However, with respect to the purpose of this study and the research questions, in the next sections we aim at analyzing and interpreting the findings of the empirical study presented in the chapter five to answer the research questions. Interpreting of the findings enables us to draw conclusions, discuss the theoretical findings and apply the necessary modifications in the theoretical frame of reference in the next chapter entitled by conclusion and recommendation.
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To answer the first research question (What are the attitudes and views of the Iranian insurance companies toward e-commerce?) we need to identify the insurers' perception regarding to e-commerce and its application in insurance companies. In order to achieve this purpose, we have attempted to clarify these questions from the respondents' point of view:
To what extent they are familiar with the concept and application of e-commerce? To what extent e-commerce will affect insurance industry?
What role e-commerce will play for their company?
And, how important is the implementation of e-commerce to their company?
First of all, it is important to know to what extent they are acquainted with the concept and application of e-commerce. In other words, are the participants familiar with e-commerce or not? Obviously, they can get the related information through various resources. For instance, these are: certificate courses and workshops, self-study, company's training program (during job), and etc.
A self-assessment question was asked in this regard from both private and state-owned insurance companies. Reviewing of information provided in section 4.1 in chapter 5 indicates that almost one-third of the participants have assessed their familiarity with the concept and application of e-commerce as "much" and "very much," on the other hand, the "so-so" response has made a 55% record in both insurance companies, totally. Furthermore, the private insurers have assessed more familiar than the state-owned companies in this regard. In addition, less than 15% of the participants aren’t acquainted with the concept and application of e-commerce, since they have assessed themselves as "low" and even "very low" in response to this question. As a result, the majority of respondents in selected insurance companies are good acquainted with the concept and application of e-commerce.
The level of familiarity with e-commerce goes up as the level of education varies from diploma to PhD. In fact, PhD and MSc. graduated staffs are more acquainted with e- commerce with respect to B.Sc. or even diploma staffs. The respondents who graduated in communication and administration, finance, insurance and engineering are less acquainted with the concept and application of e-commerce in comparison with others. On the other hand, around 43%, 34%, 33% and 31% of the respondents from health insurance, auto insurance, property and engineering insurance are respectively assessed themselves low and very low in familiarity with e-commerce.
Totally, the selected samples are desirably informant with respect to e-commerce and its application, which highly enable us to extend and generalize the results obtained from this survey to almost all insurance companies.
Second item related to this research question is the perceived effects of e-commerce on insurance industry in general. In other words, to what degree the insurers think that e- commerce will affect on insurance industry? Summary of the information provided in section 4.2 of chapter 5 are given in below.
Almost surely, all insurers (except less than 3% of them) have found that e-commerce will strongly affect on insurance industry. Over one-third of the respondents believe that the effects of e-commerce on insurance industry as "very much" and, besides, around half of the respondents predicted the effect of e-commerce on insurance industry would be "much." On the other hand, only less than 3 per cent of the respondents who are working in finance, computer, fire and auto insurance departments as expert with BSc. in finance, computer, and engineering declare that the effect of e-commerce on insurance industry would be low.
The third question in this part is about the role of e-commerce in insurance companies. In fact, what they think about the role of e-commerce in the respondents' companies? Is it an opportunity, a challenge, or even a threat? Figure 8 in chapter 5 (section 4.3) provides the summary of the insurers perception. Over half of the participants believe that e-commerce is an opportunity for their companies. 13% of them look at e-commerce as a challenge for their companies, and 16% find it as an ambiguous issue. Less than 1% of the respondents in both insurance companies believe that e-commerce is a threat for their companies.
For people from administration, computer, marine and aviation, liability, and auto insurance departments, deployment of e-commerce is more challenges in comparison to other sectors that have found e-commerce a challenging issue for their companies. All four participants form member of board in the private insurance companies believe that e- commerce is an opportunity for their companies. Both private and state-owned insurers consistently look a like in their perception about the implementation of e-commerce in their companies.
The fourth and last question in this part is concerned about the importance of e-commerce deployment in the respondents' companies. Review information provided in section 4.4 (chapter 5) highly indicates that for around 70% of the respondents (in both private and state-owned insurer) implantation of e-commerce is (much and very much) important. Wonderfully, less than 4% of the respondents in both groups of insurer believe that the importance of e-commerce implementation is low who mostly are mangers and vice president in the state-owned insurance companies. The most of these people graduated in communication and administration, engineering and management and are working in administration, claim payment and auto insurance departments.
