interactive, engaging, useful and resultoriented consumer experience in the personal finance segment. Total number of banks in Bahrain: 400+ Number of consumer banks in Bahrain: 80+ customization. Proprietary based - Banks can own the automated loan workflow and incorporate the same in their websites. The loan portal makes it easy to compare the costs of various offers, so banks offer their lowest interest rates on the portal as they are competing with each other in order to win the customer’s business. Capital requirements High - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval 1. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain) Market positioning - Local This opportunity is positioned for local market (Bahrain). Application There are three possible models in which this opportunity could work. They are: Content/Transaction based - Independent portal helping loan seekers by allowing free search, and comparisons for rates from multiple banks. Revenue will come mainly from advertisement from the potential loan providers. The loan search engine can also offer service to apply for loan. Subscription based - Opportunity as a workflow portal which automates the loan information collection process. Banks can become the workflow services with some degree of 17 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain BFSI Online insurance portal Overview An online insurance search engine allows users to compare rates of different insurance options. The online portal is dedicated for personal and corporate insurance. Type of eOpportunity This is a B2C Internet-based opportunity, with revenue stream backed up by advertisement and subscription charges (for insurers). Market potential The insurance sector in the Middle East currently makes up 1% of worldwide premiums. According to Standard & Poor, if the world average insurance premium of US$550 per capita were achieved in the Middle East, then the market has a potential size of US$20 billion, which currently makes up 1% of worldwide premiums. The insurance industry in Bahrain has been growing steadily and strongly in recent years, demonstrating a double digit growth, mirroring the expansion of Bahrain’s financial sector. Bahrain is home to more than 165 insurance firms. Bahrain’s gross domestic insurance premium figures stand at US$308 million (figure 2006), an increase of 22% from 2005’s figure. The insurance industry posted a strong increase of 24.5% in employment in 2008. 18 Application The website will be an online insurance search and comparison engine to compare quotes in a single view, which allows consumers to quickly choose the insurer offering the best value for money. Instead of calling around or visiting individual websites for quote comparisons, insurance seekers would complete a single questionnaire and instantly get back a quote from multiple insurance companies. This business can work on many revenue models. One-subscription based, where insurance companies subscribe to be part of the list and another where the insurer pays only on a completed transaction. There could be a third model also where the insurer pays no listing fees and revenue is generated via online advertisement. In all the above cases, the customer or the insurance seeker gets listed for free. Capital requirements Medium - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval 1. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture Bahrain is also the regional hub for insurance industry in the Gulf and wider global markets and is home to the Arab Insurance Group (ARIG), which is the representative body for the insurance industry in the Gulf. Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. Local branches for Insurance companies (operating) 3. Insurance and Reinsurance companies 4. Insurance brokers Market positioning - Regional This opportunity is targeted to attract insurance seekers across the region. Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Food & Beverage Online food ordering Overview An online food guide provides interactive (general and personalized) food menus to its customers, allowing them to place orders with local restaurants and catering companies. Type of eOpportunity This is a B2C opportunity. Market potential Bahrain is a culturally vibrant city reputed for its vibrant restaurant scene catering to the diverse wishes of its citizenry. The Internet has significantly altered buying patterns of the discerning consumer. While eCommerce has been around for over a decade, closing the gap between food and the Internet has taken a longer duration. There is an opportunity to augment successful eCommerce business models into the F&B industry. The population of Bahrain exceeds 700,000 (2009 Est.) indicating high potential for the opportunity. Market positioning - Local This opportunity is positioned to cater to the local market. Application The website will offer its customer an online buying experience similar to that of consumer goods. Customers would be allowed to keep account on the website in order to make frequent ordering convenient. A customer can search for a restaurant or cuisine, choose from available items or restaurants, and choose the delivery mechanism. Payments can be by credit card or cash, with the restaurant returning a percentage to the online food company. There are many revenue models on which this business can operate. Some of them are: Restaurant owned (Proprietary) The preexisting delivery infrastructure of the restaurants will extend their services over the web. Autonomous (Subscription based) Autonomous online food ordering companies offer services to restaurant owners and end customers Capital requirements High - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval 1. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture 2. Tourism Affairs at the Ministry of Culture & Information 3. General Directorate of Traffic Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. First class restaurants 3. Fast food restaurants 4. Other restaurants 5. Restaurants for tourists’ services Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). 19 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Logistics Online logistics market place Overview This portal will be a neutral, industry supported, regional electronic logistics exchange which has the capability to exploit the potential of such a collaborative network across industries and achieve transport optimization at a regional level industry. Type of eOpportunity This business is an industry support B2B business opportunity which takes advantage of collaborative efforts in business. Market potential Electronic Logistics Marketplace (ELM) is an emerging business model, increasingly being recognized for its potential to address the issue of poor vehicle utilization and allied logistics. Bahrain is the favored gateway to the region with easy access to the large economies of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Iran. Bahrain’s logistics industry is set to flourish in the coming years as cargo volume in the Gulf increases. TEU traffic volume is predicted to increase from 2 million in 2007 to 5 million by 2015 (Source - Oxford Business Group, 2008 Report). Bahrain is also investing US$2.9 billion to upgrade its logistics infrastructure, including a new bridge to Qatar. This translates to tremendous growth in logistics business with more regional and international players setting up operations in Bahrain. Such growth will require a technology supported platform which unifies industry to answer the low vehicle utilization issue. Market positioning - Regional This opportunity is targeted to attract insurance seekers across the region. 20 Application ELM will be a logistics market platform where logistics service providers like 3PLs, intermediaries, transport operators, freight forwarders interact electronically and directly. Services will be bought and sold as commodities akin to an electronic stock exchange. Businesses need to pay a subscription fee to be part of the marketplace. Capital requirements High-Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details.. Authorities’ approval 1. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture 2. General Directorate of Traffic Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. Passenger’s transport 3. Goods transport Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Healthcare Online doctors booking Overview Online appointment improves efficiency and productivity in healthcare through patient appointment scheduling. It allows patients to search, select and schedule an appointment with an appropriate doctor. This compliments the doctor’s practice with a tangible increase in their patient’s overall satisfaction. Type of eOpportunity Online appointment is a B2C opportunity and works on multiple revenue models. Market potential Demand for healthcare is growing rapidly due to a combination of factors including population growth, an ageing population, and a higher prevalence of chronic diseases. According to a Ministry of Health, Bahrain study published in 2008, these three factors alone will cause healthcare expenditure to increase by around 500% over the next 20 years to reach BHD1.15 million in 2025. Private healthcare is likely to see considerable growth over the coming years. The artificial ‘health island’ known as Dilmunia, off the north coast of Bahrain should become a focal point for the growing private healthcare industry in the country and provide a major draw for health tourists from overseas. An online appointment scheduler can help hospitals and clinics to optimize doctor hours and reduce revenue losses. Market positioning - Regional This opportunity is primarily focused on the local market. Application Online appointment scheduler bridges the gap between the doctor and the patient with the scheduler interaction starting even before the visit. Patients can search, select and schedule an appointment with a doctor and they will be dually informed on the same through email or SMS. Private clinics in particular get benefited from maintenance free, automated and 24/7 available office. This business can work on multiple revenue models. Proprietary where hospitals/clinics incorporate this feature on their current websites - primary target is large organizations. Subscription based - where hospitals/clinics subscribe for the service from autonomous portals, targeting smaller clinics primarily. Advertisement - Free for hospitals and clinics for listing and the main revenue comes through advertisements. Patients in all the models will be allowed to use the website for free. Capital requirements Medium - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval 1. Licensure & Registration office at the Ministry of Health. Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. Clinic Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). 21 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Education Payment gateway for schools Overview Online fee payment is convenient for parents, smart for schools, gives parents what they want and schools what they need. It allows parents to make quick and easy online payments to their children’s school accounts. Type of eOpportunity Online fee payment is a B2C type eOpportunity. Market potential Students at hundreds of educational institutions across Europe are already using online bill paying to receive and pay their tuition bills—avoiding the hassle of receiving paper bills and paying by mail, while also saving their schools hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in paper, postage and administrative costs. Bahrain already has numerous universities with lot of international students. By using this service, parents can avoid hassles of cash remittance and transfer. This concept is new in the Kingdom as well as in the region. Entrepreneurs can take first-moversadvantage of this gap and extend it to other countries in the region as well. This translates to tremendous growth in logistics business with more regional and international players setting up operations in Bahrain. Such growth will require a technology supported platform which unifies industry to answer the low vehicle utilization issue. Market positioning - Local This opportunity is targeted to serve schools and other learning institutions in the Kingdom. 22 Application This online opportunity allows parents to pay their children school and university fees online using credit card or debit card, online bank transfers and Internet cards. The acquiring bank deposits the total of the approved funds into the school’s nominated account. There can be two modes of operation for this business; namely - Proprietary where schools own the online payment infrastructure and Subscription based - where school pays subscription fee to use the service. There could also be a third possibility where parents pay a certain percentage of the transaction amount toward service charges. Capital requirements Medium - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval None Existing activities in the CR department None Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Education Online learning management portal Overview Online learning management portal helps schools, colleges and training institutes to manage training and educational records. It is an online software established for distributing courses over the Internet incorporating features of online collaboration and content management. Type of eOpportunity Online learning management system is a SAAS* - based opportunity which is targeted at schools and other organizations of higher and sepcialized learning. Market potential In 2009, worldwide LMSs represented an $860 million market. Bahrain and the entire region have only a minuscule share in this scheme. An estimated $36 billion of university construction projects are under way in the Middle East and North Africa. The region’s governments are allocating large proportions of their budgets to ensure the region has a hi-tech infrastructure to house the next generation of students. This creates a big gap and offers great market potential. Bahrain is served by more than 200 primary and secondary schools including 30 private schools that offer curricula from the UK, US, France, Japan, Pakistan and India. There are several universities which offer broad study option for local and international students. Application Educational institutions will use LMS to automate record-keeping, student self-service, self-registration, training workflow, computerbased training, read and understand, on-line assessment, management, training resource management. Service providers can extend these services to the large-, small- and mediumscale learning organizations on subscription or pay per transaction basis. Capital requirements High - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval 1. Private Education Directorate at the Ministry of Education 2. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. Private Education institutes 3. Private institutes (Institute, school, education center) Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). Market positioning - Regional This opportunity aims to improve learning management processes across the region. 