Factors affecting the adoption of intranets and extranets by SMEs: a UK study

The adoption of intranets and extranets involve major organisational innovation. Intranets alter the flows and content of internal communications, while extranets alter communications between the firm and its clients and suppliers. The paper identifies a number of potential factors that may affect adoption. These include internal and external business drivers, the role of the CEO/owner, firms’ absorptive capacity, firm size amongst SMEs, and business activity. Neither the relative size nor the business activities of SMEs have been considered in previous studies. Logit regressions are run on factors influencing the adoption of intranets and client extranet for a sample of 164 UK SMEs. The findings challenge two oft-stated views. First, that ICT adoption in SMEs depends on the CEO/owner being the ICT decision-maker. The findings clearly indicate that adoption is positively related to firm size. Larger sized SMEs firms have more complex organisational structures in which a specialist manager – typically holding the title ‘IT Manager’ – is the key decision-maker on ICT investments. Adoption depends on the quality and drive of these managers, not the CEO/owner. Second, the myth that services are technological laggards is clearly exposed. Knowledge intensive service firms, not manufacturing firms, are the champions of extranet technologies in this sample. In addition, both knowledge intensive service and manufacturing SMEs are key champions of intranet adoption. Expansion of national, not global, market share is the most important strategic objective identified in the study. The ability to integrate previously separate ICT systems is another important factor for intranet adopters. The results differ with respect to external customer and competitor pressure. These are found to be important in intranet adoption but not in extranet adoption. Only very weak support can be identified for the importance of absorptive capacity. A clear problem remains with regards to identifying a clear set of instruments with which to test for absorptive capacity.economics of technology ;

SMEs, electronically-mediated working and data security: cause for concern?

Security of data is critical to the operations of firms. Without the ability to store, process and transmit data securely, operations may be compromised, with the potential for serious consequences to trading integrity. Thus the role that electronically-mediated working plays in business today and its dependency on data security is of critical interest, especially in light of the fact that much of this communication is based on the use of open networks (i.e. the Internet). This paper discusses findings from a 'WestFocus' survey on electronically-mediated working and telework amongst a sample of SMEs located in West London and adjacent counties in South-Eastern England in order to highlight the problems that such practice raises in terms of data security. Data collection involved a telephone survey undertaken in early 2006 of 378 firms classified into four industrial sectors ('Media', 'Logistics', 'Internet Services' and 'Food Processing'). After establishing how ICTs and the Internet are being exploited as business applications for small firms, data security practice is explored on the basis of sector and size with a focus on telework. The paper goes on to highlight areas of concern in terms of data security policy and training practice. Findings show some sector and size influences.WestFocus* under the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF 2

Propensity of adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) in agriculture among female farmers in Abia State, Nigeria

The research was conducted with the aim of identifying significant predictors of the propensity to adopt ICTs by Nigerian Women in Agriculture. Abia state was used as case study. A total of 300 respondents were sampled from the three agricultural zones in Abia state. The instrument for data collection was a 20 item structured questionnaire. A total of 200 questionnaires were finally used for analysis. SPSS 21 was the software employed in conducting the analysis and the data were analysed by running a linear regression. The dependent variable was the propensity to adopt ICTs while the independent variables were Age, Level of education, Occupation, years of experience, income, and desire to use ICTs; frequency of use, ease of use, efficiency and effectiveness of ICTs. The study identified Age, level of education ad income of respondents as significant socio-economic predictors of the propensity to adopt ICTs by Nigerian WIA. Frequency of use, ease of use, efficiency and effectiveness of ICTs were equally identified as significant predictors of the propensity to adopt ICTs by Nigerian women in Agriculture.Keywords: Propensity, Adoption, Women, Agriculture and ICT

Impact of Gender in Adopting and Using ICTS in Spain

The main objective of this paper is to analyse the impact of gender in adopting and using new information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Spain. It is widely accepted that men tend to be the first to use new technologies and to gain significant benefits from doing so, both at home and work. However, further research on gender and new technologies, such as ICTs, is still needed in order to better understand differences between men and women. On the one hand we show that percentage of ICTs users is higher among men. On the other hand, our results confirm that women also present lower frequency of ICTs use. We examine how the differences in adoption and use of ICTs are moderated by cultural and socioeconomic aspects. Differences appear mainly in the lower levels of education and in the rural area. Therefore, it highlights the necessity of taking into account those aspects to remove the gender digital divide totally. We also underline the importance of changes in gender roles and the increase of the participation of women in the Spanish labour force

Business ICT adoption and open access : the example of SMEs at industrial parks in the Netherlands

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) provide small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with an option to create and exploit strategic opportunities. Prior investment in ICT infrastructure can lead to follow-up decisions to adopt new ICT services, but there is no guarantee that SMEs will also use emerging strategic opportunities in adopting these services. In this context, the paper examines whether or not the adoption of advanced ICT infrastructure and advanced ICT services by SMEs has been inter-related and was depending on number of firm-specific, market-specific and location-specific factors. In contrast to previous studies, the focus is on the extent to which the adoption of ICT infrastructure and ICT services has been driven by expectations about open access by SMEs. Open access was conceptualized as expectations by these companies about cheaper prices in the future, better quality of service and more competition on the infrastructure. The research uses data from a survey undertaken among 247 SMEs on different industrial parks in the Netherlands in February 2011. The results of the analysis show that SMEs value open access factors very high with respect to their choice to opt for new ICT infrastructure and new ICT services

Information and Communication Technology Usage by SMEs in a Developing Country: An Environmental Perspective

