Computers, Information Systems and e-commerce

Abstract:  Over the past two decades usage of computers, the Internet, and electronic commerce have changed dramatically for farmers, rural businesses and rural residents. The Internet is the fastest growing information medium of all time. About 68 percent of American adults used the internet in 2005. Even though the digital divide between urban and rural consumers is diminishing, it persists for high access speed. The Internet and e-commerce offer more than threats to rural businesses and communities; they also offer opportunities. The Internet is a medium for commerce that lowers the barriers to trade between urban and rural market participants: It allows for greatly reduced search costs for product alternatives. Greater competition may result in lower prices for rural consumers. Even though increased competition is a threat for rural retailers, e-commerce may also represent an opportunity for these same retailers to offer improved services to the local customers, perhaps enabling them to retain these customers. The Internet also offers opportunities for farmers and other rural businesses to differentiate their products, and potentially sell their product directly to consumers worldwide using e-commerce methods.

	Batte, Marvin T.  "Changing Computer Use in Agriculture".  Presented at the InfoAg 2005 Conference, July 19-21, 2005, Springfield, IL.
	Batte, Marvin T. and D. Lynn Forster.  "Ohio Farm Computer Usage".  Farm Management Update, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, The Ohio State University Extension,  Winter 2003-2004.
	Batte, Marvin T.  "Computers on Ohio Farms: How Used and How Useful?"  AED Economics Report AEDE-RP-0040-03.  Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics, The Ohio State University, December, 2003.
	Batte, Marvin T. "Computer Adoption and Use by Ohio Farmers."  Journal of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, 2004:108-111. (Copyrighted - See journal)
	Batte, Marvin T.  "Changing Computer Use in Agriculture:  Evidence from Ohio".  Computers and Electronics in Agriculture Vol 47 (2005): 1-13. (Copyrighted - See journal)
	Batte, Marvin T. "Shopping at the Farm Office:  What is the Future of Farm e-Commerce?"  Journal of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, 69(1) 2006:100-105. (Copyrighted - See journal)
	Diekmann, Florian, Brian E. Roe, Marvin T. Batte.  "Tractors on eBay: Differences between Internet and In-Person Auctions"  Paper in Support of an AAEA Selected Poster, AAEA Annual Meetings, Portland, Oregon, July 29 – August 1, 2007
	Diekmann, Florian, Brian E. Roe and Marvin T. Batte.  "Tractors on eBay: Differences between Internet and In-Person Auctions."  American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Vol 9, No. 2, 2008:  306-320. (Copyrighted - See journal)
	Batte, Marvin T. and Stan Ernst.  "Net Gains from 'Net Purchases?:  Farmers' Preferences for Online and Local Input Purchases ".  Agricultural and Resource Economics Review 36(1) 2007: 84-94.

This Page Last updated:  Tuesday, May 06, 2008