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Factors affecting e-commerce adoption among SMEs in Ghana
Abstract
Electronic commerce (e-commerce) is widening the concept of business from a simple transactional approach to a broader and more complex concept of inter-firm co-operation. Amidst market globalization, growing interpenetration of national economies and the increased interdependence of national economies, e-commerce adoption remains a vital yet complex and elusive phenomenon, with very little known about its determinants. This study identifies the major determining factors in Ghanaian small and medium sized enterprises’ (SMEs) e-commerce adoption, offers practical implications, and indicates the actions required. This research integrates technological, organizational, and environmental determinisms with social constructivism to build a practical framework for understanding e-commerce adoption among SMEs in Ghana. Structural equation modeling was employed for data analysis. The results indicate that government support has the greatest direct impact on intentions to use e-commerce. Managerial support and the influence of enabling and regulatory conditions also play a vital role in stimulating SME e-commerce adoption in Ghana. The results also show that Ghanaian SMEs tend to imitate successful first-movers to avoid the risks that attend e-commerce technology.
... However, there is a gap in the existing research concerning perspectives, the scope of the study, and the interrelationships among factors. Previous research has primarily concentrated on specific perspectives, such as the innovation perspective, 12 technology adoption, [13][14][15][16] entrepreneur personality traits, 7 and marketing capabilities. 17-19 SME growth is a multifaceted issue that cannot be accurately understood from a single perspectives. ...
... Evidence has shown that SME growth could be measured by a change of the amount of sales growth in terms of revenue in several years. 6,16,37,82,92,95,96,120,144,148,150,152,153 Usually, sales growth is in line with the increase in sales volume. Thus, the SME growth used firm indicators such as sales growth, 37,52,61,66,144,152 employment growth, 19 profit growth, 9,12,65,71,148 market share growth, 12,19,37,87,144 turnover, growth, 11,17,52 and export rate. ...
... The factor of human capital resources, particularly the availability of successors, and the interrelationship between entrepreneur personality needs to be examined in developing countries for the sustainability of SMEs. In developing countries, the measurement of SMEs growth typically relies on economic scales such as sales growth, 10,12,18,23 employment growth, 16,23,49 and market share growth. 11,18,44,49 The developing countries need to upgrade indicators of SME growth such as the quality of products, the number of customers, and export growth, which have already been undertaken by developed countries. ...
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are contributors to economic growth. Many studies have mentioned a broad range of factors that influence the development of SMEs. However, studies examining SME growth between developed and developing countries have not been comprehensively investigated. The growth of SMEs relies on the entrepreneurial skills of the entrepreneur, who has the ability to manage business effectively, achieve profit, identify market opportunities, and enhance innovation by optimizing all available resources. The objective of this article was to synthesize the factors that influence the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across developed and developing countries. This study particularly synthesized interrelationship factors depicted in a framework addressing resources and capabilities for SME growth. A systematic literature review (SLR) was employed to examine the research activities on this topic, referring to 108 articles from the Scopus and Web of Sciences databases. The articles synthesized individual studies to analyze the trend of SME growth research in developed and developing countries. Next, the factors of SME growth were identified into 6 (six) categories, including human capital resources, entrepreneurial perspectives on marketing, innovation, SMEs partnership, technology, and entrepreneur personality. The result represents that the factor extensively studied concerning SME growth is innovation capability, both in developed and developing countries. Differences exist in both critical factors and interrelationships among factors in developed and developing countries, particularly in the innovation capability, SME partnership and marketing capabilities.
... In addition to these two organisational factors, organisational readiness and innovation capability also play an essential role in introducing CBEC (Awiagah et al., 2016). SMEs have more highly qualified and specialised employees due to their small size. ...
... The study also indicates that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that allocate greater resources to employee training and development are more inclined to embrace new technologies.The degree of decentralisation of an organisation also makes it more susceptible to the introduction of new technologies. When companies allow their superiors to make some decisions themselves, they make it easier for SMEs to work because they are small and have fewer hierarchies (Awiagah et al., 2016). Therefore, decision-making powers are often delegated to line managers in order to speed up processes. ...
... Previous studies show a positive influence of organisational factors on technology adoption. For example, Awiagah et al. (2016) found a positive impact of organisational factors on the intention to adopt new technologies, Palacios-Marqués et al. (2015) found a positive impact on knowledge sharing on the Internet in SMEs, and Al-Qirim (2007). Elia et al. (2021) report that organisational support is critical for adopting e-commerce. ...
Cross-border e-commerce(CBEC) has created enormous economic benefits for consumers and vendors worldwide. Vietnamese Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SMEs) can enhance their competitiveness and facilitate their integration into the global market via cross-border e-commerce adoption. This study assesses the critical determinants of cross-border e-commerce adoption intention in Vietnamese SMEs. This study integrates the factors of the technology–organisation–environment (TOE) framework and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to construct a holistic framework to assess the critical determinants of cross-border e-commerce adoption intentions among SMEs in Vietnam. The research method utilised Structural Equation Modelling Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) with SmartPLS (version 4.0) to evaluate the relationship between variables. The sample size consists of 400 respondents from Vietnamese SMEs. The results indicate that perceived behavioural control, subjective norms, and attitudes toward CBEC adoption are the critical determinants of cross-border e-commerce adoption intention among Vietnamese SMEs. For the technological dimensions of the TOE framework, perceived benefits, perceived compatibility and perceived security positively relate to attitude toward CBEC adoption; perceived complexity and perceived cost negatively relate to attitude toward CBEC adoption and perceived behavioural control. For the organisational dimensions of the TOE framework, government support, customer pressure, and competitive pressure positively relate to subjective norms. For the environmental dimensions of the TOE framework, organisational readiness, organisational innovativeness, and e-commerce knowledge positively relate to perceived behavioural control. By integrating the constructs of TPB and TOE into a single framework, this study adds to current knowledge by addressing the literature gap on the significant role of organisational and environmental factors in the adoption of SMEs' CBEC in developing countries like Vietnam. The managerial implications provided a holistic view of SMEs' perspectives and practices on promoting the CBEC adoption intention.
... This is particularly true in the Ghanaian business context, where AIS adoption is low, and efforts are being made to advance AIS usage in the business sector. Thus, Ghanaian business managers would not support the advanced integration of AIS if they do not perceive its outcomes favorably, denying them benefits (Appiah et al., 2014;Awiagah et al., 2016). ...
... In addition, participation will allow managers and accountants to specify the desired features of AIS and correct deviations from existing systems and business philosophies, enhancing the perceived usefulness of the system. This result is particularly important in the Ghanaian context, given the low adoption rates of AIS (Appiah et al., 2014;Awiagah et al., 2016). Ghanaian firms will increase their adoption of AIS if they perceive its usefulness or relative advantage. ...
... The study results are particularly important in the Ghanaian context in two ways. First, Appiah et al. (2014) and Awiagah et al. (2016) show that Ghanaian firms' AIS adoption is very low. Although some firms have adopted it, their usage practices are mainly limited to basic accounting processing (e.g., book-keeping). ...
This study examines how accountants' participation in accounting information system (AIS) design can improve their perceptions of the quality of the information provided by the system. An empirical survey of 333 chartered accountants in Ghana was used and the research model was tested using covariance‐based structural equation modeling. The results indicate that accountants' participation in AIS design is positively associated with perceived accounting information quality. Additionally, autonomous motivation was found to mediate the relationship between accountants' participation and perceived information quality. In contrast, accountants' perceived usefulness of accounting information does not mediate the relationship between participation in AIS design and perceived accounting information quality. This suggests that accounting information quality is enhanced when accountants participate in AIS design hence play a critical role in information system design. However, accounting information quality is not enhanced through perceived usefulness of accounting information.
... Pemilik usaha yang memiliki sikap positif terhadap penggunaan e-commerce akan lebih tertarik untuk menggunakan ecommerce dalam aktifitas usahanya (Grandón & Ramírez-Correa, 2018). Hasil riset Awiagah et al. (2015) juga mengkonfirmasi pengaruh signifikan sikap terhadap penggunaan e-commerce pada UMKM. Oleh karena itu, hipotesis yang dapat dibuat adalah sebagai berikut. ...