23 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain General Online Arabic translation Overview Online Arabic translation provides complete Arabic to English and English to Arabic translation service. This opportunity aims to cater translation and localization requirements of the Kingdom and the region. Type of eOpportunity This opportunity is a B2C and B2B Internet opportunity which targets customers seeking authorized translation for English to Arabic and vice versa. Market potential Globally, translation is a more than 10 billion US dollar industry. According to a study, 87% of translation buyers outsource most or all of its jobs while Arabic is the official language in more than 25 countries. As business grows, these regions dependency on correct documentation will rapidly increase. The official language of Bahrain is Arabic; therefore, the translation of official documents to English in Bahrain becomes a necessity for business. Arabic is spoken by more than 280 million people as a first language, mostly in the Middle East and North Africa, and by 250 million as a second language. Market positioning - International This opportunity is positioned for international market. the Application In the initial stages, online translation can offer a complete Arabic translation service, turning a wide range of documents from English into Arabic and from Arabic into English. Other popular languages can be added on demand basis at later stages. 24 Users can upload the document to be translated on the secured website and make payments through credit card, Internet card or debit card. Specialized translation can be provided as a value-added service; for instance, specialized translator having expertise in a major business area like finance, advertising, law, technology or medicine. Capital requirements High - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval 1. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture 2. Tourism Affairs at the Ministry of Culture & Information Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. Translation House Requirements specific to this activity 1. Bachelor’s degree. 2. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain) eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Social Online pet care advisory Overview Online pet care advisory is an online portal for pet care that allows the user to view their pet’s vaccination reminders and medications online and can also request appointments online with the local veterinarians. Type of eOpportunity Online pet care advisory is B2C online opportunity to cater to the pet owner community in Bahrain and the region. Market potential The worldwide market for pet food and pet supplies has grown at about 3% annually since 1998 from about 44 billion to $65 billion. Globally, pet care market exceeds 200 million US dollars. The market for pet health care in the Middle East and Africa has increased at a compound annual growth rate of 7.6% between 2003 and 2008. Capital requirements Medium - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval 1. Livestock Directorate at the Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture 2. Ministry of Health Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. Veterinary Services Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). The external parasite treatments category led the pet health care market in the Middle East and Africa, accounting for a share of 40.5% of the total pet care market Market positioning - Local This opportunity is positioned for the local market. Application The portal will allow users to maintain health records and vaccination reminders of their pet at a cost. The portal will provide free dietary information for pets. This will allow owners to fix appointments with the vets. The portal will also allow pet owners to develop a community of pet owners in Bahrain through blogs and forums. 25 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Travel & Tourism Online travel booking Overview An online travel portal primarily focused on the Middle East gives its users the convenience of comparing travel prices. This portal contains everything that one needs to know about going on a trip to any destination in the Middle East. Type of eOpportunity This opportunity is a B2C category opportunity. This could work on different models. Market potential Tourism has become a popular global leisure activity. In 2008, there were over 922 million international tourist arrivals, with a growth of 1.9% as compared to 2007. International tourism receipts grew to US$944 billion in 2008, corresponding to an increase in real terms of 1.8%. The entire Middle East is going through rapid transformation with massive developmental initiatives underway. The GCC countries are turning more and more to the travel and tourism industry to decrease their dependency on oil revenue. According to a recent study by World Tourism Organization, governments in the region are taking active efforts to tap tourism’s potential. These initiatives have the potential to stimulate healthy public-private sectors increasingly working in partnership. Another research highlights that travel and tourism in the region is expected to post economic activity (total demand) of US$280 billion by 2016. For the Middle East, travel and tourism activity is expected to grow by 4.4% per annum in real terms between 2007 and 2016. By 2016, the travel industry is expected to create a total of 6,141,000 jobs, 10.6% of total employment or 1 in every 10 jobs. 26 Application Internet-based B2C travel distribution portal supported by new technologies to provide best customer service together with unmatched convenience. This would facilitate travelers to book tours, hotels, flights etc 24X7. Services can include hotel booking, air booking, itinerary planning and tailor made holiday and car rental. Travel portals could operate on the following three models. Proprietary: These websites are owned by the organizations. This enables customers to buy airline tickets and hotel booking directly from the airlines and hotels. Aggregators: Aggregators are travel search engines which provide fares of multiple airlines, hotels and tours, and redirect the visitors to airlines websites for booking. In return, aggregators usually receive commissions on each booking. Online Travel Agencies: Bigger travel agencies operating in the traditional model also take their services online. Customers can book tickets, hotels and tours. These sites focus on some specific sectors or set of airlines and get into strategic partnerships with them. The portal’s primary target will be the end customer; however, it may add additional revenue lines by serving the businesses. Capital requirements High - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval 1. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture 2. Press & Publications office at the Ministry of Culture & information These statistics only indicates to exponential growth in demand of tourism-based services. Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. Online hotel & car booking services 3. Tourist services office (reservation services) Market positioning - International This opportunity seeks to cater to international as well as regional travelers. Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Construction Online portal for construction Overview An online portal dedicated to the construction industry primarily targeting to become a platform for interaction and collaborative efforts to aid the construction industry. Type of eOpportunity This is a community based B2B portal, which aims to attract visitors from the construction industry. Market potential Most global economies have been hit hard by the financial meltdown. However, Bahrain studied the pace of growth it had from the severe effect. Currently, the construction activity is entering a new cycle where infrastructure is keeping the sector engaged. Huge projects like Bahrain Qatar causeway, Dulmunia, Bahrain Bay and expansion of airport are warming the marketplace. Another key growth area will be housing, with the country’s affordable housing market estimated to be worth some $4 billion. studies will be available to provide detailed information of a product or a particular service. Revenue will be generated primarily through advertisements. Capital requirements Medium - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval 1. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. Building contracts Requirements specific to this activity 1. High school certificate 2. A bank account not less than BD 10,000 3. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain) Presently, the industry requires collaborative efforts to put the business on track. An online portal can serve this purpose. Market positioning - Local This portal seeks to cater to the construction industry in the Kingdom. Application The online portal showcases the Construction & Building Services industry. Visitors will be able to choose the segment of the industry they are interested in and the product group to check out options available for specification. Product news and case 27 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain General Online payroll as a service Overview Online payroll management aims to improve the efficiency and reduce processing cost per employee in the payroll process. It allows organizations to effectively manage the payroll with the use of technology. Type of eOpportunity This is a SAAS-based opportunity and primarily aims at small- and medium-sized businesses. Market potential Larger businesses can afford to maintain big payroll departments but for small businesses, an in-house payroll department translates into bigger costs. For small - and mediumsize organizations, automating the payroll operations for effective savings makes financial sense. This could save them all the time which their employees are devoting to payroll-related activities. The emerging standard in the global payroll marketplace is a SAAS-based platform, which is the payroll hub holding all the employee pay data and pay history. These platforms can encompass any country and does not have the capital outlay of an ERP to implement. As a SAAS model, there are no large internal costs for maintenance and also it leaves no footprint on the client’s IT infrastructure. Bahrain has the potential to become a hub of such companies due to its highly skilled talent pool and low cost of operation. Market positioning - International This opportunity has potential to cater for global market. 28 Application Payroll as a service intends to enhance productivity and accuracy and reduce the cost of operation. Payroll outsourcing services for SME’s can free up a small company to allow them to concentrate on the things they do best. Application can be hosted in a centralized location and access for it can be given as webbased services. Capital requirements High - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval None Existing activities in the CR department None Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain General Online accounting as a service Overview Online accounting service offers companies a full spectrum of accounting and financial outsourcing services, which help these organizations to increase productivity and profitability. Type of eOpportunity This is a SAAS-based opportunity and primarily aims at small- and medium-sized businesses. Market potential Accounting is one of the most basic activities in business. Business of all sizes account transactions for gauge performance of business. Bigger organizations however perform this through sophisticated systems, smaller organization do not have access to such high end technology. Accounting as service provides high value added cost effective accounting services which get delivered through web. This allows client organization to focus on core competencies. Revenue will purely come from the members who subscribe to the service. This agreement can be on transaction basis or on periodic basis. Capital requirements High - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval 1. Company Affairs at the Ministry of Industry & Commerce 2. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. Accounting & Bookkeeping Services Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). Market positioning - International This opportunity has potential to cater for global market. Application Online accounting websites help companies to succeed by providing executives with financial clarity. To achieve this, a reliable financial system is installed in the backend and supported by a web-based front end to deliver timely, accurate and relevant information. 29 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain General Online auction portal Overview Online auction portal aims to bridge the gap between the buyer and seller, through Internet. Type of eOpportunity This is B2C opportunity where the end users at either ends of the values chain and the portal act as a facilitator enabling commerce on the web. Market potential A globally reputed payment association has reported that there is a steady increase in the number of retailers responding to a growing consumer preference to shop online. Increasing numbers of retailers are responding to a growing consumer demand to shop online. US$20 million worth of sales were made online in the GCC, in the first quarter of 2005, representing an increase of approximately 600% over the same period in 2004. Retailers and other organizations in all the GCC countries experienced similar increases in online sales. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain have also experienced as much as a fifteen fold growth in the number of transactions. The rising number of transactions is indicative of the growing comfort levels of credit card holders in relation to online payments. Various governmental departments across the GCC are adopting electronic systems to automate their operations. However, there still exists a considerable gap in terms of a common platform that offers its users a constant, safe and easy place to conduct business. Bahrain has the potential to become a hub of such companies due to its highly skilled talent pool and low cost of operation. 30 Market positioning - Local/Regional This opportunity can be initiated for local market, but has potential to harness the regional market. Application Online auction portal aims to become an effective channel where thousands of buyers and sellers in the Kingdom and later in the region can meet on a regular basis to sell products, over a trusted platform that offers both local payment options and integrated delivery mechanisms. Capital requirements High - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. This opportunity can be started as an online auction site and quickly evolved to a fully integrated ecommerce site with standard price options and online stores. Authorities’ approval 1. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. Auction on second hand cars 3. Manage and operate public auction 4. Public auction to sell and buy precious matter - gold and estate Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Construction Interior design - portal Overview Interior design portal provides a free, interactive channel for interior design solutions with web-based visualization tools, knowledge and resources. Type of eOpportunity This is a community-based opportunity targeting the home interiors market. Market potential The construction market in GCC is witnessing an unprecedented boom, which has been ongoing since 2002. Financial meltdown has affected the speed of growth but the sector is on a recovery path towards sustained growth. Several projects have already been completed and residents who look to shift into these properties will be spending a considerable amount on interior decoration. Other projects like, Dulmunia and Bahrain Bay have the potential to become the powerhouses of activities relative to interior design industries. Revenue model of the website will be advertisement based, with related companies advertising on the portal and visitors using its services for free. Capital requirements High - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details Authorities’ approval 1. