Minister's Forerword
Introduction
Credits
Acknowledgements
Kilkenny Information Age
PROJECT OBJECTIVE
ECOMMERCE CRAFT STUDIO AND DATABASE OF IRISH CRAFTS AND DESIGN COMPANIES
Kilkenny, one of four information age towns in Ireland, received a grant of £1M from Eircom, the primary telecommunications provider, towards the promotion and implementation of information and communications technologies.
The main objective of Kilkenny Information Age is to position Kilkenny at the forefront of ICT developments, to create an awareness and competency amongst the community and to identify technology opportunities for local economic development.
Business Case for eCommerce Infrastructure Project
Kilkenny Information Age proposed the development, in association with the Crafts Council of Ireland, of a database of crafts businesses in Kilkenny. Each crafts business would be offered the opportunity to host information on their craft business, including contact details and a description of their craft.
eBusiness Solution
Kilkenny Information Age designed a craft enterprise relational database. This acts as a portal site giving Internet users a selection of options to query craft enterprise and product information. This system facilitates both craft enterprises at an advanced stage in developing eBusiness practices and those who have just taken the first steps to establishing an on-line presence.
Through the websites of Kilkenny Information Age (www.kilkenny.ie), and the Crafts Council of Ireland (www.craft-council-of-ireland.ie), the screen interfaces are designed so that a web browser is just two clicks away from being presented with specific product information.
Craft Enterprises submit craft enterprise and product information and images via web interfaces ensuring regular updated content. The model was designed using SQL server and active server pages. The system is extremely user-friendly. The benefits to crafts enterprises include savings on software development and hardware. The information is stored on a secure, remote server, eliminating the need for data back-up by the crafts enterprise.
The on-line product catalogue functions as a marketing tool to assist these small businesses develop a global shop front without incurring associated infrastructure costs. This web-enabled database provides a platform for craft enterprises to have an enhanced understanding of their customers’ requirements and to improve inventory management processes.
Who will benefit from this eCommerce Infrastructure Development?
This crafts database presents opportunities for businesses in the craft sector to promote their businesses worldwide. Further, it provides a forum for craft businesses to cement their relationships with their customers and suppliers through email and discussion forums. It assists in the inventory management process, where the customer will play an increasing role in dictating the demand for products as opposed to the supplier estimating demand. This project has the capability of being expanded nationally and will provide the impetus for many craft enterprises to explore the eCommerce potential of their businesses.
Kilkenny Information Age
3 Garden Road
Kilkenny
Tel: 056 20057
moneill@kilkenny.ie
www.kilkenny.ie