... Persepsi kendali perilaku menjadi salah satu faktor penentu signifikan dalam membentuk keputusan mengadopsi ecommerce (Grandón & Ramírez-Correa, 2018). Hal ini khususnya berhubungan dengan ketersediaan sumber daya pendukung seperti komputer serta akses ke pengetahuan dan keahlian mengenai ecommerce (Awiagah et al., 2015). Berdasarkan paparan tersebut, dapat disusun hipotesis sebagai berikut. ...
... Hasil pengujian hipotesis menunjukkan bahwa seluruh unsur-unsur penentu adopsi e-commerce yaitu sikap, norma subyektif, dan persepsi kendali perilaku berkontribusi positif terhadap niat UMKM untuk menggunakan e-commerce. Sesuai dengan hasil riset Awiagah, Kang, & Lim (2015) dan Grandón & Ramírez-Correa (2018), pengaruh positif dari sikap memiliki dampak signifikan kepada keputusan mengadopsi e-commerce, Pemilik usaha atau manajer yang memiliki sikap positif mengenai penggunaan e-commerce akan lebih besar kemungkinannya untuk mengadopsi e-commerce (Grandón & Ramírez-Correa, 2018 Norma subyektif, yaitu dukungan dari pihak-pihak yang dianggap penting dalam menjalankan usaha, juga menjadi faktor pendorong adopsi e-commerce. Adanya pengaruh positif dari norma subyektif terhadap niat mengadopsi e-commerce sesuai dengan riset Grandón & Ramírez-(Correa, 2018). ...
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi faktor-faktor penentu keputusan UMKM alas kaki di Cibaduyut dalam menggunakan e-commerce. Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) digunakan sebagai kerangka teoritis dalam penelitian ini untuk menyusun hipotesis penelitian. Tahapan awal penelitian dimulai dengan pengumpulan data primer berupa tanggapan dari UMKM alas kaki Cibaduyut menggunakan kuesioner, dengan total 148 responden mengisi kuesioner. Tahap selanjutnya adalah mengolah data yang terkumpul dengan metode regresi linear berganda. Berdasarkan hasil penelitan, UMKM alas kaki Cibaduyut memiliki sikap positif terhadap adopsi e-commerce. Mereka juga menganggap pentingnya pengaruh norma sosial sebagai pertimbangan untuk menggunakan e-commerce. Persepsi kendali perilaku juga memiliki dampak positif terhadap adopsi e-commerce. Berdasarkan temuan penelitan, UMKM alas kaki yang belum menggunakan e-commerce dapat mempertimbangkan manfaat e-commerce pada bisnis, sedangkan UMKM yang telah menggunakan e-commerce dapat mengevaluasi manfaat dan kendala penggunaan e-commerce. Pemerintah juga dapat berkontribusi untuk meningkatkan penggunaan e-commerce pada UMKM dengan menyediakan pelatihan, membangun infrastruktur yang memadai, dan mengeluarkan peraturan yang relavan.
... Since the individual characteristics of innovative owner-managers (Ghobakhloo and Tang, 2013) play an important role in the steering of strategic direction and smooth running of dayto-day operations in SMEs; therefore, the current study proposes that the micro-level 'individual agency' context needs to be analysed to better understand the e-commerce adoption among SMEs. Previous studies of SMEs' adoption of e-commerce were situated in Ghana (Awiagah, Kang and Lim, 2016), Malaysia (Kartiwi, H. and Suhaimi, 2018), Brazil (Wagner Mainardes, de Almeida and de-Oliveira, 2019), South Africa (Molla and Licker, 2005), and Indonesia (Rahayu and Day, 2015). Though, there have been few studies e.g. ...
... Prior studies unveil critical technological factors as pre-requisite to e-commerce adoption and these include perceived credibility (Venkatesh et al., 2003), technological readiness (Martins, Oliveira and Thomas, 2015) and, to a lesser extent, relative advantage (Awiagah, Kang and Lim, 2016). First critical factor is 'perceived credibility' which is the perception in the mind of customers about the website of an SME. ...
... Therefore, they need to obtain the latest computer infrastructure equipment to integrate e-commerce in their existing business model (Oliveira and Maria Fraga Martins, 2010). The third technological factor is 'Relative advantage' and it refers to the degree of acceptance of the possible benefits that e-commerce technology can offer to SMEs (Awiagah, Kang and Lim, 2016). A better managerial understanding of the relative advantage of adopting e-commerce increases the likelihood that the business will allocate certain technological resources to adopting e-commerce technology (Eze et al., 2018). ...
This article provides an explanation of how dynamic contextual factors and individual agency influence the adoption of electronic commerce (e-commerce) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan. Eight multiple qualitative case studies were undertaken, involving 24 face-to-face semi-structured interviews and were thematically analysed using NVivo. This study found that the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) factors and additional extended micro-level (individual agency) factors strongly influenced the adoption of e-commerce practices by the managers of Pakistani SMEs. Managers need to address factors such as digital readiness, recruiting of skilled ICT expertise, reluctance of customers to switch their preference from traditional business selling methods to e-commerce, obtaining government and local institutional support, and recognizing the characteristics and individual agency of their owner-managers. On top of these factors, there is a strong need to improve the Information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure in order for manager to prepare for and to embrace the e-commerce practices in their respective companies. This article extends Tornatzky and Fleischer’s TOE framework by adding the micro-level context of individual agency. Additionally, this article proposes practical implications for policymakers, governments, and local business support agencies.
... E-commerce has become a top priority for many businesses around the world [1]. Developing e-commerce can increase sales and profits and offer the opportunity to overcome obstacles to growth [2]. ...
... We assume the CBEC platform operates using a marketplace model similar to a revenue-sharing scheme, where the platform receives a commission from each online sale [36]. For this model, we consider the following issues: (1) Considering the impact of free shipping on consumers' willingness to buy, under what circumstances would retailers choose to offer free shipping services? (2) Is the retailer with information willing to share it? ...
... To proceed, we summarize the notations and descriptions in Table 2 in which subscripts A, B, C, and P are added to refer to solutions for the existing retailer, new entrant retailer, carrier, and platform. Unit shipping fee charged to retailers by the carrier ω 1 Unit shipping fee charged to overseas customers by the carrier ...
For cross-border e-commerce companies with high shipping costs, the existing retailer and the new entrant retailer on the platform are usually concerned with information sharing and free shipping due to the uncertainty of market demand. For this, by establishing a Stackelberg game model between two competing retailers, we analyze the strategy of retailers and explore the business strategies of the cross-border e-commerce platform. The study shows that regarding information-sharing strategies, retailer A’s willingness to share information is positively related to initial market potential and negatively related to market competition intensity. Moreover, retailer B is willing to spend higher information costs to purchase information when the necessity of the product is more elevated. As for a free shipping strategy, if the existing retailer offers free shipping, the new entrant retailer should also offer free shipping service to consumers when the initial market potential is larger. Conversely, when the initial market potential is smaller, the retailer’s willingness to offer free shipping decreases when the intensity of competition in the market increases. When the market tends to be perfectly competitive, the new entrant retailer will not choose a free shipping strategy, and the platform is most profitable when information sharing and free shipping occur simultaneously. However, when the carrier charges a higher shipping fee to customers, the existing retailer is more profitable when the new entrant does not offer free shipping. Therefore, in order to achieve a win-win situation for all parties, the platform needs to develop appropriate operational strategies to influence the decisions of retailers and carriers. Some numerical experiments are made to test the validity of the model and the effect of the parameters involved in the model.
... Thus, innovation is imperative in order to reach long-term objectives due to globalization, fast technology improvement, and a rise in online customer expectations [1]. Ecommerce enables customers to acquire access rapidly and easily to data as well as information, skills, and knowledge [2]. E-commerce has the potential to improve the competitiveness of emerging nations while also alleviating poverty [2]. ...