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. Contracting of interior designs for offices and homes Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). Market positioning - Local/Regional This opportunity is targeted to cater to the local market, however having the potential to cater to the regional market. Application The goal of this portal is to help visitors explore design and decorative ideas, online. The portal will provide interactive design tools allowing users to plan the design layout and see the preview. This portal will also provide basic information on design styles, principles and elements, painting and color theory, room elements and design examples. 31 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Social Online sports portal Overview This dedicated portal on sports and related activities in the Kingdom seeks to connect, energize and enrich everyone from all walks of life, through the various aspects of sports like playing, watching, cheering or volunteering. Type of eOpportunity This is a community-based opportunity which seeks to attract, generate sports-related initiatives. Market potential Sports management in the Middle East is booming, indicating high potential for the same in the market. A report from a reputed industry journal mentioned strongest growth for sports management in Europe, Middle East and Africa Market positioning - Local This opportunity is positioned for the local market. Application This portal aims to become the face of organized sporting in the Kingdom, empowering residents, schools, colleges, sports clubs and organizations by offering a single platform for sports and training. Online sports portal will facilitate sports activities among residents of Bahrain. The portal will offer a plethora of sports events and engagements for the everyday sporting individual and for those who wish to be updated on the local sporting front. The portal will have an event calendar for updates, insightful news on the local and international sports scene, directory of sports clubs and other training organizations, 32 information about membership and sports activity locator. As this website is community driven, the members will not be charged to use the content or services. Revenue will solely come from the sponsors and advertisers. Capital requirements High - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval 1. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture 2. General Organization for Youth & Sports 3. General Directorate of Criminal Investigation at the Ministry of Interior Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. Men’s gymnasium 3. Ladies’ gymnasium. Sports training Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Education Online library Overview Online library seeks to improve sharing of knowledge among learning institutes. The electronic library provides links to educational research, list of books and other study material available in schools, universities and other institutes of learning. Type of eOpportunity This is a community-based opportunity targeted at students and researchers. Market potential Education is among the key focus areas in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. The Kingdom of Bahrain seeks to become a knowledge- driven economy of the future; education being the primary means to achieve that. There are 200+ schools in Bahrain and numerous institutes of higher learning. Each one might not be backed by a resourceful library. This gap translates into a huge market opportunity. As this opportunity is community-based, there will be nominal or no fees for libraries to participate. Members of the libraries will be allowed to use the website for free. The primary source of revenue will be advertisement from the companies targeting student audience. Capital requirements Medium - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval 1. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture 2. Press & Publications office at the Ministry of Culture & Information Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. Library Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). Market positioning - Local This opportunity is an eInitiative, focused on catering to the Kingdom’s requirements. Application This portal allows member libraries to maintain a database of the books (basic information like title of the book, name of the author and brief about the content) available in their respective libraries. Student members can log on and search for the required information material. The search engine will list out the library in which the particular information material is available. 33 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Shared SME - Community - Portal Overview SME community portal aims to become a onestop information portal for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). It provides information on all aspects of SME development, including financing, advisory services, training programs, business and networking opportunities as well as other SME developmental programs and initiatives supported by the Government and private sector. Type of eOpportunity This is a community-based opportunity targeted at small- and medium- sized business. It provides services to individuals, entrepreneurs and companies in the areas of technology financing and government grants. Market potential Small- and medium-sized enterprises contribute toward sustainable growth of a country. Some advanced economies have succeeded only because SMEs form a fundamental part of the economy, comprising over 98% of total establishments and contributing to over 65% of employment as well as over 50% of the gross domestic product. Governments across the region have realized that developing a group of diverse and competitive small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is a central theme toward achieving sustainable economic growth. SMEs are crucial to the economic growth process and play an important role in the country’s overall production network. SMEs need professional advisers to help with business expansions, restructuring and new ventures. This opportunity taps the gap between the initiatives and the benefit realization in the SME. There are more than 40,000 registered SMEs in the Kingdom. Most of them have high potentials to play a significant role in the economy. 34 Market positioning - Local This opportunity is positioned for the local market. Application This portal aims to attract visitors from smalland medium-scale enterprises in the Kingdom and becomes a community driven incubator. It seeks to provide a platform for individuals, organization, government initiatives and businesses to help SMEs to get to the next level. This portal will become a think tank to formulate collaborative strategies for better coordination and efficient implementation of SME development initiatives. Financial Advisory to enhance access to financing across all economic sectors can be provided as an extended service. The portal will also provide financial tools like Loan Amortization Calculator, Loan Comparison Calculator, Cash Flow Calculator, Break Even Calculator and Profit Margin Calculator. This opportunity is community-based. Members will not be charged to use the website and its resources; however, in case of special or customized financial advisory the SME may be charged. The primary source of revenue will be advertisements from the companies targeting the SME, for business and SMEs as themselves. Capital requirements High - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval None Existing activities in the CR department None Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain General Online recruitment and internship assistance portal Overview An online recruitment, internship service provides assistance for companies to post internships or job opportunities and hire student/ fresher for internship offering partime and fulltime job opportunities. This website aims to help students and fresh graduates become better professionals. Type of eOpportunity This is a B2B- and B2C-based eCommerce opportunity. The primary focus is to tap the unorganized internship and recruitment market for locals in Bahrain. Market potential There is an enhanced demand for skills in the existing sectors due to localization policies. To comply with the localization requirements, companies operating in Bahrain need to maintain a certain percentage of Bahraini nationals. Presently, the demand for a highly skilled talent pool is an all time high and will witness a manifold increase in future. This portal bridges the gap between supply and demand by strengthening the supply side. Market positioning - Local This opportunity is positioned for the local market. This portal is targeted to attract the local graduates in Bahrain. This opportunity is positioned for local market but has potential to expand in the regional market. Application The website provides students with an opportunity to gain valuable and comprehensive hands on experience of working in a professional organization. The portal will not charge students for any service; however, participating companies will be charged nominal fees on successful recruitment. Companies and organizations having internship or full time job requirement can post the details. Applicants can apply for these positions through their account. Organizations, communities, government and individuals get benefited by having a focused database of skilled locals. Capital requirements Medium - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval 1. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture 2. Institute of Public Administration (BIPA) Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. Training and Consultancy co-ordination Office 3. Centers & Institutes for Administrative & Commercial Training 4. Centers & Institutes for Vocational & Technical Training Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). 35 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Real estate Real estate comparison portal Overview Portal for real estate is an online commercial and residential premium real estate website, connecting property owners and brokers to tenants and investors. Type of eOpportunity Online portal for real estate is a hybrid opportunity (B2B and B2C). Market potential Bahrain is one of the greatest potential property markets in the Middle East. A report by a leading business research group concludes that the Bahrain economy had remained in generally good shape during 2009, recording a small contraction compared to its Gulf neighbors and is expected to bounce back fairly strongly in 2010 on the back of government infrastructure expenditure across a broad range of sectors. Over the past few years, rapid population growth, rising tourism level and a strong financial services sector served to drive the real estate market to new heights. Bahrain has fared better and rebounded faster than its neighbors in the region, posting strong performances for residential rents and commercial office rates. Real estate developments in Bahrain have created a surge of investor and consumer interest in the Kingdom. Buyers from across the world are showing interest in Bahrain. Residential demand is expected to be more buoyant, with the government announcing plans for 43,000 new homes by 2014. 36 Application Online real estate search portal will allow users to compare rates of different estate properties available in the Kingdom for sale, buy or rental. Through effective search options, one can browse properties anywhere in the Kingdom. Property developers can find building and constructions requirements required in Bahrain along with approval for land in freehold and normal areas in Bahrain. This portal has potential to become a guide for new businesses in construction segment, as the portal will contain information on approval required from municipality and other government authorities. With a regularly updated online database on construction companies, authorities and developers, one can keep track of all the real estate development activities in the Kingdom. This portal is aimed to bridge the gap between demand and supply of properties in the Kingdom together with promotion of allied property businesses. Capital requirements Medium - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval 1. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture 2. Courts Directorate at the Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs 20+ major real estate projects are currently under development. Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. Land and estate agents. Agents for leasing houses, flats and offices 3. Buying and selling properties for the establishment Market positioning - Local This eOpportunity can be started to cater the Kingdom’s requirements but has potential to become a regional opportunity. Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Car rental Car rental portal Overview Car rental portal aims to tap the unorganized market of small- and medium-sized car rental companies. Type of eOpportunity Online car rental portal is a hybrid opportunity (B2B and B2C). Market potential Bahrain has grown out to be a very attractive tourism center in the entire gulf area. Bahrain tourism has become very popular among the travelers for a number of reasons. Visitors seek car rental as it turns out to be the cheapest and most convenient way to be around the city. Big car rental companies are already catering their customers though web-based platforms; however, there are numerous smalland medium-sized unorganized car companies in the Kingdom which want to offer online booking facility but fail to do in the absence of economy of scale. This portal aims to aggregate such demand and translate into a profitable business model. Bahrain is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Middle East with over two million tourists a year. companies. This would enable customers to rent a car on 24x7, without physically being there. In return, portal hosting company can receive commissions on each booking. The portal’s primary target will be the car rental companies and the end customer; however, it may add additional revenue lines by serving the businesses. Capital requirements Medium - Please refer to the estimation sheet at the beginning of this section for further details. Authorities’ approval 1. