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HKPC and ITBB launch sector-specific IT audit programme for SMEs

December 19, 2001

To enhance the competitiveness of local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through the adoption of information technology (IT), the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) and the Information Technology and Broadcasting Bureau (ITBB) jointly announced the launch of a pilot "Sector-specific IT Audit Programme for SMEs" today (December 19).

As part of the Government 2001 Digital 21 Strategy to position Hong Kong as a leading e-business community and digital city, the IT Audit Programme aims to encourage SMEs in specific sectors to adopt e-business so as to enhance their competitiveness.

Principal Assistant Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting, Miss Adeline Wong, said: "The trend of e-business development is irreversible. Businesses around the world are gradually adopting IT to transform their operations, thereby yielding productivity gain and expanding market opportunities.

"With our world-class information infrastructure, Hong Kong's SMEs are in an advantageous position to exploit new technologies. With China's accession to the World Trade Organisation, our SMEs should make full use of IT to enhance their capabilities and to equip themselves so that they would be able to seize the unprecedented business opportunities ahead."

Miss Wong noted that the Government was committed to providing a favourable environment for SMEs to realise these potentials.

She said, "We have put in place the necessary legal and physical infrastructure through the enactment of the Electronic Transactions Ordinance and the establishment of a public key infrastructure. We have also launched various promotional programmes to enhance the awareness of the community and commercial enterprises of IT and e-business. These include exhibitions, TV and roving shows, seminars, awareness courses, and production and distribution of free reference materials."

"In the year ahead, we will work with industry associations to further strengthen our efforts. Through our partnership with the Hong Kong Productivity Council to launch this pilot IT Audit Programme, we will provide specific support services to drive the uptake of IT by local SMEs."

"In addition, through this pilot programe, we will identify successful cases of e-business adoption to encourage wider adoption of IT by SMEs in Hong Kong," she added.

General Manager (e-Enterprise Solution) of HKPC, Mr Charles Chow, said: "The deployment of IT drives productivity gains and economic growth. Our recent surveys revealed that many local companies are willing to adopt IT, but the difficulties they face are mainly the lack of expertise, capital and technical know-how. This programme will provide them with the necessary support in IT audit services."

According to Mr Chow, the pilot programme will initially provide 400 SMEs from six industry sectors with IT audit service and assistance to facilitate their adoption of IT at the affordable price of HK$800 per SME. These sectors are manufacturing (including textile & apparel, toys & printing), import/export, wholesale/retail (including building materials), business services (including accounting, advertising, architect, solicitor), financial services & insurance, and travel, catering & hotel.

"Tailor-made to the needs of SMEs, the IT Audit Programme provides value for money services to maximise the return of the SMEs' investment in IT and enhance efficiency. The packaged services will include an assessment on the status of IT adoption by the participating SME, existing business application evaluation and recommendations for improvements in IT adoption for the SME concerned," Mr Chow said.

"Through this programme, participating companies will be able to identify their problems and needs in the areas of computer infrastructure, business process and IT governance; understand their current IT level through benchmarking against the industry best practices and standards and identify areas for improvement," he added.

At the end of the programme, an audit report will be issued to the participating companies to provide findings of the audit, recommendations for future implementation of IT strategies to meet their business needs.

To assist the participating SMEs in implementing the recommendations arising from the audit, HKPC will provide them with advice on which relevant Government funds (SME Business Installations and Equipment Loan Guarantee, SME Training Fund or SME Export Marketing Fund) they should apply and information about the relevant application procedures. In addition, HKPC in collaboration with the IT industry associations is planning to produce a directory of IT solutions to assist SMEs in sourcing the necessary solutions, services or products in a convenient and user-friendly manner.

HKPC will also develop, based on the results of this pilot IT Audit Programme, guidelines on IT adoption, a self-assessment tool and successful cases of IT adoption so that SMEs which have not participated in the pilot programme will also benefit.

SMEs from the above six industry sectors are welcome to register for the programme. Registration forms are on-line at www.itaudit.hkpc.org. For further information on the IT Audit Programme, please contact HKPC at 2788-5963, or via fax at 2788-5959, or email to itaudit@hkpc.org.

Attention News Editors:
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For media enquiries about the details of the programme, please contact:

Ms Betty Lee
General Manager
Corporate Communications & Events
Hong Kong Productivity Council
Tel: 2788-5036
Fax: 2788-5056
Email: emilyc@hkpc.org

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