E-Commerce in Serbia: Where Roads Cross Electrons Will Flow

Abstract

A qualitative exploration into conditions for diffusing e-commerce in Serbia was conducted by using a multidimensional model. Serbia is a country located at an important geographical location in southeast Europe, which descended on a path of political and economic changes after a decade of stagnation. Our main finding is that the process of diffusing e-commerce in Serbia resembles a car hesitating at a traffic light because all lights are flashing at the same time. Dynamics within the areas of software industry, e-payment/e-banking, and legislation support e-commerce. In contrast, the telecommunications infrastructure and ownership as well as customer beliefs and behaviors halt it. The ambivalent yellow light is triggered by the state of traffic/delivery and education. Research contributions of the study refer to advancing the understanding of trust as a major enabler of e-commerce and to filling the void in the literature on a potentially important country. Practical contributions refer to creating a country profile along with development prospects that can be useful to other developing countries and global e-commerce players.

KEYWORDS:

• E-commerce
• diffusion model
• Serbia
• developing countries
• trust

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bob Travica

Bob Travica teaches at University of Manitoba in Canada. Dr. Travica's research focuses on information view of organization, new organizational designs, and international aspects of information systems with a particular focus on e-commerce in East Europe and in Americas. He published in various outlets, including JGITM, The Database, IJIM, JASIS, and Informing Science Journal. In the past, he taught at Indiana University and University of Texas, and worked as journalist and software entrepreneur.

Borislav Jošanov

Ejub Kajan teaches at the Higher Technical College of Vranje and is research fellow at the Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Nis in Serbia. Mr. Kajan's research focuses on e-commerce architectures, semantic interoperability, computer networks, and open systems. He authored over fifty papers, four research books, and two textbooks. In the past, he worked as software engineer and general manager in the computer industry.

Ejub Kajan

Borislav Jošanov teaches at Novi Sad Business School in Serbia. Dr. Jošanov's research focuses on the use of information and communication technologies in e- business and development of business information systems. He authored over sixty papers, a research book on electronic data interchange, and several textbooks. In the past, he was manager of a software development department in a computer factory.

Marijana Vidas-Bubanja

Marijana Vidas-Bubanja teaches at Belgrade Business School and BK University in Serbia. Dr. Vidas-Bubanja's research focuses on international economy, e-economy, information society, and economic impacts of e-business practices. She authored three books and over a hundred articles. She has also been Chair of the Electronic South East Europe (SEE) Initiative within the SEE Stability Pact. In the past, she worked as senior research fellow at Belgrade's Institute of Economic Sciences.

Emilija Vuksanovigc

Kinilija Vuksanovic teaches bank management at University of Kragujevac and electronic banking at Belgrade Banking Academy in Serbia. Vuksanovic's research focuses on the use of information and communication technologies in e-payment and e-banking. She authored over 70 papers, a book on electronic banking, and several textbooks. In the past, she served on the Board of Directors of The Belgrade Stock Exchange, and on the Board of Directors of The Bank of Niš.