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture 2. General Directorate for traffic at the Ministry of Interior Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. Car rental Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). Market positioning - Local This eOpportunity is to cater visitors, residents and citizens of the Kingdom. Application This portal will play a role of aggregator. This portal will be search engine for rental cars which provide fares of multiple car rental 37 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Payment gateway Payment gateway portal Overview The eOpportunity aims to provide service to authorize payments for eCommercebased businesses, retailers and government authorities. Type of eOpportunity This is an enabler side eOpportunity. Market potential A globally reputed payment association has reported that there is a steady increase in the number of retailers responding to a growing consumer preference to shop online. There was a US$20 million worth of sale made online in the GCC, in the first quarter of 2005, representing an increase of approximately 600% over the same period in 2004. Retailers and other organizations in all the GCC countries experienced similar increases in online sales. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain have experienced as much as a fifteen fold growth in the number of transactions. The rising number of transactions is indicative of the growing comfort levels of credit card holders in relation to online payments. Various governmental departments across the GCC are adopting electronic systems to automate their operations. This only translates into huge potential demand for payment gateway which authenticates and executes the payment transaction. Travel and gaming have emerged as the region’s top two eCommerce segments. Market positioning - International This eOpportunity is positioned to cater the local and regional marketplace. 38 Application A payment gateway facilitates the transfer of information between a payment portal (such as a website or mobile phone) and the processor or acquiring bank. When a customer orders a product from a payment gateway enabled merchant, the payment gateway performs a variety of tasks to process the transaction in order to transaction. Capital requirements Details about the capital requirements will be discussed in the next version. Authorities’ approval None Existing activities in the CR department None Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Certificate Certified service providers Overview Certificate service provider or CSP builds trust in the digital economy. It helps in securing eCommerce and communications over intranets, extranets and the Web. Type of eOpportunity This is an enabler side eOpportunity. Market potential The region posted the world’s highest Internet usage growth for the 2000-2009 period at 1,648.2% and is home to more than 60 million Internet users and over 80 million mobile phone users, making it a huge market for online and mobile commercial transactions. The region has a tech-savvy middle income group who are already patronizing eCommerce as a more convenient transaction method. However, there are several obstacles to the smooth growth of this sector as well, trust between the customer and the service provider is one of major ones. The security of online business is essential for the flow and growth of such an energetic sector. Hence, accreditation has become a necessity. CSP secures the electronic transactions by certifying the authenticity of the related services. of confidence with their clients. It associates the identity of a web server with a public key. It makes safe the exchanges between the server and his clients when a secure session (SSL - Secure Sockets Layer) is set up, for example, for an on-line purchase or payment on a website. Capital requirements Details about the capital requirements will be discussed in the next version. Authorities’ approval 1. Directorate of Wireless Licensing, Frequency & Monitoring (DWlFM) 2. Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) 3. Ministry of Municipalities and Agriculture Existing activities in the CR department 1. Browsing of worldwide web (Internet) 2. Internet Service Provider Requirements specific to this activity 1. General requirements to open a CR (see chapter Three: Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain). eCcommerce transactions in the Middle East are expected to grow beyond 15% in 2010. Market positioning - Local This oppurtunity is to cater the local market. Application The server certificate authenticates and ensures the security of the sites, thereby enabling customers to establish a relationship 39 Outsourcing Opportunities eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain 40 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Chapter 2 Outsourcing Opportunities Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is a broad term referring to outsourcing in various fields. A BPO differentiates itself from conventional business practices by either putting in new technology or applying existing technology in a new way to improve a process. As BPO supporting eCommerce activities is an emerging business opportunity in the region, capital requirements to start up any such venture was not calculated as well as the application areas. Information in the coming issues of the handbook will be more complete and accurate to make BPO a lucrative business opportunity for the potential investors. BPO is the delegation of one or more IT-intensive business processes to an external provider that in turn owns, administers and manages the selected process based on defined and measurable performance criteria. BPO is one of the fastest growing segments of the Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) industry. The Bahrain Information and Communication Technology (ICT) market is expected to grow at a high rate owing to an increased demand for IT products and services from both public and private sectors. The growing need for robust IT solutions is also being driven by massive eGovernment and eCommerce initiatives, that are aimed at achieving proactive and sustained economic diversification. Bahrain offers low entrance costs and its fertile market is laden with rich opportunities. The Kingdom’s ratified Free Trade Agreement with the United States of America facilitates a seamless exchange of technology expertise. The possibilities for long-term opportunities in outsourcing for Bahrain in niche areas of software development are rich. Bahrain’s eGovernment strategy aims to have over 90% of key services available online. For business, this includes business and office registration, work permits, banking services, environmental compliance and the eTendering of government contracts. Why to open a BPO in Bahrain • Factorcostadvantage(Lowcostofoperation) Factor cost advantage (Low cost of operation) • Superiorcompetency(Accesstoworldclasstechnologyinfrastructure) Superior competency (Access to world class technology infrastructure) • Talentpool(AvailabilityoflowwageArabicspeakingskilled,educatedworkforce) Talent pool (Availability of low wage Arabic speaking skilled, educated workforce) • Closeproximitytoregion’seconomicepicenters(IntheArabianGulf) Close proximity to region’s economic epicenters (In the Arabian Gulf ) 41 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Different types of services which can be outsourced to a BPO based in Bahrain Customer support services - Arabic/Non Arabic Overview Customer service offerings create a virtual customer service center to manage customer concerns and queries through multiple channels including voice, e-mail and chat on a 24/7 and 365 days basis. Examples Customers calling to check on their order status, information on products and services, account status, reservation status etc. Technical support services Arabic/Non Arabic Overview Examples Technical support offerings include round-theclock technical support and problem resolution for OEM (Original Equipment Manufacture) customers and computer hardware, software, peripherals and Internet infrastructure manufacturing companies. These include installation, product support, up and running support, troubleshooting and usage support. Customers calling to resolve a problem with their home PC, customers calling to understand how to dial up to their ISP, customers with their software or hardware issues. Telemarketing services - Arabic/Non Arabic Overview Telesales and telemarketing outsourcing services target interaction with potential customers for prospecting either for generating interest in products and services, or to up-sell/promote and cross sell to an existing customer base or to complete the sales process online. 42 Examples Outbound calling to retail households to sell leisure holidays, outbound calling to existing customers to sell a new rate card for a mobile service provider or outbound calling to sell credit or debit cards etc. eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Employee IT helpdesk services - Arabic/Non Arabic Overview Employee IT helpdesk services provide technical problem resolution and support for corporate employees. Examples System problem resolutions related to desktop, notebooks, OS (Operating System), connectivity etc., office productivity tools support including browsers and mail, new service requests, IT operational issues, product usage queries, routing specific requests to designated contacts, remote diagnostics etc. Insurance processing Overview Examples Insurance processing services provide specialized solutions to the insurance sector and support critical business processes applicable to the industry right from new business acquisition to policy maintenance to claims processing. New business/promotion, Inbound/outbound sales, Initial setup, Case management, Underwriting, Risk assessment, Policy issuance etc. Policy maintenance/management: Record changes like name, beneficiary, nominee, Address; Collateral verification, Surrender audits accounts receivable, Accounting, Claim overpayment, Customer care service via voice/email etc. Data entry services/data processing services - Arabic / Non Arabic Overview Data entry from high accuracy and fast turn around time (TAT). Data entry from Image file in any format of business transaction. Examples Data entry like sales/purchase/payroll. Data entry of E-Books/Data entry: Yellow pages/ White pages keying. • Data entry and compilation from websites • Data capture/Collection Business card data entry into various formats • Data entry from hardcopy/Printed Material into text or required format • Data Entry into software program and application receipt and bill data entry Catalogue data entry. • Data entry for mailing list/Mailing label. • Manuscripting typing into Word Taped transcription into Word.Copy, paste, editing, sorting, indexing data into required format etc. 43 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Data conversion services Overview Conversion of data across various databases on different platforms Data conversion via input/ output for various media Data conversion for databases, word processors, spreadsheets, and many other standard and custom-made software packages as per requirement Examples Conversion from text to Word to HTML and Acrobat Convert raw data into required MS Office formats Text to PDF and PDF to Word/ Text/Doc Data Compilation in PDF from several sources. Conversion from Page Maker to PDF format E-Book conversion etc Scanning, OCR with editing and indexing services Overview Examples High speed image-scanning and data capture Scan & OCR paper book in to CD ADOBE PDF services High speed large volume scanning conversion services Conversion from paper or OCR data from scanned page/image e-file to various formats Book keeping and accounting services Overview Full processing cycle, registering receipt, maintaining payable records, bill registration of supplier, reconciliation Examples General ledger, Accounts receivables and Accounts payable, Financial statements, Bank reconciliation Assets/Equipment ledgers etc. Form processing services Overview Examples Processing forms through validation of entries. Insurance claim form Medical form/medical billing Online form processing Payroll processing etc 44 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain 45 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain 46 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Chapter 3 Setting up eCommercebased Business in Bahrain It would have required a mammoth individual effort to set up an Internet-based business in the past, including the burden of developing and maintaining the entire technology infrastructure. Things have changed for the better today, one can practically come with an eCommerce-based website in less than 24 hours. Cheap hosting services, custom built web templates, plug and play eCommerce utilities and seamless application integration have made the Internet and entrepreneur’s dream come true. eCommerce has matured very fast, and in the present day basics are taken care of and the ability to deliver services based on sound business and marketing strategies has become the key for successful businesses. The Ministry of Industry and Commerce is a truly pioneering government in providing services to the public and business. In this regard, it was one of the first ministries to go online, providing a variety of eServices on its portal. For example, the application for Commercial Registration (CR) is made easy through the official gateway of the Ministry (www.moic.gov.bh). See page number 34. In the following section, details on registration for companies and proprietary business are highlighted. Here, we have mentioned a number of promising business opportunities in the field to the investor to consider. Investors can enquire about all services regarding the registration of companies and proprietary businesses or any other query they have by contacting the Ministry of Industry and Commerce through its different locations in the island to receive the full picture as seen on the contact page. Bahrain, being among the friendliest countries in the region, to work in, is a magnet enough for the intending entrepreneur offering the best value for money, lowest taxes and operating costs for businesses which operate from Bahrain. Bahrain also offers the highest quality of life for employees and their families. The following are the incentives in operating from Bahrain: 47 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain • • • • • • • • • Nocorporateorpersonalincometaxes Competitivefactorcosts(Utilities,realestate,transport) Costefficient,trainedandbilingualhumancapital Unrestrictedcapital,profitsordividends Morethan65bilateralagreementsontradeinvestmentandavoidance of double taxation 100%foreignownershipofbusinessassetsandrealestate Bahrain’srapidlyexpandingeconomyattractsahigherproportionofforeign investment than any other gulf states Sustainedlowrateofinflationofapproximately2%ayear One-stop’facilityforallinformationandapplicantprocessingneedsofthe investors Bahrain with its business friendly regulation is becoming a breeding ground of start ups and new entrants. Companies operating in Bahrain can take advantage of low cost of operation, easy availability of technical pool, strategic geographic location and relaxed tax regulations. MOIC is one of the prominent ministries in the Kingdom of Bahrain that provides eServices to investors and businesses. It was one of the first ministries that provided its services electronically; for instance, the CR (Commercial Registration) renewal is now available online in additional to several other eServices through the gateway of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce on www.moic.gov.bh. 48 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain A quick step-by-step guide to establish eCommerce-based business in Bahrian Start transacting Operate Market, Maintain Issuance of commercial registration Issua Activ Activity licensing and approval Appli Application for commercial registration (CR) Selec Selection of name of the business Sele Selection of legal structure Inv nve Investor to select legal structure Selection of eCommerce activity Investor to choose ecommerce activity, type, model, Invest Opportunity (Refer section 1, 2, 3 in Handbook Opp O ppor nline business idea Online Figure 1 - Step-by-step guide to setting up eCommerce -based business in Bahrain. 