... Ecommerce enables customers to acquire access rapidly and easily to data as well as information, skills, and knowledge [2]. E-commerce has the potential to improve the competitiveness of emerging nations while also alleviating poverty [2]. ...
This 2 volume set aims to shed light on the various advantages and drawbacks of the same along with the opportunities and markets that are emerging because of digital transformation. This volume encompasses diverse perspectives on the digital landscape for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). It delves into the use of digital tools like Big Data, IoT, AI, and ML in Chapter 1, followed by an exploration of factors influencing online shopping adoption in SMEs in Ghana (Chapter 2). Chapter 3 sheds light on the digital transformation of African SMEs, while Chapter 4 offers insights into the consequences of digitalization for SMEs in Sub-Saharan Africa. The subsequent chapters cover topics such as the impact of Big Data on SMEs' performance, digitization initiatives for African telecom service providers, the role of social media as a promotional tool for SMEs in Ghana, and the utilization of Artificial Intelligence by SMEs in Africa, addressing both benefits and challenges. The chapters provide information for educators at all levels to obtain a complete understanding of the technology-based environment that impacts teaching and commerce. It also serves as a resource for policymakers, entrepreneurs, researchers, and students interested in digital transformation in Africa.
... The adoption of digital technologies among microfinance companies may be influenced, either positively or negatively, by the level of support or lack of support from top management. The level of willingness with which management is willing to promote and support IT-related initiatives throughout the company is referred to as management support (Awiagah et al., 2015). ...
... A management team that has a constructive outlook on change is more likely to be open to implementing digital technologies (Ahmand et al., 2015). According to the findings of a study conducted by Awiagah et al (2015), the commitment and support of management plays a role in determining whether or not microfinance companies will adopt digital technologies. The findings of l-Bakri and Katsioloudes (2015) and Ahmad et al (2015) both lend support to the view that the attitude of management plays a role in the adoption of digital technologies within businesses. ...
There has been a rapid continuous change in the business world in the past two decades. The dynamism of technology has forced many businesses to heavily rely on digitalizing as it is the new way of doing business in this era. Digitalization has played a vital role in sustaining growth of businesses. Despite such developments, recent studies have shown that microfinance institutions are lagging behind in adopting digital technologies in their main stream operations and are still resorting to old traditional systems. The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors inhibiting the successful adoption of digital technology by microfinance institutions in Zimbabwe. MFIs are still lagging behind in the way they carry out business. Business in the MFIs in Zimbabwe is still largely being done manually and the organizations have not yet moved to digitise their operations (Mago, 2017). Service delivery offered by the entities is rather unreliable and inaccessible for others who cannot physically avail themselves. It is the government’s goal to support SMEs financially, enhancing women empowerment through provision of financial services and also to alleviate poverty in the country. All these, government goals are archived through putting in place the MFI sector into play. The aspect of digitization of MFIs has been studied by a number of researchers worldwide but there is a general lack of literature on the subject in Zimbabwe. Accordingly, this research pursues to come up with a digitization framework for MFIs in Zimbabwe to improve service delivery. Despite the fact that the microfinance organizations have implemented the use of ICT, the organization is only partially computerized due to the fact that some of the procedures are still carried out manually. As a direct consequence of this, the provision of services has suffered as a result. The management, the employees, and the department as a whole have all taken a hit from the negative publicity that has resulted from the poor service delivery that has been evidenced by the dissatisfaction of customers, long lines, and delays in the processing of passports. As a result, the purpose of this study is to investigate how fully computerizing the passport section and implementing information and communication technologies at the majority of microfinance organizations can improve service delivery.
... Within the Ghanaian context, most research works in the online marketing space have concentrated on e-commerce adoption and its impact on the business and marketing performance of SMEs (Asare et al., 2012;Kwadwo et al., 2016;Awiagah et al., 2016;Ocloo et al., 2018). Very few works have been conducted in the area of electronic marketing, and even so, these have rather focused on factors influencing the adoption of electronic marketing (Akaba, 2015;Mazzarol, 2015). ...
... Ghana's Ministry of Trade and Industry, which superintends the activities of micro and small-sized enterprises, defines SMEs in line with the value of initial fixed costs. The Statistical Service of Ghana defines small-scale industries as businesses employing 29 employees or fewer; those who employ beyond this threshold are regarded as medium to large-scale enterprises (Awiagah et al., 2016). Similarly, the National Board for Small-Scale Industries (NBSSI) described micro and small enterprises as those enterprises employing 29 or fewer workers. ...
The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between the main independent variable, e-marketing and the main dependent variable e-loyalty, as well as the mediating roles of e-service quality and e-satisfaction in the link between e-marketing and e-loyalty. The study adopted a positivist stance with a quantitative method, with the adoption of a descriptive correlational design. A Structural Equation Modelling approach was employed to examine the nature of the associations between the independent, mediating and dependent variables. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted to control for the potential confounding effects of the demographic factors. A sample size of 1,293 residents in Accra, Ghana, who had previously shopped online, responded to structured questionnaire in an online survey via Google Docs.
The IBM SPSS Amos 24 software was used to analyse the data collected. Positive
associations were found between the key constructs in the study: e-marketing, e-service quality, e-satisfaction and e-Loyalty. The findings from the study gave further backing to the diffusion innovation theory, resource-based view theory, and technology acceptance model. In addition, e-service quality and e-satisfaction individually and jointly mediated the relationship between e-marketing and e-loyalty. However, these mediations were partial. . In terms of value and contribution, this is the first study in a developing economy context to undertake a holistic examination of the key marketing performance variables within an online shopping context. The study uniquely tested the mediation roles of both e-service quality and e-satisfaction in the link between e-marketing and e-loyalty. The findings of the study are novel in the e-marketing literature as they unearthed the key antecedents of e-loyalty for online SMEs in a developing economy context.
... To facilitate and promote cloud computing services, governments can implement appropriate legislation, provide targeted incentives like reduced subscription fees, invest in IT infrastructure, and cultivate a skilled workforce, particularly in developing nations [93]. Without government intervention, SMEs might face greater risks in adopting and utilizing IT innovations due to their size and resource constraints, increasing their reliance on external support compared to larger companies [94,95]. Therefore, organizations often necessitate government assistance during IT adoption and development, especially in developing countries. ...
... The results indicated that government support significantly impacted cloud computing integration. The importance of government support has been highlighted in previous studies on SMEs [94,95]. Ghobakhloo et al. [138] stated that lack of government support is one of the major barriers to SMEs' adoption of digital technologies. ...
Although extant literature has thoroughly investigated the incorporation of cloud computing services, examining their influence on sustainable performance, particularly at the organizational level, is insufficient. Consequently, the present research aims to assess the factors that impact the integration of cloud computing within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and its subsequent effects on environmental, financial, and social performance. The data were collected from 415 SMEs and were analyzed using a hybrid SEM-ANN approach. PLS-SEM results indicate that relative advantage, complexity, compatibility, top management support, cost reduction, and government support significantly affect cloud computing integration. This study also empirically demonstrated that SMEs could improve their financial, environmental, and social performance by integrating cloud computing services. ANN results show that complexity, with a normalized importance (NI) of 89.14%, is ranked the first among other factors affecting cloud computing integration in SMEs. This is followed by cost reduction (NI = 82.67%), government support (NI = 73.37%), compatibility (NI = 70.02%), top management support (NI = 52.43%), and relative advantage (NI = 48.72%). Theoretically, this study goes beyond examining the determinants affecting cloud computing integration by examining their impact on SMEs’ environmental, financial, and social performance in a comprehensive manner. The study also provides several practical implications for policymakers, SME managers, and cloud computing service providers.
... The ownership of the MSME sector in Southeast Asia is dominated by women entrepreneurs in the amount of 35% [2]. The MSME sector owned by women in 2016 ranged from 30-37% of the total MSMEs in developing countries [3]. In Indonesia alone, as many as 60% of MSMEs are managed by women out of a total of 52 million MSME actors [4] with a contribution to GDP of 9.1% [5]. ...