The paper addresses organisational usage of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) from a developing country perspective. Applying three dimensions of environmental pressures—coercive pressures, normative pressures and mimetic pressures—with the two fundamental antecedents of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)—perceived usefulness and ease of use—this study attempts to look at the effects of external forces on the adoption and use of ICT by SMEs in Bangladesh. PLS based path modelling with a cross-sectional dataset of 557 SMEs in Bangladesh reveals a significant association of normative pressures, coercive pressures, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use with SMEs intention to use ICT. The path analysis further demonstrates a strong and significant effect of intention on actual ICT usage behaviour. The study concludes with implications of the results

Adoption of ICT to support rural small-holder farmers : A Systematic Review

Access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are slowly becoming more available to rural communities given a number of innovative approaches over recent years such as the implementation of Community Networks (CNs). Consequently, ICTs are able to become more meaningful in support of livelihoods of these communities, such as in agriculture production. Potential benefits to smallholder farmers include increase yields and reduced effort. However, there is very little evidence of smallholder farmers integrating ICTs into their livelihood activity. In this paper a Systematic Literature Review is used to explore the challenges faced in this sector. A total of 83 articles were initially identified, and after a screening process 28 articles were subjected to further scrutiny using a qualitative coding process. Codes were assigned to the constructs of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. The findings indicate that effort expectancy, performance expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, price value and perceived trust as factors that are potentially relevant to smallholder farmers’ intentions to adopt ICTs. The findings are important in that they inform how digital ecosystems in rural areas, post the deployment of CN network infrastructure, can become conducive for smallholder farmers to utilise ICTs

Factors Influencing ICT Usage Among Malaysian Small and Medium Agribusinesses: Conceptual Framework and Structural Model

Information and communication technology (ICT) adoption studies have identified ICT as a tool capable of spurring innovative business development in small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) if used wisely. Adopting the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model approach with adjustments by integrating two externally derived constructs (SME Managerial Creativity and SME Organisational Size as predictors), this study investigated factors that influence ICT usage among Malaysian agro-based SMEs. A pre-tested survey instrument consisting of 132 items was administered to 400 purposively selected workers from 43 agro-based SMEs that were randomly selected at Selangor. The study was aimed to identify the predominantly used ICTs by the agro-based SMEs in their businesses, to determine factors that influence ICT usage among the agro-based SMEs and to determine the relationship between the six predictors: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, SME organisational size and SME creativity and innovativeness and the dependent variable: ICT usage. Objective 4 was to determine the moderating effect of gender, age and experience on the relationship. Factor analysis was run to reduce the voluminous data; a new, robust model was designed using Structural Equation Modelling. The study concludes that integrating firm and management characteristic constructs into UTAUT model provides a scale capable explaining ICT usage behaviour of Malaysian agro-based SMEs better. Keywords: Agribusinesses, Agro-based SMEs, ICT Usage, SME Management Characteristics, SME Organisational Size, UTAU

Understanding dynamic process of emerging ICT adoption in UK service SMEs: an actor-network approach

This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of PhilosophyAlthough literature reveals that significant efforts have been made to study ICT adoption and diffusion, the diversity of research in terms of theory and methodology is very low. Most studies have relied on traditional adoption theories (e.g., TAM and DOI) and these theories are not capable of providing rich explanantion on how the adoption and post-adoption develop over time. It is argued here that ICT adoption involves multi-dimensional and complex issues. These issues range from how various roles played by actors in emerging ICT are accounted for to ensuring successful adoption. Therefore, this research aims to advance our understanding of emerging ICT adoptions in SMEs from a dynamic process perspective. The specific objectives of this research are to: establish the stages of the dynamic process, identify the key actors and their roles, explore the critical factors affecting the emerging ICT adoption process, identify the challenges and provide recommendations and implications for stakeholders in promoting future adoption and diffusion in UK SMEs. The research adopts a social-technical approach that challenges the ideas of the mainstream thinkers. More specifically, it adopts Actor Network Theory (ANT). The key ANT concepts that influenced the empirical investigation are inscription, translation, framing and stabilisation. The research adopted a qualitative method using face to face interviews. Two rounds of data collection were undertaken. The first round started with a theoretical review, the analysis of relevant literature, and unstructured interviews mainly with small business managers. Eleven interviews were carried out. The second round of interviews was semi-structured with key human actors identified in the first round of interviews. A total of fifteen interviews were conducted. They included the small business manager; SMEs service sector customers, government agencies, SMEs consultants, and IT vendors. The aim was to further explore the dynamic adoption process, the roles and challenges of actors and to validate the outcomes of the findings. The analysis was guided by a hybrid approach of thematic analysis using NVivo software. The study proposed and validated a conceptual framework that illustrates the dynamic process of emerging ICT adoption in SMEs from the Actor Network Theory perspective. This framework helps to understand the adoption process, actors involved, actors’ roles and interactions, and the critical factors. Using the key concepts of ANT as the basis of the investigation, the findings identify a number of key activities associated with the adoption process. These activities include: problem assessment and evaluation, concept generation and evaluation, concept specification, product outsourcing /role delegation, misalignment and alignment of interests, product trial, product modification, adaptation, and impact and problem redefinition. These activities reveal that adoption of emerging ICT in a small business context is not constant, straightforward and certain; instead it is unpredictable, dynamic, and an on-going and reiterative process. ANT concepts were further used to analyse and categorise 20 roles that different actors play, 15 critical factors influencing emerging ICT adoption in SMEs, and the challenges facing actors. While all of these roles, factors, and challenges are critical, in this study, the findings reveal that monitoring and legislation are the most recurring roles at each stage. Furthermore, ease of use, managerial time, shared support, customer focus and adoption costs are the factors affecting the success of multiple stages (three stages). Finally, the thesis presents the contributions and implications for both research and practice in future adoption and diffusion