1 Selection of eCommerce activity The Kingdom of Bahrain welcomes and promotes investment in most business sectors without restriction. Certain business activities however are prohibited due to their adverse economic, social or environmental impact. Foreign investment and 100% foreign ownership is also permitted in general, with a limited number of business activities that are reserved by law for Bahraini and/or GCC citizens and companies only. All the eCommerce-related activities are registered under the Activity number (525101): ePromotion for Products & Services. Investors can start business related to eCommerce as a new one or choose from the list in table 1. 2 Selection of legal structure The investor must select a legal structure for the proposed business entity. The Kingdom of Bahrain’s Commercial Companies Law sets forth rules and regulations governing the permitted legal structures for companies and individual establishments. In some instances, to select a legal structure, the investor must seek other entities or government organizations in Bahrain. For example, an investor seeking to open an online business related to media must get approval from the Ministry of Culture & Information. For all listed eOpportunities in the handbook, required approvals are mentioned in the table. The following are the two most popular legal structures for eCommerce and IT services: 49 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Company A company which is fully owned by a single or many natural or corporate person. The proprietor of the capital of the company shall be liable only to the extent of the capital allocated for the company. There could be the following types within the company category: • • • • Partnershipcompany Singlepersoncompany Foreigncompanybranch Holdingcompany Sole proprietorship Only Bahraini citizens and citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries [must be resident in Bahrain] may register an individual establishment in the Kingdom of Bahrain. An individual establishment is a non-incorporated entity and is owned by one individual only. The owner is liable for all debts and liabilities of the business to the extent of their personal assets. 3 Selection of the business/domain name The most basic requirement for selection of a company name is its uniqueness; the selected name shall not be registered with the Ministry of Industry & Commerce. Consider the following while selecting the name: • Name of the business interest should be unique • NameoftheeCommercewebsiteshouldnot be associated with any other registered business in Bahrain or elsewhere • ItshouldnotbeinMOIC’sdatabase Please refer to the special requirements in the eCommerce section. Investors are free to choose any domain name for the business as far as it complies with the Kingdom’s legal and commercial regulations. However, the Directorate strongly recommends selection of . (dot) bh domain. 50 4 Application for commercial registration An investor may apply for two types of commercial registration: company commercial registration, which is applicable to all company structures; and individual commercial registration applicable to individual establishment (sole proprietorships). Commercial registration applications can be made at the Bahrain Investor’s Center [for companies] and at the Ministry of Industry & Commerce ‘s Commercial Registration Directorates [for individuals]. Required document - Individual commercial entity • Registration • Individualregistrationapplicationform • Commercial name registration application form • CopyofCPRcardorcopyofidentitycard(for foreign investors) • Copyofpassport(GCCandforeigninvestors) • Proofthatapplicantisnotemployed • A no objection certificate signed and stamped by the applicant’s employer (for employed applicants) Required documents - Company commercial entity • Registration(BahrainisandGCC) • Companyregistrationsingleapplicationform • CopyofCPR(copyofpassportforGCCcitizens) • Draft of Memorandum of Association (for single person company) • Iftheapplicantisanaturalpersonemployed in the private sector, no objection letter is only required if the person is to hold a management or directorship post • Copy of commercial agency, distribution agreement or franchise agreement, if the objectives of the company are relating to such agreements eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain • A license agreement for exploiting a trademark, if the activities of the company or commercial name thereof are relating to such agreements: • Copyofcompany’scommercialregistration • BoardofDirectorsresolutiontojoinaspartner • Most recent audited financial statement if the company is at least one year old (NonGCC foreign citizens) • Theapplicantmusthavethefulltimetoconduct the eCommerce activity and his age should be more than 18 years 5 Activity licensing and approval A commercial registration issued by the Ministry of Industry & Commerce is sufficient to start most of the eCommerce-based business activities in Bahrain. Some business activities, however, require a license or approval by one or Company registration single application form more government authorities prior to obtaining • Copyofpassportwithvisapages commercial registration. In case eCommerce • CopyofCPRcard(forresidents) is enabling an existing (registered and licensed) • Power of attorney for registration agent, if business, then no further license is required to register the business, but if the eCommerceapplicable • One reference from either a licensed inter- based business falls under one of the listed national bank (inside or outside of Bahrain), categories in the Ministry of Industry and Comauditing firm or law firm must be based in merce license required list, then the business needs to go through licensing procedures, for Bahrain) example, a business related to healthcare in • Draft of Memorandum of Associations CV which an investor must seek approval from the and copies of qualifications (for manageMinistry of Health and other related authorities. ment and professional consultancy) An eCommerce approval sheet is available at • Copy of commercial agency, distribution the Directorate of eCommerce and IT. Investors agreement or franchise agreement, if the need to provide the business concept, domain objectives of the company are related to name, payment gateway and their education such agreements details which will help to setup the eCommerceRequirement for eCommerce activity based business. The Directorate processes the In case there is a new activity to be added, co document in 1 to 3 working days and provides pany or proprietor need to apply at MOIC with its recommendation on it. On approval, the commercial registration is processed. the following documents: • CopyofpassportorCPR • 30 BD for issuing new register or adding new activity • Qualifications and certificates related to eCommerce & IT or Marketing • ThesuggestedwebsiteforconductingeCommerce activities • The suggested party to provide payment gateway solution • Thesuggestedpartytoprovidedeliveryservices (if any) • The suggested address for the customer service shop 6 Issuance of commercial registration (CR) Commercial Registration (CR) is issued by the Ministry of Industry & Commerce. All new commercial registrations require publication in an official gazette. A letter of request supplied by the ministry is the only required document at this stage. A fee of 30 BD is the charge per page. Notarization is carried out at the Ministry of Justice’s Public Notary at the Bahrain Investors’ 51 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Center (BIC). All legal structure documentation should be issued in Arabic or in Arabic and English. Three copies are required for this purpose. For more information please contact the Directorate of Press and Publications at the Ministry of Culture & Information: Tel +973 17 871 786, Fax: +973 17 681 493, www.moci.gov.bh eServices provided by MOIC The Ministry of Industry & Commerce offers a variety of online services, including: online renewal of commercial registration, general inquiries regarding registration procedure and requirements, business enquiry reports, application follow-up, submit complaints and follow up related to Consumer Protection along with updated daily prices for commodities. To use the eServices, please visit the eServices section on the Ministry of Industry & Commerce’s website at: www.moic.gov.bh/MoIC/En/Main/ eServices/ BIC - Bahrain Investor’s Center The BIC (Bahrain Investor’s Center) offers a unique Fast Track Service (FTS) for premium investment projects in six clusters namely information and communication technology, tourism, financial services, and manufacturing. The fast track registration program ensures a seven day commercial registration procedure. In order to qualify for FTS, a minimum capital of BD 1,000,000 is required for manufacturing projects and BD 250,000 for other projects. The BIC also operates a call center that handles queries about commercial registration and all services provided at the BIC. The following are the services offered by BIC • Financingoption • Banking • LegalStructure • Telecommunicationassistance 52 eCertification The eCommerce & Information Technology Directorate has initiated a project to implement a certification system for Bahraini eCommerce websites, that will help the Ministry of Industry and Commerce regulate the eCommerce activities in the Kingdom of Bahrain, as well as to encourage citizens to deal with Bahraini eCommerce websites and thus spread the awareness of eCommerce in the society. This project has been initiated with the following objectives: • TopromoteandsupporttheeCommerceinfrastructure in the Kingdom • Toprovideanenvironmentoftrustbetween businesses using electronic commerce • Implementation of certification system to regulate eCommerce activities Financing options A wide range of credit and commercial loan arrangements are available to local and international investors through the various Islamic and conventional banks and financial institutions in Bahrain. Financing is also available through the Bahrain Development Bank and Bahrain Stock Exchange. There are numerous banks in BIC which provide credit and financing information for businesses. • eCommerce-relatedservices • SupplyofpaymentandFinancialservicesystem to commercial banks • UsageandbenefitoftheInternetfacility • eCommerceservices • Internetserviceprovider • ePromotionforproductsandservices • Websitemanagement • Certificateserviceprovider • e-Marketplace Import, export and sale of computer software and hardware that are related to payment services and credit card services. Table 1: List of eCommerce business. eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Investors can reach the call center between 7:30 and 18:00 from Saturday to Thursday on +973 17 562 222 or [email protected] Ministry of Industry and Commerce Address - Diplomatic Area, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain PO Box - 5479 Telephone - +973 17574909 Website - www.moic.gov.bh The Directorate of eCommerce and IT Address - Diplomatic Area, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain PO Box - 5479 Telephone - +973 17574806 Website - www.moic.gov.bh Bahrain Investment Center Address - Seef Mall - Gate Number - 6, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain PO Box - 5479 Telephone - +973 17562222 Email - [email protected] Website - www.moic.gov.bh 53 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain 54 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Chapter 4 Risks and Challenges Privacy and protection of information eCommerce requires exchange of important and confidential information. Present technologies like encryption algorithm takes care of these issues and enables eCommerce-based businesses to operate seamlessly. However, policies on privacy and protection of information should be discussed in length in the service agreement and terms of use with the customers. Reliability of trading partners Most web-based businesses do not possess back end infrastructure. They rely on their partners in forming a collaborative network. In this case, performance of business is related to the performance of the partner. Physical threats Threats posed to the IT infrastructure by the physical environs for example, fire or flood, could lead to a loss of information. All financial institutes in Bahrain have to mandatorily have a BCP/DRP program. Today, communication technology makes such initiatives cheaper than ever. Today, webbased businesses can benefit from the cost effective communication technology initiatives. Fraud and Misrepresentation The Internet enables smaller businesses to have capabilities of that of large corporations. Owing to an ever increasing number of cases of online fraud today, potential customers are well aware of consequences and hence are apprehensive of online transaction they do not trust from any other site. Web-based businesses should be encouraged to join best practices organization or a privacy certification program such as WebTrust etc. Security eCommerce sites are one of the favorite haunt of hackers worldwide hence eCommerce-based businesses should gear up to face this risk. All ecommerce sites are the target of multiple attacks. Hackers exploit errors in software application design, technical implementation or systems operation. The main purpose of hackers is to get customer information and credit card data, redirect payments, and obtain products free of charge or at a lower price. These attacks and its impact cannot be eliminated, but can be reduced to a harmless figure. Regular update of firewall and other security applications can help toward eCommerce-based businesses toward a secured operation. Websites also need to go through attack and penetration testing on a periodic basis. 55 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Data threats Threats posed to software, files, databases, etc by viruses, Trojans and so forth. Information breach Information breach is the risk to corporate information and intellectual property from internal staff and trading partners. It is difficult to control sensitive information handled by third parties or contract workers. Few organizations have systems in place to ensure common standards in vetting staff and provide security mechanisms between trading partners. International operations Setting up an international business or cross-border Web is a complex endeavor. Different tax structures, currency conversions, coordination and tracking of physical goods become a nightmare. However, there are plug and play application available that specifically addresses these issues. Standards and frameworks like ISO/IEC 27001 provide fundamentals to develop and implement an effective risk strategy for eCommerce systems. Initiatives by Government of Bahrain Electronic transaction law This law consists of 27 articles, covering the formation stage, validity of electronic contracts, protected electronic records and signature, authentication, certificates, certification services, retention of records, acknowledgment of receipt, responsibility of the network intermediaries, inspection authorities, penalties, public authority for electronic certification, electronic commercial certification, crime and penalties and other provisions. 