... (2016). APEC Policy Support Unit [3] International Labour Organization (ILO) Women's Entrepreneurship Development (WED) Programme. Sumber: http://www.ilo.org/empent/areas/womens-entrepreneurshipdevelopment-wed/lang--en/index.htm ...
8th International Seminar of Entrepreneurship and Business (ISEB 2020)
22 November 2020
... Consequently, this study proposes that government support positively impacts e-commerce adoption. Governments can create enabling infrastructure (Mohtaramzadeh et al., 2018;Awiagah et al., 2016), provide financial aid, and offer SMEs technical workshops and training programmes (Ocloo et al., 2020;Mohtaramzadeh et al., 2018;Chee et al., 2016). ...
This study investigates the factors influencing e-commerce adoption among SMEs in Sabah and Sarawak, addressing gaps in the existing consensus and theoretical framework. Utilizing the Technology-Organisation-Environment theory, the research focuses on perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, organizational readiness, and top management support, with government support as a moderating variable. Employing a quantitative approach and survey methodology, data analysis was conducted using SPSS and SmartPLS 4. The results reveal that perceived usefulness and ease of use positively impact e-commerce adoption, and government support moderates the relationship between ease of use and adoption. The findings highlight the crucial role of the technological context, particularly user experience. The study underscores that user-friendly and useful e-commerce platforms increase the likelihood of adoption, while government support is vital through regulations and infrastructure improvements. Future research is recommended to explore e-commerce adoption across diverse industries and examine post-adoption stages to identify evolving patterns over time.
... This global development serves as a reminder that manufactures in developing economies must develop business models that seamlessly integrate products using information and communication technology and adopt a customer-focused approach if they are to compete in the global market. Once again, significant changes to the advanced manufacturing environment are eroding the market value of the businesses (Awiagah, Kang, & Lim, 2016). ...
This study investigated the influence of adoption of modern manufacturing technologies on firm value of listed manufacturing companies in Nigeria. Specifically, the study determines the factors that influence the level of adoption of modern manufacturing technologies, effects of modern manufacturing technologies on firm value, and the effects of firm-specific variables (firm growth, firm size, and firm age) on firm value of the listed manufacturing companies in Nigeria. The study adopted a mixed method involving survey research design and ex-post facto design. A survey was administered to a sample of thirty-nine (39) quoted manufacturing companies on the Nigeria Exchange Group, where 390 respondents were purposefully selected. Secondary data were extracted from the audited financial statements of the manufacturing companies listed on the Nigeria Exchange Group for a period of eight years (2014-2021). We analyzed the data using descriptive and inferential statistics, employing random effect regression analysis. The results show that very few manufacturing companies have fully adopted the modern manufacturing technologies in Nigeria. We also found a significant relationship between firm value and growth. Lastly, our results show evidence of a better performance for the firms that adopted new manufacturing technology. The study concludes that adoption of modern manufacturing technologies has significant influence on the firm value of the listed manufacturing companies in Nigeria.
... The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) represents a contemporary model extensively employed for investigating the determinants impacting technology adoption within firms (Goswami & Dutta, 2017). As markets become increasingly global and national economies grow more interconnected, understanding the factors that drive ecommerce adoption is crucial yet challenging, with little clarity about its key determinants (Awiagah et al., 2016). In numerous Colombian municipalities, the spread of electronic commerce (e-commerce) coupled with broader internet access has spurred economic growth. ...
This paper seeks to investigate the factors that impact the adoption of E-commerce by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Sri Lanka. Explores the impact of various determinants, including performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, perceived risk, and adoption intention on the adoption of e-commerce in Sri Lankan SMEs. The study is based on SMEs in the country. The study encompasses Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from four provinces across the country, spanning ten different industries. A sample of 252 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across 10 industrial sectors in 4 regions was selected using a simple random sampling technique.The results indicated that Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Facilitating Conditions, and Perceived Risk as major influences on the adoption of e-commerce significantly influenced the adoption of e-commerce by SMEs in Sri Lanka. However, it was observed that comparatively reduced influence of Social Influence on E-commerce adoption among SMEs.
... The utilization of mobile commerce by hospitality SMEs demonstrates how important it is for any country's economy to expand commercially. SMEs in the hotel industry have been singled out in particular due to the industry's high concentration of businesses and unique issues, such as cyclical seasonal demand fluctuations (Plan, 2018).Several researches done on the usage of E-commerce (Awiagah, Kang, & Lim, 2016;Kabanda, Brown, & Informatics, 2017;Kuizhen, 2019). Due to the fact that E-commerce is still in its early stages of development, little is known about how it is used. ...
This paper aims to analyze how Hospitality and tourism sector are incorporating mobile commerce into their everyday business and how performance expectancy, social influence, subjective norms, age, gender, expertise, and educational level affected the adoption and usage of m-commerce. This study integrates well-established theoretical models to create a new conceptual model that ensures a comprehensive mobile commerce adoption survey. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to measure the constructs and their relations to test the research model. The study's findings confirmed previous results and produced a new conceptual model for mobile commerce adoption and usage. Performance expectancy, Habit, Social Influence showed significant effects. First of all, mobile commerce service providers should strategically pay critical attention to customer-centered factors that positively affect the adoption of mobile commerce innovations than focusing exclusively on technology-related issues. Hospitality service providers can attract more users if they carefully consider. promoting elements like Habit. Second, mobile commerce service providers should strategically focus more on younger individuals since, per the research findings, they are more likely to adopt mobile commerce innovations than the older folks. Third, service providers should also devise strategies to retain actual users of m-commerce by promoting elements like behavioral intentions and attitude, which according to the research findings, have a higher predictive power on actual usage of m-commerce. The study's findings suggested that mobile commerce adoption could promote a cashless society that is convenient for making buying things quicker and easier. The research sample size could be increased, and also the study any other country for a broader representation.
... As there is no precise instrument that measures each of the dimensions comprising the proposed theoretical model collectively, the works of [38], [39], [40], [41], [42], [43], [44], [45], [46], [47], [48], [11], [49], [50] serve as a basis. These contributions are made in different contexts than the present research, and adjustments are made to the wording of each item for its application in the study region. ...
E-commerce has transformed the entire process of product sales between sellers and buyers, which has been of economic benefit for both parties. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the main decisive factors of this adoption, integrating aspects of Rogers' Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT), the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) model, and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Through a quantitative method, data was collected and analyzed from 434 SMEs using a questionnaire. Findings highlight that the perceived ease and usefulness of e-commerce, influenced by perceived advantage and observability, are critical determinants in the decision to adopt these technologies. Additionally, it was found that management support and employees' knowledge of Information Technologies (IT) play a relevant role in this adoption. This study adds to the existing literature on technological adoption in SMEs, showing important insights for the northeastern region of Mexico and suggesting avenues for future research. The results are relevant for business decision-makers and public policy formulators, offering guidance on how to enhance e-commerce adoption in the SME context.
... Moreover, e-commerce security laws provide SMEs with confidence in operating electronically. Government support significantly influences e-commerce adoption, supported by empirical evidence highlighting the importance of technological infrastructure, policies, and funding (Awiagah et al., 2016). It also impacts SME decisions to adopt e-commerce (Ahmad et al., 2015). ...
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the use of technology to become increasingly massive and has an impact on increasing business trends through e-commerce. Failure to be proactive and adapt to change will cause business disruption in the near future. The adoption of e-commerce is the right solution for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to be ready to compete and survive in the crisis era. This study aims to analyze technological, organizational and environmental factors on e-commerce adoption and the impact of e-commerce adoption on the performance and competitive advantage of SMEs in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. The object of this research is 100 SMEs in Jambi City, Indonesia. The sampling technique was non-random sampling with type purposive sampling. Data were collected by distributing questionnaires online to selected respondents. The findings of this study underscore the significant influence of technological, organizational, and environmental factors on the adoption of e-commerce among SMEs in Jambi City. Moreover, SMEs in Jambi City perceive that effectively embracing e-commerce can yield desired outcomes, enhancing their performance and competitive edge in the business landscape. Furthermore, the advantages of electronic commerce extend to the convenience of round-the-clock business operations from any geographical location, thus amplifying its appeal and utility for SMEs.
