0
Chapter X
E-Commerce Contribution to
Economic Growth:
The Case of Thailand
Ing-wei Huang
Assumption University, Thailand
Songsak Vanichviroon
Assumption University, Thailand
Copyright © 2008, IGI Global, distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited.
IntrodUctIon
Today the trend of ICT development is gaining
larger infuence over countries’ development
and growth. It would not be surprising to see the
elements that evolved from the developments of
ICT (such as e-commerce, e-marketing, e-busi-
ness, and e-learning) have increasingly provided
support toward enhancing countries’ growth and
development, especially in highly sophisticated
abStract
As the trend of ICT development is gaining larger infuence over countries’ development and growth,
e-commerce plays an important role in enhancing the growth of several developed and developing econo-
mies over the 21
st
century. This chapter aims to build the analytical base to support the importance of
the development of e-commerce by investigating the role and contribution of e-commerce to economic
growth and development. The chapter frst investigates past contributions of e-commerce to economic
growth in developed countries. Second, past research fndings and frameworks are utilized to investi-
gate the contribution of e-commerce toward economic growth, focusing on the case of e-commerce in
Thailand. The study found that e-commerce plays an important role in enhancing the economic growth
of Thailand. Two important fndings supported the growth of e-commerce. First is the increase in sales
generated by the use of e-commerce. Second, e-commerce induces the productivity development of frms
through higher competition and innovation.