A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Information Management, School of Engineering and Technology

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2007

In an emerging global economy, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) play an important role for overall development, particularly in the area of business, of a country. E-marketplace provides opportunities to consumers and businesses to access easily the world market via the Internet. Previously, only large companies had the access to the global economy but now with the use of the Internet the small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) can also participate in global economy and benefit from it. E-marketplace is also a powerful medium which can help bridge the digital divide in both developed and developing countries. The Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) comprising of Cambodia, the People's Republic of China, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam, is pursuing embracement of the new technologies in their economic development. But still there is a huge digital divide between countries of the GMS region. The study looks in details at the status of ICTs, infrastructure, ICT policies and law, and human resource and their roles to support E-marketplace for SMEs in the GMS countries. A survey of identified E-marketplaces in the GMS countries further helps to understand the reasons of successes and failures of SMEs and how the SMEs could support the businesses to grow. The study also analyzes the roles of key agencies and evaluates the relationship between ICT infrastructure, policy environment and human resource and suggests ways for the SMEs to get fully integrated in the world economy