Based on the discussion done above and as a result of analyzing the related data for the first research question, we can conclude that the Iranian insurers have positively attitudes and views toward the concept and application of e-commerce. They also are well informed and acquainted with e-commerce and its application. They strongly find that e-commerce will highly affect on the Iranian insurance industries. Since they believe it is an opportunity for their business if they embrace e-commerce implementation, then they have positively stated that it is very important to their companies to implement e-commerce.
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Following the discussion on the importance of e-commerce to the Iranian insurance companies, which believed as highly important issue, the next step is to evaluate these companies' capability and ability to commerce implementation. This fact has been asked in the second part. To answer the second research question (To what extent are the Iranian insurance companies equipped to the infrastructures required in implementation of e- commerce?) we have categorized the basic elements of infrastructure requirements in four groups as:
Hardware and Network (Computers, Modem, Internet, Intra/Extra-net, e-mail, …) Software (Public and specialized/advanced packages, Standardized processes and systems, …)
IT experts
Skilled staffs in e-commerce.
In order to achieve the purpose of this part (i.e., 2nd research question), we have attempted to clarify the items mentioned above from the respondents' point of view and what they exactly think over them.
Review of information provided in section 5 (chapter 5) indicates that the Iranian insurers are well equipped with hardware and network. The level of equipment to hardware related infrastructures are significantly different in private and state-owned companies. In other words, the private sectors are highly equipped with this infrastructure in comparison to the state-owned insurance companies.
Totally, less than 8 per cent of the respondents state their companies low and very low in hardware and network infrastructures, which these participants are mostly working at the state-owned insurance companies. These respondents are generally graduated from computer, insurance and finance. They, also, are working in personal, marine and aviation, life and computer departments.
The level of equipment to public and specialized software/packages needed in e-commerce implementation in insurance is the second item in the infrastructure evaluation. Table 6 in section 5 (chapter 5) indicates that almost 12% of the private insurers have assessed their equipment to the necessary software and applications as "low" and "very low," whereas around one-third of the state-owned insurers evaluate themselves as "low" and even "very low." The gap between these two groups of insurer is statistically significant, which means that the private sectors are well equipped with these facilities. Almost surely, every department within the state-owned insurance companies has assessed themselves very weak with respect to the essential software. In front, over one-quarter of the respondents from sales, computer, life and health insurance departments within the private companies are weak evaluated themselves in software. Totally, less than 23% of insurers rate their level of software infrastructure weak.
The third infrastructure needed in e-commerce deployment is the availability of IT expert who are full of necessary skills. According to Table 6 in section 5 (chapter 5), around 35%
of the respondents indicate that they are not appropriately equipped with this basic infrastructure, in general. Nearly 50% of the state-owned insurers are concerned about the lack of enough and skilled IT experts in e-commerce implementation, whereas about 25% of the respondents from private sectors assess their companies as low and very low in this regard.
Over half of the respondents from sales, claim payment, personal, re-insurance, and engineering insurance departments in the state-owned insurers have assess their IT experts as low and very low, whereas over 50 per cent of the participants from sales and life insurance believe that they are not well equipped to IT experts.
In the fourth essential infrastructure needed in the e-commerce implementation, we have asked the respondents to assess their own companies that to what extent they are equipped to skilled staffs in e-commerce application? Following information provided in section 5 (chapter 5) reveals that over 60% of respondents believe that they are not well equipped to this infrastructure. In fact, both private and state-owned insurers need more investments in this regard and they have to overcome to this problem. They may train their current personnel or employ the skilled people, for example. However, around 70% of the respondents from the state-owned insurers believe that they company suffer from the lack of skilled staffs in e-commerce, whereas 55% of the respondents from the private insurance believe that they have not enough skilled people in e-commerce. The gap between private and state-owned insurers is statistically significant (see Table 8 in section 5, chapter 5).
Finally, Figure 6.1 shows the average value of the respondent’s opinion regarding infrastructure requirements.
Figure 6.1-The average value for infrastructure requirement
1 2 3 4 5
Hardware Software IT experts Skilled staff (in e-
commerce)