56 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain 57 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain 58 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Chapter 5 Case Studies Success stories from the Kingdom of Bahrain Bahrain eGovernment program The Internet and related electronic information and communication technologies (ICTs ) are being used increasingly by developed economies to enhance the delivery of public services and citizens’ engagements with the government. The adoption and implementation of appropriate eGovernment policies and practices in Bahrain is making a significant contribution in fulfilling the vision of the Government of Bahrain to be the eGovernment leader committed to provide all government services that are integrated, best-in-class and available to all through their channels of choice, helping Bahrain transform as the finest country in GCC to visit, live, work and do business. Bahrain’s eGovernment strategy aims to have over 90% of key services available online. For business, this includes business and office registration, work permits, banking services, environmental compliance and the eTendering for government contracts. The concept of eGovernment is long-established in Bahrain with a number of government services available on the Internet. For example, residents can pay utility bills, traffic fines and visitors can apply for tourist visas online. The government aims to have more than 150 services related to key “lifecycle events” for both residents and businesses available online in the near future. Bahrain has climbed 29 places from 42nd in 2008 in the survey, which considers eGovernment development in the context of the overall economic and social development of a country. According to Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), the ranking further demonstrates Bahrain’s commitment to achieving the ambitions of the country’s National Economic Strategy and Vision 2030; both designed to encourage further private sector growth, support further diversification of the economy and ultimately elevate national living standards by creating greater opportunities for Bahrainis. Hotels in Bahrain IT as emergence of the Internet altered the structure of the tourism industry as it dramatically changed best operational and strategic practices. Recent survey has highlighed that contribution of online bookings in the total bookings have significantly increased. By this, hotels avoid commissions paid to third party websites and the agents. Internet also influenced booking decisions by online research and planning. All the major hotels in the Kingdom offer online reservations to enable customers to review, cancel, or modify reservations online regardless of the origin of the reservation. Internet and related technology has increased the ability of hotels in Bahrain to provide great guest experiences. By understanding current Internet marketing trends in hospitality, hoteliers in the Kingdom enhanced their web presence and utilized the Internet as the most cost effective and up-to-date sales and marketing channel. 59 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Bahrain Air Bahrain Air is the second flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and its main base is Bahrain International Airport. The low- cost airline currently flies to 16 destinations in the Middle East, Africa and India. Bahrain Air is one of the leading budget carrier in the region. Bahrain Air maintains its lower fares by reducing the air ticket distribution supply chain between the airline and the customer. Bahrain Air pioneered the concept of eTicketing in the region and its schedules, fares, and availability of tickets online are published on their website. It also operates a multi- lingual call center for customer assistance. Facility for booking its tickets are also provided at its call center and airport counter. Bahrain Air encourages use of the Internet for booking tickets that allows them to evade the middle-men and travel agents. Agency commission was a big drain for airlines as 10 -15% of the ticket cost is given back to the agents as commission. Airlines paid 3-25% 60 commissions to travel agents who sell their tickets, in addition to spending a huge amount of money and resources on selling and issuing tickets of their own. To reduce distribution costs, airlines like Bahrain Air turned to eCommerce with Internet-based distribution channels to limit the number of their sales offices and to reduce their dependency on Computer Reservation Systems (CRS) and sales agents. Riding on the success, Bahrain Air has a high growth plan. Bahrain Air carried some 750,000 passengers during 2009. It plans to grow the number of its passengers to one million by the end of 2010 by adding new destinations and targets break-even during 2011. eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Global Malta The Republic of Malta is a Southern European country and consists of an archipelago situated centrally in the Mediterranean. Malta covers just over 300 km² in land area with a population close to half a million, making it one of Europe’s smallest and one of Europe’s most densely populated countries. Until 1800, Malta depended on cotton, tobacco and its shipyards for exports. After the British arrived, they came to depend on the dockyard for support of the Royal Navy. The military base benefited craftsmen and all those who served the military. In 1869, the opening of the Suez Canal gave Malta’s economy a great boost, as there was a massive increase in the shipping which entered the port. Ships stopping at Malta’s docks for refueling helped the Entrepot trade, which brought additional benefits to the island. However, toward the end of the 19th centurys the economy began declining, and by the 1940s Malta’s economy was in serious crisis. One factor was the longer range of newer merchant ships that required less frequent refueling stops. Malta’s only major resource is limestone, it produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited freshwater supplies and has no domestic energy sources. Malta answered the challenge brought by technology with technology. The government of Malta took several reform initiatives. One of those was promotion of information and technology-based businesses in the country. Malta’s economic policy encourages information technology operations, and the territory has invested heavily in state-of-the- art telecommunications. There are already a number of Internet Service Providers in Malta, with clear interest being shown in offshore ecommerce development. The Islands’ geographical location (European time-zone); good telecommunications links; sophisticated business infrastructure; and the low cost, English speaking, highly educated work force are all factors which attract sales, marketing and administrative departments of European retail operations. The Government of Malta is committed to establishing eGovernment services to ensure the transformation of Malta into a highly advanced information economy and information society. eGovernment is to result in a virtual service provision in such a way that the particular services related to a transaction are simultaneously triggered once the episode relating to that service is activated by a user thereby attaining a veritable ‘no stop service’. The Malta Communications Authority announced in March 2002, that it intends to act as a catalyst for ecommerce rather than a regulator in the initial period of development. Although eCommerce-together with telecommunications and the country’s postal service -is one of the statutory areas under the competence of the MCA, the Authority has revealed that during the developmental stages of the sector, its job will principally be to bring together the main players, provide advice and assistance, and explain the implications of new legislation as and when it is implemented. ‘Given the current embryonic stage of development of this type of activity in Malta, we see ourselves acting more as a catalyst in this sector, rather than as a traditional regulator,’ said Celia Falzon, Project Manager for eCommerce. 61 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain She added that: ‘We will be disseminating information, offering guidance and also help with regard to the legal implications of dealing and trading with foreign customers or merchants. We will also work to keep the public informed of their own rights when it comes to transacting electronically’. Efforts of Malta government produced some fruitful results. In February, 2004, the latest e-Europe Progress Report revealed that Malta is significantly ahead of most EU accession countries in terms of Internet access and utilization of eCommerce. According to the report, 49% of Maltese homes are connected to the Internet. The island was also ranked second place behind Slovenia in terms of personal computer ownership, with 58% PC ownership. The study also found that Malta has 70 secure Internet servers per million inhabitants, far higher than EU15 average of 48. On the business front, the study found that 73% of Maltese firms had a website, also the highest proportion among the accession states. Of these, 20% had received orders online, while a third of the participants reported that ecommerce generated over 1% of their revenues. As a major offshore jurisdiction with many tens of thousands of offshore enterprises already installed, including many trading companies, it was only a matter of time before Malta becomes a center of ecommerce activity. In August 2007, the Malta Communications Authority (MCA) granted rights of use of radio frequencies to 3G Telecommunications Limited, for the establishment and operation of a third generation (3G) mobile communications network. This was completed in the case of Vodafone and Go Mobile in August 2005. In January 2008, Maltese telecoms provider GO, has announced a multi-million euro investment in a second submarine cable linking Malta to Italy so that it can offer further resiliency 62 for its existing international links by having a more diverse route. The new submarine cable will cater projected demands for broadband services which will be increasing in the coming future, especially with projects such as Smart City. In practical terms with submarine, Malta now possesses world class connectivity, which in turn allows us to provide services to the most demanding clients for eCommerce. In September 2008, the European Commission eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain confirmed Malta’s high ICT ranking, recognizing it again as “well advanced in information society, with indicators significantly above the EU average.” In its 2010 mid-term review (Preparing Europe’s Digital Future) the European Commission recognized Malta as Europe’s undisputed leader with regard to the indicator of basic public services for enterprises being fully available online. eGovernance Maltese basic public services available online for Maltese citizens are at 92%, the second best ranking in Europe compared with the European average of 51%, the Maltese authorities further revealed. The rapidity of the increase in these services was also noted by the Commission, which observed that in 2004, only 33% of Maltese public services to citizens were available online. Broadband penetration in Maltese households as a percentage of households with an Internet connection exceeds the European average, showing a greater take-up of Broadband among Maltese Internet users. Maltese businesses are the fourth best connected in Europe to broadband and Malta’s population is the fifth most covered by DSL coverage in the EU. Malta’s businesses use technology more than the average of their competitors in Europe, and the jurisdiction well exceeds European averages in integrating eBusiness in internal processes and in the use of ERP and analytical CRM systems. The ratio of Maltese employees with ICT skills is the fifth largest in Europe, and the ratio of ICT specialists in Malta is also ahead of European average. SmartCity In September 2007, the Prime Minister of Malta, Lawrence Gonzi unveiled the masterplan for SmartCity Malta, a new self- sustained industry township for knowledge-based companies to be developed in collaboration with Dubai-based Dubai Internet City. With this attempt, Malta seeks to build a knowledge-based industry cluster, primarily serving the ICT and media sectors. It plans to provide over 100,000 square meters of intelligent office space and will provide a substantial boost to Malta’s construction, hospitality, maritime, services and retail sectors. SmartCity Malta is expected by 2014 to be making an annual contribution of US$725 million to Malta’s GDP making SmartCity the single greatest new contributor to Malta’s economy ever to have been secured through foreign direct investment. SmartCity Malta is projected to generate 4% growth in the Maltese job market and will create 7000 jobs over an eight-year period apart from the several hundred jobs created in the economy as a multiplier effect of the project. The project is the largest job-creator under one roof in Malta’s history. Ground zero for eCommerce Malta observed natural bonding of the Internet and offshore stems from the fact that both, of their nature, manage to avoid tax. It focused on businesses which can operate on the Internet and can migrate to offshore jurisdictions. To cater the same, Government of Malta provided a structured and clear cut guideline detailing incorporation, legal and taxation policy in reference to US and EU norms. The Government also published regulatory framework on onshore and offshore eCommerce transactions including recent legislative developments. The Government along with private consortium provided tools, solutions and facilities needed by companies to relocating eCommerce or eBusiness operations in an offshore jurisdiction. Government of Malta through its telecommunication policies made ISP and hosting services cheap and efficient to aid offshore eCommerce companies. Certification and security services were launched through publicprivate partnership program to supporting eCommerce and eBusiness services with certification and security facilities from an offshore jurisdiction. In December 2007, a consortium of Malta’s 63 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain leading eBusiness organizations was created to help companies establishing a business presence in the jurisdiction. The consortium, known as eBusinessMalta.com, was launched in late 2007. It constituted leading eBusiness organizations, namely company and fiduciary services providers, hosting and co-location facilities provider, ePayment solution provider and a recruitment agency/ portal. eBusinessMalta.com was formed with the primary objective to support web-based business to operate from the country. Since inception, it has helped several organizations in setting up and incorporation processes, licensing of eBusiness operations, regulatory consultancy and international trade advisory along with its standard relocation services. By locating websites in Malta to carry out functions previously based in high-tax jurisdictions, such as sales and marketing, 