... Respondents did not rely on government support to adopt e-commerce. This finding is not in line with the results of the prior study by Awiagah, Kang and Lim (2016) that government support influences SMEs' ecommerce adoption in Ghana. Furthermore, cost has no effect to traditional drink SMEs' e-commerce adoption. ...
This study scrutinizes the motivational factors of e-commerce adoption using the Integrated Model of E-commerce Adoption in SMEs (IMAES) and analyzes its impact on business performance. This is quantitative research. Survey technique used to collect data. The Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, was chosen purposively as the center of traditional drinks, and 330 SMEs of traditional drinks in all districts/cities were proportionally taken as samples. Structural Equation Modeling was used as the data analysis method with PLS tools. This study shows that buyer, competitor behavior, relative advantage, organizational readiness, perceived ease, benefit observability, compatibility, ICT organizational, and innovativeness level significantly and positively influence e-commerce adoption. Risk perception and complexity have a significant and negative effect on e-commerce adoption. E-commerce adoption has a significant and positive impact on business performance, operational performance, financial performance, and marketing performance. Stakeholder collaboration is required to increase e-commerce adoption.
... ICT capability was found to significantly lead to a reduction in supply chain fraud indicating that the presence of ICTs in SME supply chains is used to help mitigate if not completely eradicate fraudulent activities that exist in it. Although there are few arguments in the literature regarding the risks associated with Internet-based technologies and the rise in cybercrime, in particular in Nigerian financial transactions, where many experts contend that the infrastructure needed to secure these electronic-based transactions is either nonexistent or insufficient, making them more vulnerable to fraud (Awiagah et al., 2016;Olaoye and Adebayo, 2017;Schaper, 2015). As ICT use increases in financial transactions, customers are more likely to be at risk of internet-based fraud, hacking, virus attacks, losses, and other unauthorized financial charges. ...
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the influence of information and communication technology (ICT) capabilities on supply chain fraud and sustainability within the context of Ghana’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Additionally, the research explores the mediating role of supply chain fraud in the relationship between ICT capabilities and supply chain sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 102 respondents within Ghana’s SME sector, and the research employed the dynamic capability theory as the conceptual framework. The study utilized partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to develop and analyze the proposed model.
Findings
The results of the study reveal a significant reduction in supply chain fraud attributable to enhanced ICT capabilities within Ghanaian SMEs. Moreover, ICT capabilities exert a significant positive influence on supply chain sustainability. Importantly, supply chain fraud emerges as a mediator, elucidating its role at the nexus of supply chain sustainability and ICT capabilities.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the limited body of evidence on the interconnectedness of ICT capabilities, supply chain fraud and supply chain sustainability, particularly within the context of Ghanaian SMEs. Notably, this study pioneers an examination of the mediating impact of supply chain fraud on the relationship between ICT capabilities and supply chain sustainability.
... IT infrastructure, organizational readiness and innovativeness were least studied factors but Source: Authors' own creation were found significantly affecting the technology adoption. Factors such as role of trust (Min et al., 2015), attitude (Awiagah et al., 2016) and organizational innovation (Soto-Acosta et al., 2016) were popular mediating variables. The post-adoption impact on business performance was studied only in 16% of reviewed paper (Annexure 1). ...
Purpose
This paper aims to present a review of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) literature on the adoption of technology for marketing with the objective the knowledge trajectory from SMEs to tourism SMEs (TSMEs) and presents a research agenda for the adoption of digital marketing among TSMEs.
Design/methodology/approach
The quantitative literature review method is adopted to analyze 50 articles published in high-ranking journals from 2011–2021. The selected papers were reviewed to quantitatively present the popular theoretical frameworks, constructs and research methods used for the adoption of digital marketing among SMEs and to present a future research agenda in the context of TSMEs.
Findings
The findings present a review of theoretical approaches, research design, methods, and models used by researchers, and identify new directions for future research in the context of the adoption of digital marketing among TSMEs. The paper presents a theoretical critique of the technology adoption theories and builds on diffusion of innovation theory, technology–organization–environment (TOE), and institutional theory to propose an expanded model to study digital marketing adoption among TSMEs.
Research limitations/implications
The article presents a significant advancement in the theoretical understanding of the adoption of digital marketing by offering the application of the TOE framework with moderating role of mimetic and normative pressures. Thus, the study contributes to the scarce research on institutional theory in the context of services (tourism) and offers an alternative and holistic perception to study digital marketing. The research model serves as an organizing tool for future researchers and practitioners to probe and further augment knowledge development in tourism and TSMEs.
Originality/value
Negligible published work on TSMEs makes this study valuable and the proposed model gives strategic information in the given context.
... The role of the government in assisting small firms with limited IT resources has been discussed extensively in the literature (Awiagah et al., 2016;Seyal et al., 2004;Vu & Nguyen, 2022). When asked about the role of government in e-commerce adoption for small firms, our respondent said: ...
... By enabling improved access to information, skills, and knowledge, e-commerce also greatly contributes to bridging the digital gap between developed and underdeveloped nations. However, a number of obstacles, such as a poor infrastructure and limited access to technology, prevent poorer nations from progressing (Awiagah et al., 2016;Ocloo et al., 2020). E-commerce adoption is essential for the effective expansion of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises)SMEs( because it has been shown to boost their productivity (Alrousan and Jones, 2016;. ...
Even though the benefits of e-commerce for Small and Medium-Sized (SMEs) are enormous, not many SMEs have
adopted e-commerce, especially in Palestine. Therefore, knowing what factors encourage SMEs to adopt ecommerce
is necessary. However, e-commerce research has only been carried out on large-scale businesses. In
contrast, studies on SMEs companies, especially regarding adopting e-commerce, have not been widely conducted.
So, this research is important to determine what factors drive the adoption of e-commerce and the effect
on marketing performance in Palestinian SMEs. The study’s theoretical foundation is based on the TOE framework
with AI Integration, Innovation Culture, and Customer Tech-Savviness. Using a simple random sampling
technique from an online questionnaire, 305 SMEs were chosen as the sample for the study. The data were
evaluated using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to explore the relationships among
exogenous, mediator, and endogenous variables. Based on the study’s results, it can be concluded that AI
Integration, Customer Savviness, innovative culture, competitive pressure and business partner pressure factors
positively and significantly influence e-commerce adoption. In addition, adopting E-commerce positively and
significantly affects SMEs’ Marketing Performance. Based on the results of this study, theoretical implications for
E-Commerce adoption in Palestinian SMEs and managerial implications are recommended accordingly.
... Aldholay et al. (2018), Cham et al. (2016) and Huei et al. (2018) further found that top management support affects the success of ICT-based business transformations in the banking sector. Likewise, studies by Adam et al. (2020), Awiagah et al. (2016) and García-Sánchez et al. (2018) also show that management support indirectly leads to successful ICT innovation in an organisation. Based on these findings, this study put forth the following hypothesis: ...
Statistics from the Companies Commission of Malaysia show that, as of July 2018, a total of 53,285 businesses had registered as online retailers. However, no formal data has been obtained on the engagement of cooperatives in online business. This research aimed to identify the profile of cooperatives in online business, particularly the factors that motivate co-operatives' adoption of online business and the barriers faced by cooperatives in performing online business. In addition, this study sought to determine the role of cooperative performance in linking the motivating and barrier factors to continuous online business usage among cooperatives. The census method was used to collect data from the entire population of the study, which comprised cooperatives engaged in e-commerce businesses in Malaysia. The findings showed that trendiness, government support, and cost reduction have a direct positive effect on cooperative performance, while risk and a lack of employee competency have a direct negative effect on cooperative performance. Apart from that, cooperative performance was found to influence satisfaction and continuous usage directly and positively. The results further revealed that satisfaction has a direct positive impact on continuous usage as well as a mediating effect on the relationship between cooperative performance and continuous usage.
