Web 2.0 and micro-businesses: An exploratory investigation

This is the author's final version of the article. This article is (c) Emerald Group Publishing and permission has been granted for this version to appear here. Emerald does not grant permission for this article to be further copied/distributed or hosted elsewhere without the express permission from Emerald Group Publishing Limited.This article was chosen as a Highly Commended Award Winner at the Emerald Literati Network Awards for Excellence 2013.Purpose – The paper aims to report on an exploratory study into how small businesses use Web 2.0 information and communication technologies (ICT) to work collaboratively with other small businesses. The study had two aims: to investigate the benefits available from the use of Web 2.0 in small business collaborations, and to characterize the different types of such online collaborations. Design/methodology/approach – The research uses a qualitative case study methodology based on semi-structured interviews with the owner-managers of 12 UK-based small companies in the business services sector who are early adopters of Web 2.0 technologies. Findings – Benefits from the use of Web 2.0 are categorized as lifestyle benefits, internal operational efficiency, enhanced capability, external communications and enhanced service offerings. A 2×2 framework is developed to categorize small business collaborations using the dimensions of the basis for inter-organizational collaboration (control vs cooperation) and the level of Web 2.0 ICT use (simple vs sophisticated). Research limitations/implications – A small number of firms of similar size, sector and location were studied, which limits generalizability. Nonetheless, the results offer a pointer to the likely future use of Web 2.0 tools by other small businesses. Practical implications – The research provides evidence of the attraction and potential of Web 2.0 for collaborations between small businesses. Originality/value – The paper is one of the first to report on use of Web 2.0 ICT in collaborative working between small businesses. It will be of interest to those seeking a better understanding of the potential of Web 2.0 in the small business community.WestFocu

Web 2.0 and micro‐businesses: an exploratory investigation

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Emerald via the DOI in this record.Purpose: The paper reports from an exploratory study into how small businesses use Web 2.0 information and communication technologies (ICT) to work collaboratively with other small businesses. The study had two aims: to investigate the benefits available from the use of Web 2.0 in small business collaborations, and to characterize the different types of such online collaborations. Design/methodology/approach: The research uses a qualitative case study methodology based on semi-structured interviews with the owner-managers of twelve UK-based small companies in the business services sector, who are early adopters of Web 2.0 technologies. Findings: Benefits from the use of Web 2.0 are categorised as lifestyle benefits, internal operational efficiency, enhanced capability, external communications and enhanced service offerings. A 2x2 framework is developed to categorise small business collaborations using the dimensions of the basis for inter-organizational collaboration (control vs. cooperation) and the level of Web 2.0 ICT use (simple vs. sophisticated). Research limitations/implications: A small number of firms of similar size, sector and location were studied, which limits generalisability. Nonetheless, the results offer a pointer to the likely future use of Web 2.0 tools by other small businesses. Practical implications: The research provides evidence of the attraction and potential of Web 2.0 for collaborations between small businesses. Originality/value: The paper is one of the first to report on use of Web 2.0 ICT in collaborative working between small businesses. It will be of interest to those seeking a better understanding of the potential of Web 2.0 in the small business community.The authors are grateful for support received from WestFocus (a consortium of universities based in south west London and the Thames Valley, initially established as part of a UK government-funded knowledge exchange project)

Factors affecting SME owner-managers\u27 willingness to share knowledge online in rural local business networks

This article integrates typically separate SME research on e-commerce, business networking, and knowledge management into a model explaining factors influencing the willingness of SME owner-managers to share knowledge online in business networks in rural districts. This is important because e-commerce can assist owner-managers, often dispersed in rural districts, to share knowledge between face-to-face networking events. The main factors associated with willingness to share knowledge online were their willingness to share knowledge face-to-face and their intensity of Internet use. Entrepreneurial factors such as owner-managers\u27 expectations of rapid growth, trading outside the district, and seeking information about customers/competitors were indirectly associated with online sharing via intensity of Internet use only. The model suggests network coordinators could encourage online knowledge sharing by assisting owner-managers to see the business value of e-commerce and by ensuring that networking events are suitable for owner-managers, whether or not they have entrepreneurial goals, to facilitate face-to-face knowledge sharing