64 treasury management, supply of financial services, and most of all, the supply of digital goods such as music, video, training, software etc., and businesses took advantage of low rates of taxation for increasingly substantial parts of their operation. As a major offshore jurisdiction with many tens of thousands of offshore enterprises already installed, including many trading companies, it was only a matter of time before Malta becomes a center of eCommerce activity. Over the past years, Malta has successfully established itself as a serious, reputable and well-regulated European jurisdiction providing the ideal environment for the setting up of eBusiness & ICT companies with particular emphasis on professional and financial services, digital communications and Internet technology businesses. Today, ICT is the third largest contributor to its GDP and with the fourth largest employment ratio in the EU. eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island city- state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. At 710.2 km2, Singapore is a microstate and the smallest nation in Southeast Asia. Given the country’s sound financial sector and reputation as a safe haven, Singapore is set to become a regional hub for eCommerce. The government drew up a ten-year master plan, Information and Communication Technology 21 (ICT21), in 2000 to position Singapore in the new electronic world as a global capital of information and communication technology by 2010. Singapore’s IT industry and financial institutions have worked in partnership with the government to develop infrastructure service such as trust and security systems, directory services, onlinepayment systems and other intermediary eCommerce services. The Singapore Telecom Internet Exchange (STIX) provides Internet access to more than 35 Internet service providers (ISPs) in more than 35 countries in Asia and the Pacific Rim. Singapore now has more than 35 ISPs and more than 90 resellers. The government established the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) in 1999 as a merger of the National Computer Board and the Telecommunications Authority of Singapore. The IDA was meant to develop, promote and regulate information communications (infocomm) in Singapore. Recent increased competition in the mobile-communications market has raised an already high level of penetration for these services in Singapore. The Economic Development Board is thus working with a number of multinational companies—including Capgemini, Nokia and Sun Microsystems—to develop technology and services for mobile-phone web access and eCommerce. The Infocomm Development Authority and the Singapore infocomm Technology Federation (SiTF) established the Singapore Solutions Center (SSC) in Shanghai in February 2004. The SSC serves as a one-stop center for Chinese companies and agencies that wish to find out more about the technologies, products and services offered by Singaporean infocomm companies. It also helps to identify partnership opportunities for companies of both countries to work together to deploy innovative information technology solutions to meet the growing technological needs of the Chinese market. As part of its efforts to spearhead new technologies, the Economic Development Board Investment in July 2000 set up mCommerce Ventures. This mobile-commerce fund focuses on mobile portals, personal information management, and messaging, bandwidth optimization and other emerging businesses in the wireless space. Strategic corporate partners in this fund include the following: Infosys Technologies, a leading IT solutions company in India; Siemens Venture Capital (Germany), an umbrella organization for all Siemens venture activities; Global-Times-Ventures Holding, a German venture-capital fund managed by T-Telematik Venture Holding; the corporate venture-capital arm of Deutsche Telekom; Creative Technology (Singapore), a leading provider of personal digital entertainment solutions; Keppel Telecommunications and Transportation, a leading telecoms and eBusiness group headquartered in Singapore; and Infocomm Investments, the investment arm of the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore. Because of the success of the first fund, Mobile Commerce Ventures II was incorporated in February 2003, with an initial capital of S$20 million. Singapore’s copyright laws comply with the major intellectual property rights standards, such as the Bern Convention and the World Trade Organization’s Trade-Related Aspects 65 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement. An amendment to the Copyright Act was passed in 1999 to extend protection of intellectual property for copyright owners in the digital environment, to include areas such as digitally encoded text and graphics, multimedia productions, and compilations of material from different media (like sound recordings, photographs, and film clips). Consumer protection Online customers with product or service complaints can contact the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE), a non-profit membership organization that promotes fair and ethical trade practices. It also provides mediation services in case of a dispute. To enhance the shopping experience of consumers and establish public confidence in eCommerce, the National Internet Advisory Committee drew up an eCommerce Consumer Protection Code in 1998. The code is intended to protect personal information of eCommerce consumers. The eCommerce Consumer Protection Code was adopted in 1999 by the CaseTrust, which is a joint project operated by CASE, the Retail Promotion Center and CommerceNet Singapore. CaseTrust is an accreditation scheme to promote good business practices among store-based and webbased retailers. Retailers that meet the criteria stipulated in the CaseTrust code of practice will be given a logo to display at their shop front or website. CommerceNet Singapore (CNSG), set up in 1998, is a not-for- profit industry association for local companies that engage in eCommerce; its aim is to make eCommerce easy, trusted and ubiquitous. CNSG is part of a global consortium of business partners in 22 countries. CNSG has been the driver for its Global Reliability Program, which is led by a special purpose vehicle known as CommerceTrust. CommerceTrust was formed to accelerate the development and promotion of trust in both the physical and Internet business environment by providing a benchmarking framework for trust standards. Singapore has a three-pronged 66 approach to Internet content regulation: (1) a light-touch class licence scheme that provides minimum standards to safeguard values and promote healthy growth; (2) encouragement of industry self-regulation; and (3) an active public-education program to promote parental supervision. Content owners that publish their content on the Internet are automatically licensed under the Singapore Broadcasting Authority’s Class Licence Scheme. Under the scheme, local Internet service providers (ISPs) and content providers must comply with an Internet Code of Practice. The ISPs must register with the Singapore Broadcasting Authority, but content providers do not need to unless their web pages are set up primarily to promote political or religious causes. Steps are being taken to encourage industry selfregulation. Singapore does not regulate personal communications, such as e-mail or Internet relay chat, personal websites and corporate Internet use by employees or for business transactions. The Electronic Transactions Act (ETA) came into force in July 1998. It provides a legal foundation for electronic transactions and gives predictability and certainty to the electronic formation of contracts. The ETA allows for electronic signatures and contracts to be used in courts of law. The government imposes tax on incomes and profits of all businesses in Singapore. The profit earned through eCommerce from tangible goods through an overseas branch of a company based in Singapore is not taxable if it is not remitted back to Singapore. For intangible goods for a Singaporean company that sets up a website in a foreign country, the profits earned are taxable in Singapore. The vision of Singapore government has come true, now it boasts most IT-literate and Internetsavvy population in the region. According to the 2006 Annual Survey of Infocomm Usage in Households and by Individuals of the Infocomm Development Authority, 74% of homes in public housing and 92% of the homes in private housing had computer access at home. The eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Economist Intelligence Unit estimates that per 100 persons, 50 used the Internet in 2006. The household- broadband penetration rate in Singapore was 54.2% in March 2006 (compared with 45% in March 2005), and the mobile phone penetration rate was 100.8%. B2B electronic procurement and marketplace technology players: Ariba, CommerceOne and FreeMarkets. The presence of these players will encourage more B2B exchanges to set up operations and will develop Singapore into a virtual marketplace where buyers and sellers transact and communicate over the Internet. GE Plastics and Eastman Chemical Company, both of the US, chose Singapore long back as their Asia-Pacific hub for eCommerce. Singapore also became home to three leading 67 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain 68 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Chapter 6 eCommerce Commerce is the exchange of products and services between businesses, groups, and individuals and is one of the most fundamental activities of any business. eCommerce primarily focuses on the use of information and Internet infrastructure to enable external activities and relationships of the business with individuals, groups, and other businesses. Electronic commerce, commonly known as ecommerce or eCommerce, consists of buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems, such as the Internet and other computer networks. It is the utilization of information and communication technologies (ICT ) in support of all the activities of business. Popularly eCommerce is considered to be the sales aspect of business, but starts from the supply end of business chain, supplier-business interaction. It also consists of the exchange of data to facilitate the financing and payment aspects of business transactions. eCommerce methods enable companies to link their internal and external data processing systems more efficiently and flexibly, to work more closely with suppliers and partners, and to better satisfy the needs and expectations of their customers. The amount of trade conducted electronically has grown extraordinarily with widespread Internet usage. Types of eCommerce eCommerce has grown at lightning speed in a relatively short period of time leading to many business variations. The majority of eCommerce-based business opportunities fall into one of the five categories. 5 Government to Business 4 Consumer to Business is a businessmodel in which consumers (individuals) offer products and services to companies and the companies pay them is the online interaction between government and the commercial business G 5 B 2 Business to Business is where two businesses pass information electronically to each other. They could also use trade portal for this purpose B 4 1 1 Business to Consumer involves consumer accessing the system of the supplier to purchase product or service from the supplier directly C 3 C 3 Consumer to Consumer involves the electronically-facilitated transactions between consumers through some third party Figure 13 - Entities in eCommerce transacting with each other. 69 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Business models in Internet-based business eCommerce cannot be imagined without revenue. There are four major business models based on the target revenue generation and one hybrid which is formed from more than one of the mentioned models. Presence based Commerce based • These websites offer information. Target users or visitors use the website to know about the business. • Thesimplestwebsitebusinessmodelis based on making sales and profits. • Thesewebsitesofferinformation. These websites do not sell anything, but support sales process by generating sales leads or making/influencing the viewer’s buying decision easier. • Generally these websites present the equivalent of sales literature on the Web. • A commerce website sells/auction/ reverse auction products, takes orders, charges credit cards, and ships goods. • Onlinecontentlikereportsandsoftware are delivered at the time of transaction. • Primarybenefititscustomersgetisthe ease of use, comparisions and selection. • Relatively inexpensive to go online with and offer considerable benefits. Hybrid model Combination of target user benefits Content based Community based • Thecontentsitesworksexactlylikenational television works, free content is provided to its users which is sponsored or paid by the advertisers. • Thisinternetbusinessmodelworkslike a notice board. • Revenue:Throughadvertisement • Users visitors are not charged for any service. The basic benefit to create sense of community which builds traffic and loyalty on the web. • Community sites are often started by special interest groups, fan clubs, and government organizations. These are mostly sponsored by business who want to leverage on the common interest of the users and visitor. Figure 3 - Standard eCommerce models 70 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain eCommerce value chain The value chain (comprising of the traditional supply chain management functions, planning, procurement, and inventory management, coupled with the customer-facing functions, typically referred to as customer relationship management) has integration and performance demands that exceed the requirements seen in traditional businesses. 