... A study discusses the factors that influence SMEs in E-commerce adoption. The influence of a large government turns out to influence the success of SMEs in adopting E-Commerce (Awiagah et al., 2016). A case in a province in South Africa shows that the most significant e-business adoption variables are security, prestige, government support, vision, and the need to serve a market niche (Chiliya et al., 2011). ...
The entry of SMEs into the E‐Commerce network is influenced by various variables that can affect success in the business world. This study examines the determinant factors contributing to SMEs competing in the world of E‐Commerce. In addition, this study also examines several factors that can influence SMEs in entering digital market networks. This research uses a mixed method with an explanatory design approach. For the first stage, this study was analyzed using a quantitative approach by surveying 56 SMEs members of the Banyuwangi-mall.com E‐Commerce in Banyuwangi City, East Java Province, Indonesia. Quantitative data analysis was carried out by utilizing the Smart PLS 4 application. Furthermore, to carry out a more in‐depth analysis, a qualitative stage was carried out by conducting semi‐structured interviews with 13 SMEs owners who are members of Banyuwangi-mall.com E‐Commerce marketing. The study results show that the factors influencing SMEs to enter e‐commerce networks are regulatory support, competitor pressure, and the stability of information technology infrastructure. In contrast, the characteristics of the supporters/leaders and budget variables negatively influence the characteristics. The negative relationship between leader characteristics is caused by two things: the dominance of the role of creative houses and the lack of orders received by SMEs on the Banyuwangi-mall.com website. As for the budget aspect, the absence of a particular budget for SME activities in Banyuwangi-mall.com online marketing is the reason for needing a positive influence.
... This study was carried out in Ghana, an emerging country with business prospects. About 85% of Ghana's manufacturing is done by small enterprises, and about 70% of Ghana's GDP is generated by small businesses (Awiagah, Kang, & Lim, 2016). Fiscal policy in Ghana is essential to the economy because it is one of the key policy instruments used by governments to generate money (Opuni & Asiedu, 2017). ...
... Therefore, the company owner heavily influences the decision to use e-commerce technology. Furthermore, because SMEs are structured to function in a specific field, owners and managers play a critical role in decision-making (Awiagah, Kang, & Lim, 2016;Nguyen & Waring, 2013). Therefore, the level of risk tolerance, the attitude towards innovation, and the managers' creativity will significantly affect enterprises' adoption of e-commerce (Lestari, 2019;Van Huy et al., 2012). ...
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in many countries’ economic growth and development, particularly in Vietnam. Vietnamese SMEs have been instrumental in creating job opportunities, especially for low-skilled laborers, and are increasingly contributing to the stability and progress of the national economy. However, the rise of globalization and the integration of economies at the international and regional levels have exposed SMEs to severe local and global competition. To sustain and develop their essential role in the face of rising competition, SMEs must innovate and adopt new technologies, with e-commerce being one of the essential solutions. The integration of e-commerce within Vietnamese Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has posed a significant challenge, making it crucial to identify the key factors that impact its implementation. A quantitative method was used to determine the four factors (Technology, Organizational, Environmental, and Management) influencing the adoption of e-commerce by Vietnamese SMEs. The study found that technology has the most significant impact on the adoption of e-commerce by Vietnamese SMEs, followed by organizational, management, and environmental factors. Technology is considered the most critical factor because e-commerce is primarily a technological solution, and SMEs need to invest in advanced technologies to keep up with their competitors.
... Secara umum dapat didefinisikan sebagai segala bentuk transaksi perdagangan atau perniagaan barang atau jasa (trade of goods and service) dengan menggunakan media elektronik (Awiagah et al., 2016) ...
ABSTRAKTujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui pengaruh e-commerce development dan financial technology terhadap loyalitas pelanggan dengan keputusan pembelian online pada Market place shopee sebagai variabel moderasi. Adapun jenis data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah data primer yang berasal dari pelanggan shopee di Kelurahan Warakas Jakarta Utara. Sampel yang di ambil yaitu 76 responden. Pengambilan sampel penelitian ini teknik sampling Random Sampling. Penelitian ini menganalisis hubungan antara pengaruh E-commerce development dan financial technology terhadap loyalitas pelanggandengan keputusan pembelian online pada marketplace shopee sebagai variabel moderasi . Penelitian ini menggunakan metode analisis data Partial Least Square (PLS). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa e-commerce development berpengaruh signifikan terhadap loyalitas pelanggan pada market place shopee. Financial technology berpengaruh signifikan terhadap loyalitas pelanggan pada market place shopee. Variabel moderasi keputusan pembelian online berpengaruh signifikan terhadap loyalitas pelanggan pada market place shopee. E-commerce development berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap loyalitas pelanggan dengan keputusan pembelian online sebagai variabel moderasi. Financial technology tidak berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap loyalitas pelanggan dengan keputusan pembelian online sebagai variabel moderasi.Kata kunci : E-Commerce Development , Financial Technology , Loyalitas Pelanggan , Keputusan Pembelian Online ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to determine the effect of e-commerce development and financial technology on customer loyalty with online purchasing decisions on the Shopee Marketplace as a moderating variable. The type of data used in this study is primary data derived from shopee customers in Warakas Village, North Jakarta, the sample taken was 76 respondents. The sample of this research is random sampling technique. This study analyzes the relationship between the influence of E-Commerce development and financial technology on customer loyalty with online purchasing decisions at the shopee marketplace as a moderating variable. This research uses data analysis method Partial Least Square (PLS). The results showed that e-commerce development has a significant effect on customer loyalty in the shopee market place. And financial technology has a significant effect on customer loyalty at the shopee market place. The moderating variable of online purchasing decisions has a significant effect on customer loyalty in the shopee market place. E-Commerce development has a positive and significant effect on customer loyalty with online purchasing decisions as a moderating variable. Financial technology has no positive and significant effect on customer loyalty with online purchasing decisions as a moderating variable.Key word : E-Commerce Development, Financial Technology, Customer Loyalty, Online Purchasing Decisions
... On the other hand, several authors report some barriers to the adoption of EC by SMEs. Those problems are related to a lack of capabilities to adopt EC technologies, absence of financial resources to invest in the modernization of technological infrastructures, shortage of qualified human resources, high dependence on outsourcing companies, and lack of security and reliability (Awiagah et al. 2016;Elbeltagi et al. 2016;Poorangi et al. 2013;Suciu et al. 2019;Vajjhala and Thandekkattu 2017). ...
Electronic commerce has allowed businesses to grow globally by breaking down barriers that many believed could not be overcome. Although large companies often outperform small and medium-sized businesses, e-commerce allows them to compete with them in some areas. Surprisingly, there is a lack of theoretical evidence regarding e-commerce net benefits for a small and medium-sized business that operates in the context of Business-to-Business. We expand the previous model of information system success by analyzing the role of game dynamics and user satisfaction in the intention to use e-commerce and its net benefits in the success of the new e-commerce platform. To help predict the success of a new e-commerce platform we collect 522 responses from a pool of clients of a small company that sells products to Hotels, Restaurants, and Cafes. Ease of use is the main variable that affects customer satisfaction and their intention to use e-commerce The company will only achieve e-commerce net benefits if these conditions are met. The results contribute to a better understanding of e-commerce net benefits while developing a new e-commerce platform and provide valuable practical contributions for small companies that have limited marketing and information systems.
... AlGhamdi et al. [69]; Awiagah et al. [70] All alternative strategies were considered feasible by each expert that used the Delphi method. Since a consensus was reached by each of them, the questionnaire was not revised, and each alternative strategy was further investigated in this study. ...
