How are businesses currently using the Internet? For example in
previous years, this question might have been answered in the folowing
manner.  What are the durrent trends and citations?

Approximately 47 percent of businesses use the Internet for gathering
information, with 14 percent of business Web users purchasing products
or services in 1996. (CommerceNet/Nielsen Internet Demographics
Recontact study). A proposed 46 percent of businesses are using the
Internet for communications purposes; 20 percent use the Internet to
download software. MRI estimates that 20 million people access the
Internet from their work locations. Interestingly, of the businesses
using the Internet frequently, 16 percent of the firms are selling
products while 30 percent are purchasing products and services.
Specifically of business Web users, the following table outlines the
five activities that are most common to businesses.
(CommerceNet/Nielsen Internet study).

Hi! Thanks for your very interesting question.

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According to this article, the Internet’s use in the workplace
continues to grow.

“The New York-based researcher found that U.S. usage of the Internet
at work increased 17 percent from last year, with nearly 46 million
logging in last month.”

“NetRatings found that use of the Internet at work generally sees its
usage peak between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., with a maximum of 86 percent
of Web traffic coming from the workplace. On the other hand, Web use
at home peaks at 8 p.m., and comprises 58 percent of Internet usage.”

September 12, 2002
"Study: At-Work Internet Usage Increases" 
By Christopher Saunders
http://www.internetnews.com/IAR/article.php/10789_1462501 

In terms of gender, more and more women are also using the Internet in
the workplace.

“Women at work logged onto the Internet 23 percent more this August
than they did in August 2001, according to the latest statistics
released by Nielson//NetRatings (http://www.nielson-netratings.com).
While men still outpace women in Internet usage at work, Internet
usage by men at work grew only 12 percent year-to-date. As a whole,
the active Internet population at the workplace grew by 17 percent,
with an estimated 46 million American office-workers logging onto the
Internet during August.”

Women Catching Up: Internet Usage Stats
By Nikki Ballard
September 16, 2002 
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y02/m09/i16/s02  

Companies also differ in views in having an Internet presence.

“About half (50%) of all surveyed firms said they have their own
website and that it was ‘an integral part’ of the way they do
business. This was up from 43% a year ago. However, 34% said a website
was ‘not important’ to their business and that they didn’t own one.
This figure has risen from 22% in January 2001”.

”Moreover, only 16% plan to have a website ‘in the near future’, less
than half the 35% who were in this same position a year ago.”

“D&B INTERNET USAGE SURVEY - JUNE 2002” from Dun & Bradstreet
http://www.budde.com.au/FreeNews/NewsArticle3788.html 

In an interesting survey from Nielsen Net Ratings, investors were
polled on how they use the Internet to make money.

“The survey, which polled 500 high-income professionals (annual
household incomes greater than $150,000 per year), found that 35
percent of the respondents used the Internet for financial planning
assistance — an 18 percent increase from last year. Furthermore, 11
percent claim the Internet is the source of financial planning help
they use most frequently.”

“Broker First, Web Second”  By Robyn Greenspan 
http://cyberatlas.internet.com/markets/finance/article/0,,5961_1429231,00.html#table1

“Of the more than 32 million people who changed jobs in the past two
years, 25 percent placed crucial importance on the role of the Web.
Most job searchers were 18-29 year old minority college graduates with
household incomes of more than $75,000.”

“The Internet has played a role for the 40 million who have made a
major investment of financial decision in the past two years.
Twenty-two percent cite it as a crucial role, while another 26 percent
say it was a minor role. Men took to the 'Net more than women on this
one, and online veterans were five times more likely than newbies to
have searched for this information.”
“Thirteen percent of the 33 million workers that received a major
promotion or raise in the last couple of years credit the Internet
with a major role, and another 13 percent indicate a minor function.
Experienced Web surfers stated that it was online information that
helped propel them up the career ladder.”

“The Web as a Way of Life” By Robyn Greenspan 
http://cyberatlas.internet.com/big_picture/demographics/article/0,,5901_1142561,00.html

According to an Adage report, those who use the Internet at work
purchase more products that home users.