2 Merchant’s Server 5 1 6 Payment Gateway 3 4 Components of value chain are tightly integrated to provide an organization the ability to quickly and efficiently sell, manufacture, and deliver products or services. Consumer Bank 7 Actual Delivery of goods, services and content Figure 4 - eCommerce as flow of information, funds, goods and services 71 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain 72 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Chapter 7 About Bahrain Bahrain Bahrain is an archipelago, consisting of approximately 36 islands located in the heart of the Arabian Gulf, lying 32 kilometers (20 miles) off the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia and 29 kilometers (18 miles) north of Qatar. The total area of the country is approximately 700 km2 or 270 miles2. Bahrain is an Arabic word meaning two seas. The island has a desert climate with summer temperatures rising to above 47°C. During winter, the temperature drops to 10 -15° C with occasional rainfall. The summer is hot and humid and lasts from late April to end September. Until the great depression of the 1930s, trade and pearl industry dominated the Bahrain economy. In 1932 Bahrain was the first country in the Arabian Gulf to discover oil. Since then, it has used its oil revenues to build up an infrastructure well ahead of its neighbouring Gulf states. It has the fifth highest income per capita in the Middle East, the highest life expectancy in the Gulf and a European rate of literacy. Oil resources are, however, limited by comparison to other Gulf states and, since the mid 1970s, the government has sought to encourage new investment to diversify the economic base. In this regard, Bahrain has been relatively successful at developing trade, industry, and financial markets. Certain alternative industries, such as aluminum, have proved to be extremely successful. In addition, Bahrain is recognized as a major banking and financial center in the region, with a particular emphasis on investment and Islamic banking activities. The new democratic reforms are the first of their kind in the Gulf, granting Bahrain’s citizens, men, and women alike, the freedom of speech, expression, and religion as well as the right to vote and the right to a free trial. The government recognizes the need to broaden the country’s economic base and welcomes foreign investment considered to be economically beneficial. Investment in sectors which are export oriented and do not compete directly with established local enterprises are particularly encouraged. Industries with heavy requirements for land, water or energy or which are environmentally unfriendly are not encouraged. The Kingdom of Bahrain permits 100% foreign ownership of businesses in certain sectors. Most firms establishing themselves in Bahrain are required to have 51% Bahraini equity, although this does not apply to foreign investors offering essential technical know-how or required foreign capital, to industrial projects, to firms set up for regional distribution services or representation or to activities otherwise exempted. Bahrain Time Difference: GMT +3 73 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain 1. People Total population: Population of Bahrain (July 2006 estimate) is 742,645. (source: CIO) Population growth: 1.45% (2006 estimate, Source CIO). Official languages: The official language is Arabic. English is very widely spoken and is the principal language of commerce. 2. Government Bahrain has a bicameral legislature with a lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, elected by universal suffrage and the upper house, the Shura Council, appointed by the King. Each house has 40 members. The inaugural elections were held in 2002, with parliamentarians serving four-year terms. A second round of elections was held in November 2006. Memberships: Bahrain is a member of the UN, Arab League, Gulf Cooperation Council and the Organization of the Islamic Conference. 3. Economic Indicators A growing economy In mid 2006, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia found that Bahrain was the fastest growing economy in the Arab world. Bahrain also has the freest economy in the Middle East according to the 2006 Index of Economic Freedom published by the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal, and is the twenty-fifth freest overall in the world. Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Arabian Gulf. 5.9% 9.3 12.4% Real GDP Growth Rate (2005) GDP in USD - Bahrain Trade Surplus of GDP 6.91% 12k 5.87% Exports in USD - Billion Per Capital GDP in USD Import in USD - Billion There are no exchange controls on the movement of funds. Bahrain’s currency is the Bahraini dinar, which is pegged to the US dollar. The US dollar is accepted in most major outlets. 74 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain 4. Taxation and levies No wealth, capital or inheritance tax. 5. Education The education system in the Kingdom of Bahrain meets the needs of a competitive economy. Numerous international educational institutions and schools have established links to Bahrain. There is a choice of Bahraini, American, Bangladeshi, British, Filipino, Indian, Lebanese and Pakistani curricula in private schools. As a result of educational reforms, a wide range of private sector universities have opened in the Kingdom, alongside the University of Bahrain. 6. Employment Labour force: 380,000 (2007 est.) 7. Transport and communications Bahrain has an excellent road network with causeway connections to Muharraq and Sitra islands and to Saudi Arabia. A road link is also planned between Bahrain and Qatar - construction is due to begin by the end of 2007. Bahrain International Airport in Muharraq is one of the busiest airports in the Middle East with a wide range of connections to the rest of the region. It is used by many major international airlines. Manama is the headquarters of Gulf Air, owned by the Government of Bahrain through the state holding company, Mumtalakat. 8. Local media There are numerous daily newspapers, two of which are in English. Bahrain Television transmits local and international news, current affairs, documentaries, educational program, as well as entertainment series and films. Bahrain TV also runs Channel 55, which broadcasts in English. Satellite television is widely available. There is an English language radio station as well as a range of Arabic and Indian stations. The BBC World Service is broadcast on 101 FM. 9. Utilities costs The overall cost of living in Bahrain is much lower than in most European countries and utilities such as electricity, water and gas are subsidized by the government. 75 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain ICT in Bahrain eGovernment Bahrain’s eGovernment strategy aims to have over 90% of key services available online. For business, this includes business and office registration, work permits, banking services, environmental compliance and the eTendering of government contracts. The concept of e-government is longestablished in Bahrain with a number of government services available on the Internet. For example, residents can pay utility bills, traffic fines and visitors can apply for tourist visas online. The government aims to have more than 150 services related to key “lifecycle events” for both residents and businesses available online in the near future. Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) To facilitate competition and fair pricing, Bahrain unbundled its local loop and dismantled Batelco’s monopoly in 2002. Since 2003, the TRA has issued 140 licenses across 12 segments since and eight other companies have been issued licenses for national fixed-line services. The TRA follows the European model. Global Information Technology Report Bahrain’s regional leadership in Information Technology (IT ) has been acknowledged by the World Economic Forum and INSEAD in the organizations’ Global Information Technology Report 20072008. Bahrain is ranked 45th in global information and communications technology readiness index ahead of Jordan 47, Saudi Arabia 48 and Oman 53. Bahrain was the first country in the Middle East to: Install a computer (1978) Completely digitize its national and international phone switches (1992) Hold an online referendum (2001) Introduce 3G and 3.5G high-speed download services Introduce Smartcards (2005) Fully deregulate and liberalize its telecommunications market (2004) To go nationwide with WiMax wireless networks (2007) eGovernment initiative in Bahrain wins UN award (2009) 76 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain 77 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain 78 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Chapter 8 Final Click Building an eCommerce-based business that delivers value to its customers and profit through the communications capabilities of Internet is an extremely complicated task. The challenge for today’s eOrganizations is to turn the vision and the market opportunity into a viable business. Designing a marketing strategy and business plans to develop a business solution is the most critical factor in the success of business. Individuals and companies which effectively draft, develop, and deploy eCommerce-based solutions may need to formulate and adopt a more comprehensive business plan. Today, Internet technologies play an important role in the success of organizations hence it becomes more evident for organizations to prepare a comprehensive planning framework. These structured planning approaches enable the organizations in today’s competitive world to chalk out success stories and redefine the fundamental. Good luck 79 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain 80 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Appendix eCommerce glossary ADSL: Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, a technology that allows high speed use of the Internet down normal telephone wire; however, it works satisfactorily only within relatively short distances from an exchange. B2B (Business to Business): A business model for business on the Internet. It means eCommerce transaction between two business organizations. B2C (Business to Consumer): A business model for business on the Internet. It means eCommerce transactions between business and end-users. Bandwidth: Put simply, this is the rate at which information that can travel along a given communications link, for instance down the medium (twisted copper pair, cable, wireless frequency etc) used to connect to the Internet. See Mbps, Gbps, Tbps. Broadband: A generic name for methods of delivering electronic data which are fast enough (have enough bandwidth/have large enough pipes) to be used to deliver motion-picture quality images. Cable can deliver broadband; telephone lines cannot (at present). Billing address: The address to which a customer’s credit card billing statement is mailed. It is used to help verify that the customer is the actual owner of the credit card he/she is using. or transaction on the Internet is what it says it is; certification is supplied by Trusted Third Parties or Certification Authorities who use advanced security features to ensure that data accompanied by a certificate cannot be tampered with. CIF: Catalogue Interchange Format. Co-location: Placing a virtual server, dedicated to one client (one customer-base), on the same server as is used by the ISP or Internet host who is providing that client with Internet access. Cybercash: Electronic money, provided in a secure way by a bank to a customer, which can then be used electronically to buy products or services. Electronic products, or digital products: Any product or service that can be delivered electronically, specifically over the Internet. For example, computer software can be downloaded from server to client; or legal advice can be given in the form of e-mails and electronic files. eShop: A company’s retail presence on the Internet, including its catalogue, selling tools and payment processing tools. Front-end: Those parts of a commercial operation that face and deal with the customer. Gbps: Gigabytes per second (one billion bytes per second) - a measure of bandwidth, i.e., the capacity of a connection. Certification: Authentication that a signature or document 81 eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain GUI: Graphical User Interface. This is the name for the screens that people will see when browsing a website. Host: An Internet Service Provider (ISP - see below) who also offers hosting of Internet domains. Many do, but not all. IP: Intellectual property. IP: Internet protocol. The standardized format used to send packets of information on the Internet. ISDN: Integrated Services Digital Network. An ISDN line will give you a much faster connection to the Internet; it may come to be replaced by ADSL technology. ISP: Internet service provider. A company which offers connection to the Internet to its clients; it may or may not offer more complex service. Offshore: In the context of eCommerce, offshore means that a site is situated on a server that is physically located in an IOFC. Online Marketplaces: Web-based trading exchanges for buyers and sellers to meet and conduct business. Payment gateway: A computer system that acts as a mediator between a merchant account and online storefront. Payment gateway is used in authentication of credit card information and real-time charging from a credit card. 82 advertisement, the most popular one being Google Adwords. Mbps: Mega bits per second (one million bytes per second). A measure of bandwidth i.e., the volume of bits of data that can be transferred per second over a given link Open: As in ‘open standards’; software which has general applicability on the Internet and can be used in any application, as opposed to: Proprietary: Software tied to a particular provider, and not necessarily compatible with any other particular piece of software. PSN: Public switched network - the existing telecommunications system in a country which routes calls between users. Resellers: Much Internet software and many services are provided by resellers who buy or license programs or packages from originators and sell them on. RIP: Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act; a contentious piece of UK legislation which can be used to compel ISPs to provide decoded copies of encrypted communications to the Government and which may restrict the growth of the UK eCommerce. Server: The computer that will host a web site, usually on the premises of an ISP or Web Host; it ‘serves’ visitors to the site with pages on request. Pipes: The channels (wires, transmission links, cables, etc that connect two parts of a network). Server farm: Sometimes called Internet hotel - a facility which houses eCommerce or eBusiness servers belonging to users in a controlled environment and acts as a communications hub for them. PPC (Pay-per-click): Online advertising in which payment is based on each time a customer clicks on your link/ Secure server: A server that is equipped to handle sensitive details such as credit card information; thus it must have the ability to send eOpportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain and receive encrypted information through the SSL and/or SET protocols. Shopping cart /trolley: A part of the software in an electronic shop that allows customers to pick up goods as if they were on a shelf and take them all together to the check-out. Search engine optimization: It is the act of getting listed in search engines for free. It is PR for the search engine world. There are things that you can and should be doing to improve your listings with search engines, in the same way that there are things you can and should be doing that can improve the coverage you receive for free from television, radio, and TV. SSL /SET: Secure Socket Layer and Secure Electronic Transaction, respectively. These two protocols allow encryption between browser and server, facilitating secure transfer of sensitive data. Tbps: Terabytes per second (One thousand billion bytes per second) - a measure of bandwidth, i.e., the volume of data that can be transmitted over a given connection. Telco: Telecommunications Company. The companies that supplied basic telecommunications services; very often, the national Terabyte: Another level of data volume, 1,000 times greater than gigabyte, which is in turn 1,000 times greater than a megabyte (one million bytes), which is in turn 1,000 times greater than a kilobyte (one thousand bytes). VAT: Value added tax. A tax that applies throughout the value- chain in the EU and some other jurisdictions, whereas sales tax jurisdictions (e.g., the US) apply tax only at the final stage when a consumer buys a product. Withholding tax: Most countries levy a tax on various types of payment leaving their jurisdiction, including interest, royalties, license payments, and dividends. These payments are ‘withheld’, hence, ‘withholding taxes’. XML: Extensible markup language: XML is an extended form of HTML allowing extra features to be integrated to web pages. 83