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are key contributors to Indonesia’s economy. E-commerce can assist SMEs in gaining a competitive edge and is expected to be the largest contributor to the country’s digital economy by 2030. However, only 22% of SMEs in Indonesia have adopted E-commerce. Hence this study aims to investigate the criteria that influence E-commerce adoption by Indonesian retail SMEs and select the best strategy using the Decision-Makers, Technological, Organizational, and Environmental (DTOE) Framework and the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory. This study aims to fill the research gap by examining the essential factors in E-commerce adoption by Indonesian SMEs in the retail industry and their key strategy to increase utilization. The influence and priorities between criteria were calculated using the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) based Analytic Network Process (ANP) method. Furthermore, an E-commerce adoption strategy was selected using Complex Proportional Assessment (COPRAS) method. This research showed critical criteria for adopting E-commerce technology in retail SMEs, Decision Maker’s IT Knowledge, Innovativeness, and Complexity. In addition, developing or training Information Technology (IT) and E-commerce skills were identified as the best strategy to increase E-commerce adoption. This study can help raise the understanding of policymakers, E-commerce service providers, and retail SME decision-makers on influencing criteria in adopting the best strategy to be applied to increase this technology adoption.
... Healthcare professionals must therefore respond to patients' requests for services and constantly provide a greater quality of service. As regards the benefits of this study, hospitals may be found benefiting from the use of information and communications technology to increase their competitiveness in the delivery of healthcare (Awiagah, Kang & Lim, 2016). ...
Adapting to e-commerce change involves multiple approaches. Strategic planning, organisational restructuring, personnel training, customer experience improvement, operations optimisation, security and compliance, and market adaptation are included. By tackling these areas thoroughly, firms can overcome e-commerce adoption obstacles and use its benefits to expand and compete in the digital age. Industry, market circumstances, and leadership vision affect e-commerce adoption across organisations. As e-commerce evolves, organisations' cultural traits reflect their digital technology adoption and integration. Leaders inspire creativity and risk-taking, allowing teams to explore digital solutions and new business models. Online business is complicated, thus the company emphasises learning and adapting. E-commerce initiatives foster agility and flexibility. Digital technologies improve processes and consumer experiences, helping companies adapt to market changes.
Technology is an indispensable part of the business world with firms using digital platforms to gain/create, maintain and deliver customer experience, especially post-pandemic. Digitization involves the comprehensive integration of digital technology into all facets of a company’s operations, yielding heightened value for customers. This book, Digital Transformation in the Customer Experience, looks at how digital transformation can help both service and manufacturing firms to deliver better customer experience.
This book will enhance readers’ understanding of the disruptive technologies that have brought businesses to their current digital state, including social media, artificial intelligence (AI), big data, machine learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Numerous examples and exhibits are employed to illustrate the book’s comprehensive digital framework. It presents case studies of digital implementation across diverse industries and provides implementation templates for businesses. Designed to support careers in consulting and the execution of digital strategies within companies, the book covers all essential aspects. To offer insights into practical digital transformation in real-world scenarios, the book incorporates case studies and examples spanning various industries. Its organized structure makes it accessible to students, instructors, and junior and mid-level executives. Furthermore, the book seeks to disseminate novel technical concepts and features that can be integrated into daily life for the betterment of society.
The book addresses important questions such as the relevance of e-service quality in customer satisfaction and loyalty, impact and effect of adware, malware and spyware on the digital environment, the Internet of Everything in marketing, digital entertainment, digital transformation in healthcare and more. The book also covers the impact of digitalization on education, finance and banking as well as the hospitality industry. Sensitive topics like the influence of Facebook on consumer engagement and the impact of social media marketing communications on teenagers’ attitudes, etc. are also addressed in the book.
The purpose of this study is to examine Relationship Marketing and its Effect on Customer Loyalty. Therefore, the study aims at providing a better understanding of employees’ thoughts and attitudes towards relationship marketing in reference to the bank.
This can contribute to the tailoring of a suitable relationship marketing system that provides concrete guidelines and practical steps that can be used to improve the system in UMB Koforidua, Ghana. In this era, organizations are taking steps to successfully address the negative view of marketing, and relationship marketing seems like a great key. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The population of interest consists of 41 staff members of Universal Merchant Bank, Koforidua branch. A Census Study was undertaken to interview the total population. Data was collected using structured questionnaires. The data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) into frequency distribution and percentages. The data was presented using tables. The findings on the different approaches of relationship marketing in maintaining relationship with customers showed that customers appreciate the systems, but will still want more to be done, and this opinion is also backed by the staffs of the bank.
Conclusions and recommendations have been highlighted in the chapter 5 as they depict the effects on all major aspects of the study. Customer services are properly rendered to customers in a good manner, and a good manner of communication is maintained when trying to solve a
problem no matter the tension.
The sharing economy offers potential economic, social, and environmental benefits, yet participation is not universal. Our research, based on a survey of 873 individuals across three generations in the Czech Republic, investigates the barriers that limit engagement and how these vary across different generations. We examine supply and demand side barriers, identifying four key components on each side (Principal Component Analysis). On the supply side, these include user uncertainty, personal uncertainty, uncertainty from lack of information, and uncertainty from the platform. On the demand side, we identified user uncertainty, personal uncertainty, uncertainty from perceived value, and uncertainty from operational risks. Our findings reveal significant generational differences concerning these barriers. On the supply side, the first three components show statistically significant differences between generations. On the demand side, we found substantial differences for the second and fourth components. The implications of our research suggest that peer-to-peer platforms could benefit from employing generational marketing strategies to address these barriers, thereby increasing their e-commerce volume.
Small travel agencies (STAs) play a pivotal role in the tourism sector but are facing an existential crisis due to the slow adoption of digital marketing. This study therefore explores the adoption of digital marketing among STAs, an entity whose perspectives do not find much place in the published academic literature. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted to explore the factors that trigger the adoption of digital marketing among STAs. Themes were identified from the rich data collected from 25 owners or senior executives of STAs of India through semi-structured interviews. The findings of the study validated the role of digital marketing and its positive impact on organisational performance. The study offers insightful theoretical and practical implications.
Purpose
The study investigates the role of e-commerce adoption on Ghana’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) business performance.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 309 owner-managers of entrepreneurial SMEs was employed using LISREL to determine the nature of the underlying relationships among the study constructs.
Findings
The findings show that adopting e-commerce significantly improves SMEs' performance. The study also found that trust effectively mediates the relationship between e-commerce adoption and SME business performance. Finally, the study found that firm agility moderates the relationship between e-commerce adoption and business performance.
Practical implications
The study recommends SMEs in Ghana seeking to grow their businesses capitalize on e-commerce capabilities to enhance their business performances while ensuring trusting relationships, especially in the delivery of e-commerce services consistently, to improve their contribution to overall business performance.
Originality/value
The findings would help managers of SMEs in Ghana to deliver optimum value in their e-commerce operations to improve their business performances in an uncertain world.
Innovative marketing (IM) drives success in small and medium enterprises (SMEs); however, the impact of sales promotions (SPs) remains a double-edged sword. This is the crux of this study, which examines the influence of IM and SP on SME performance in Ghana. Hierarchical regression analysis tested the hypotheses using a sample of SMEs registered with the Ghana Enterprises Agency. The results indicated a significant positive association between IM practices and SME performance. Contrary to expectations, SP exhibited a statistically significant negative association with SME performance. In addition, SP moderates the IM -performance link. The practical implication is that Ghanaian SMEs should synergistically integrate SPs and IM practices. This study addresses the pressing need for entrepreneurial marketing research grounded in the nuances of African economies, enriching the scholarly landscape.
The digital era has brought about a shift in consumer behaviour. This study offers an explanation for the purchasing decisions made by online shoppers using the ZALORA e-commerce platform. Exposure served to employ descriptive qualitative data collection to technique, observation, interview, and documentation. As a consequence of this, both internal and external factors have something to do with the effectiveness of consumer spending and the convenience of access. The desire and lifestyle of a person is the next factor, followed by the contribution of social media and a trend, the quality of the service, and the activities of marketing on a platform.
