The Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Enterprises in the Region: Level Achieved and Further Development

In the paper we analyse the usage of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the enterprises in the countries of the region, namely in: Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Republic of Macedonia. The aim of the analysis was to examine the level achieved in the ICT usage in enterprises and to explore the directions for further development. The analysis is based on the data from statistical offices of the respective countries and on the EUROSTAT data on the ICT usage in enterprises in the EU Member States for 2017. We analysed the following indicators of the ICT usage: broadband internet access, employment of ICT specialists, internet presence (enterprises having a web site), use of social media, use of cloud computing services, e-commerce indicators (enterprises having received orders via Internet and share of e-commerce in total turnover). Based on these indicators, comparisons between countries and with the average for the European Union (EU - 28) have been made. Comparative analysis showed that there are significant differences between countries in the value of indicators, whereby the EU countries - Slovenia and Croatia - are the leaders in the ICT use, especially when it comes to e-commerce and cloud computing services. The development of infrastructure in the countries of the region and the investments these countries make in ICT, however, give hope that these differences will be overcome in the near future.