Expecting the Unexpected: Disruptive Technological Change Processes and the Electric Vehicle

Here we explore the role of possible disruptive technologies in the US automobile sector and the reaction of established firms to that threat. More specifically, US regulators have signalled a shift towards zero emission vehicles; threatening the hegemony of the high emission car built using conventional technology. This presents an opportunity to study the effect of regulation in shaping knowledge flows, an area somewhat neglected by innovation studies especially with regard to meeting environmental concerns. To do so, we use patent citations to explore knowledge flows in the development of the electric vehicle. Our analysis suggests that the strategic responses of the US incumbent firms have displayed a sophisticated short and long-term reaction

All steering in the same direction? Patterns of patent activity and the development of fuel cell technology

This paper explores patenting activity in the development of fuel cell technology. Using American patent data, the paper analyses the flow of information through firms and individuals at a time when the automobile sector sees this technology as a key response to radical regulatory change. This regulation is stimulating incumbent automobile manufacturers to change their approach to new product development from the traditionally exclusive to a more inclusive orientation through the development of knowledge networks. However, problematic in this search for new knowledge networks are the competing variations of fuel cell technology currently under development Technology research in other sectors suggests that the development of these knowledge networks may be highly dependent upon key individuals or gatekeepers within firms. This paper tests that proposition through analysis of the patenting activity of the individual firms engaged in fuel cell development. Using American patent data, indexes of patent quality and activity are constructed and assessed in order to explore who the key inventors and firms are in fuel cell development and how many are automotive based. In addition we explore the data to present a picture of the technological status and advances being pursued in fuel cell commercialisation. This allows us to group firms on the basis of technological focus and suggests the existence of networks of firms clustering activity around certain technological problems

Extending simultaneous engineering: electric vehicle supply chains and new product development

Regulatory efforts, notably in the USA, have seen renewed interest in the development of electric vehicles. The innovation and technology demands of these products have necessitated the involvement of a range of technology suppliers that extend beyond existing networks in the automobile industry. This paper explores these emerging relationships by describing the regulatory framework and analysing the role of suppliers in the leading electric vehicle programs. The paper concludes that existing simultaneous engineering and supply chain management approaches have been extended and that these new structures could become more common as environmental pressures increase

Innovation in disruptive regulatory environments: A patent study of electric vehicle technology development

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the development of the electric vehicle, technological capabilities of incumbents and would‐be new entrants in the auto industry. These are discussed with reference to US regulatory moves towards zero emission standards to provide a new framework for identifying the potential success of various types of regulation and the technological capabilities they demand. Design/methodology/approach Methodologically, a two pronged approach is adopted whereby US patents are analysed to quantitatively confirm the presented case‐based evidence on responses to emission regulation. The paper also discusses the use of patents as a means of examining technological development. Findings The paper shows the significant need for market protection for disruptive innovation and that a limiting factor of success in regulation occurs when radical technology is demanded. Originality/value A new framework is presented for identifying the potential success of various types of regulation by linking to the technological capabilities they demand and identifies the significant need for market protection for disruptive innovation. This implies that a limiting factor of success in regulation occurs when radical technology is demanded

Switched on? Patterns of patent activity and the development of the electric vehicle

This paper explores patenting activity in the development of the electric vehicle. Using American patent data, the paper analyses the flow of information through firms and individuals at a time when the American automobile sector is responding to radical regulatory change. This is stimulating incumbent automobile manufacturers to change their approach to new product development from the traditionally exclusive to a more inclusive orientation through the development of knowledge networks. Technology research in other sectors suggests that the development of these knowledge networks may be highly dependent upon key individuals or gatekeepers within firms. This paper tests that proposition in relation to the development of the electric vehicle in America. This paper analyses the patenting activity of the individual firms engaged in the development of the electric vehicle in the USA. Using American patent data, indexes of patent quality and activity are constructed and assessed