“The survey, released by Avenue A ad and media agency, found that for
work users, Internet media consumption is 22% higher than those who
access the Internet at home only.”

“According to the Avenue A study, 64% of at-work participants made
purchases on the Web and 60% spent $100 or more online in the past
three months. This compares to 39% of those who use the Internet at
home.”

“At-work Internet users spend more time, money online”
http://www.webmetro.com/News1Detail1.asp?NewsRS_Action=Find('AutoNo','800')&NewsRS_Position=FIL%3AORD%3AABS%3A4KEY%3A800PAR%3A

At work Internet users also have different uses for the Internet like
news monitoring shopping and communication. This Jupiter Research
survey indicates the type of websites being visited by workers during
office hours.

Web is the TV of the workplace
http://www.medialifemagazine.com/news2002/jan02/jan14/1_mon/news1monday.html

This report, again by Nielsen Ratings, shows the Internet research
behaviors of people in the workplace.

“SURFERS AT WORK LOOK FOR INFORMATION NOT ENTERTAINMENT”
http://www.nielsen-netratings.com/pr/pr_020516_europe.pdf 

The Office of Public Information mentions the most popular business
related activities in the Internet which is utilized by companies.

The most popular now are Advertising, marketing, public relations
which comprises of 66% of business acticvities. While Customer service
and tech support pegged at 9%. Research has 7% while email is used at
4%. It seems that activities such as Email and research have lagged
behind. This could be probably due to abused used in the workplace for
indiscriminate surfing and personal communication. We shall discuss
that on the links following this article.

Intergov International Latest Web Usage Statistics
http://www.intergov.org/public_information/general_information/latest_web_stats.html

In terms of Internet usage abuse in the workplace, the following
articles discuss this growing problem.

“The Internet Becomes Invisible At Work”
http://www.theshiftedlibrarian.com/categories/chatIm/2002/09/17.html 

The statistics chronicles this abuse of Internet access in the
workplace.

“INTERNET USE STATISTICS”
http://www.webspy.com/files/articles/WebSpy%20Ltd%20-%20Internet%20Use%20Statistics.pdf

In the future it is likely that businesses that make use of the
Internet would also faster connection according to Jupiter Research.

“Although only 57 percent of 42.7 million at-work Internet users in
the US currently make use of high-speed connectivity in the workplace,
Jupiter analysts expect 87 percent of employees with Internet
connectivity to be using a broadband connection by 2005.”

“As broadband usage in the workplace doubles, Jupiter analysts predict
that at-work dial-up access will drop significantly from approximately
18.5 million individuals in 1999 to 8.1 million in 2005.”

“Broadband Access to Increase in Workplace” by Michael Pastore 
http://cyberatlas.internet.com/markets/broadband/article/0,,10099_570571,00.html

In a study by the Multex Investor, Small Businesses also have a high
degree of use for the Internet.

“According to results from the Net Impact Study, the majority of small
businesses in the United States use the Internet for online marketing,
while exactly half of small business respondents had implemented
e-commerce capabilities of some kind by 2001.”

“Small business Internet usage” 2002-03-12
http://www.theinternetanalyst.com/article.asp?docid=7669&nd=0314 

The following are other uses of the Internet for small businesses:

“Of the 501 small business owners/managers with less than than 100
employees that were surveyed for the OPEN Small Business Network 2002
Monitor from American Express, 66 percent revealed that they have
integrated the Internet as a tool to help them run their businesses.”
“Other common online business activities include: 
• Making travel plans/purchasing office supplies, equipment or other
business services (tied at 36 percent)
• Conducting industry or market research (34 percent) 
• Marketing or advertising (29 percent) 
• Networking with other entrepreneurs (24 percent) 
• Purchasing goods from wholesalers (22 percent) 
• Managing accounts and making payments (16 percent)”

“Small Biz Benefits from Internet Tools” By Robyn Greenspan 
http://cyberatlas.internet.com/markets/smallbiz/article/0,,10098_1000171,00.html

Search terms used: 
2002 Internet workplace usage trends popular business activities

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Easterangel-ga

This answer helped me to finish the job.  I had already seen many of
the references in my own search, but you found some I had not come
across.  Thanks!