Saat ini e-commerce merupakan kekuatan utama dalam menggerakkan ekonomi digital dunia. Indonesia memiliki peran penting dalam perkembangan e-commerce khususnya di Asia Tenggara. Namun beberapa organisasi di Indonesia mengalami kesulitan pada proses transformasi digital di dalam tahapan adopsi e-commerce dan sering berujung pada kegagalan. Berdasarkan hal tersebut, tulisan ini bertujuan untuk memprediksi faktor-faktor yang memengaruhi keberhasilan adopsi e-commerce pada organisasi. Metode penelitian kuantitatif deduktif digunakan untuk menguji hipotesis secara statistika (SEM-PLS). Model TOEI (integrasi antara TOE framework dan konteks individu dari UTAUT) diajukan untuk memprediksi faktor-faktor yang memengaruhi keberhasilan adopsi e-commerce yang dilakukan oleh Perum BULOG. Ditemukan bahwa konteks teknologi memiliki pengaruh positif terhadap keberhasilan adopsi e-commerce. Konteks teknologi yang dimaksud adalah keunggulan relatif, kesesuaian, dan kerumitan. Sehingga organisasi perlu mempertimbangkan bahwa teknologi sebagai prediktor dan akselerator utama dalam keberhasilan tahapan adopsi e-commerce. Sementara konteks organisasi, environment dan individu ditemukan tidak memiliki pengaruh terhadap adopsi e-commerce.
Despite the proven potential of e-commerce in generating business competitiveness and performance, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) adopting that particular technology in developing countries such as Indonesia remains relatively low. It is critical to evaluate the obstacles, expose them, and find a way to overcome the issue, especially as the recent global pandemic of COVID-19 has impacted this sector to a great extent. The impact of COVID-19 on Indonesian SMEs and how they are dealing with it are highlighted in this paper, which is quite scarce and insufficient to cover the gap. Using a survey of 278 SME owners and/or managers in Indonesia, our study aims to explore the influence of technological, individual, organizational, and environmental factors on SMEs' adoption of e-commerce and business performance. We use PLS to explore the relationships proposed in our framework model. The results of this study revealed that technological, individual, organizational, and environmental factors positively affect the adoption of e-commerce. The findings also confirmed that technological, organizational, and environmental factors are the determinant factors that affect Indonesian SMEs' performance. Interestingly, the study did not prove the direct effect of individual characteristics on performance. It indicates that the performances and innovativeness of SMEs within our study are more rooted in their organizational setting rather than individual.
E-commerce has become an increasingly popular form of consumption, with many factors influencing consumeracceptance. The paper is a systematic literature review to explore the adoption of e-commerce by localcooperatives in Morocco and to identify the factors that influence this adoption process based on the technologyacceptance model (TAM) which is often used to study e-commerce adoption, focusing on his two key factors:Recognized technology usefulness, Ease of use of perceived technology. Research also shows that externalfactors such as social pressure and resource availability can influence e-commerce adoption. We conductedextensive searches in electronic databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using apredefined set of keywords. We included qualitative and quantitative studies published between 2015 and 2022.The findings of this review indicate that the adoption of e-commerce by local cooperatives in Morocco isinfluenced by several factors, including perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived trust, perceivedrisk, and social influence. Moreover, the results suggest that the majority of local cooperatives in Morocco arestill in the early stages of e-commerce adoption, and face significant challenges related to infrastructure, internetconnectivity, and lack of technical skills. The practical implications of this study are significant, as it providesvaluable insights for local cooperatives in Morocco to develop and implement effective e-commerce strategies.Specifically, our findings suggest that local cooperatives need to invest in improving their technologicalinfrastructure, enhancing trust and security measures, and providing training and support to their members toincrease their technical skills and knowledge
In order to enhance the competitiveness of the manufacturing industry in the face of the great turning point of the 4th Industrial Revolution, governments around the world are making great efforts to spread smart factories to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that influence SME executives’ intentions to adopt a smart factory. To this end, a research model was developed based on the technology acceptance model (TAM), the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework, and resource dependence theory (RDT). Data from 175 valid questionnaires were collected from SME executives in Korea and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results of the analysis indicated that perceived usefulness did not influence SME executives’ intentions to adopt a smart factory. However, the perceived importance extracted from the RDT had a strong impact on SME executives’ intention to adopt a smart factory. As a result of the study, we identified practical implications for SMEs’ adoption of smart factories.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of e-business on the productivity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The study focused on two variables: the independent variable was e-business, which consisted of four dimensions - purchasing and warehousing cycle, information systems, human resources capabilities, and e-marketing; while the dependent variable was productivity. The study employed a comprehensive sample and distributed 120 questionnaires to all employees using Google forms. The study received 108 completed questionnaires, representing a response rate of 90%.The researcher used the descriptive-analytical method and appropriate statistical techniques in SPSS to test the hypotheses and achieve the study objectives. The main finding of the study was that implementing e-business dimensions, including purchasing and warehousing cycle, information systems, human resources capabilities, and e-marketing, had a significant impact on productivity. The e-business dimensions contributed to approximately 69.9% of productivity, with information systems having the highest contribution to productivity. Additionally, the company demonstrated a strong perspective towards purchasing and warehousing systems as one of the e-business dimensions.The study concluded with several recommendations, including conducting a needs assessment to identify the company’s e-business requirements and using high-tech tools to manage information without the need for office work.KeywordsE-BusinessproductivitySME’s“Kiddy Zone” CompanyQatar
This study offers a systematic review to identify the facilitators and barriers to African Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs’) adoption of e-commerce and proposes an integrated e-commerce adoption framework. The review integrates two widely used theoretical frameworks, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), into the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework. Following a rigorous literature search and careful evaluation in accordance with the PRISMA-P standards, 21 studies that were published between 2012 and 2022 were selected for inclusion in this study. The findings identified several key facilitators and barriers to e-commerce adoption. Facilitators include perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), subjective norms (SU), perceived behavioral control (PBC), compatibility, organizational readiness for change, external support, security and trust, market and competitive pressures, access to reliable internet connectivity, social and cultural factors, economic factors, government policies, and education and training. Barriers include perceived technology trust, perceived relative advantage, firm size, senior management support, attitude, SME owners' IT skills, consumer readiness, etc. The proposed integrated TOE framework will offer valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners seeking to enhance e-commerce adoption and its benefits for African SMEs. The study's discussion provides insights into the patterns and trends identified, their theoretical implications, and practical recommendations for policymakers and SMEs in Africa.
Purpose
This study examines the vital factors that influence digital marketing adoption among small travel agencies (brick-and-mortar) and the impact of digital marketing adoption on organizational performance modeled as a formative-formative HOC.
Design/methodology/approach
This empirical study builds on diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory and technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework to identify the factors of digital marketing adoption by small travel agencies. Data were collected from 226 small travel agents in India using purposive and snowball sampling. Partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is used to analyze the reflectively and formatively measured constructs.
Findings
The findings reveal significant constructs of digital marketing adoption by small travel agencies. The study also establishes the positive impact of digital marketing adoption on organizational performance. Trust partially mediates the impact of technological factors (relative advantage, security concerns) and organizational factor (knowledge) on digital marketing adoption.
Research limitations/implications
The study provides methodological contribution to the literature by applying confirmatory composite analysis (CCA) approach in PLS-SEM. The study contributes to the literature by integrating DOI theory and TOE framework. The study enriches the literature on trust as it recognizes the crucial role of trust as a mediating construct.
Practical implications
The study provides useful implications to marketing practitioners of small travel agencies. The study shows strong predictive capacity and can be generalized throughout diverse samples.
Originality/value
The study adds value to the literature as it explores the digital marketing adoption among the under researched small travel agencies by integrating DOI-TOE theory. The study uniquely proposes and validates organizational performance as a formative-formative higher-order construct.
The objective of this article was to analyze the factors that influence micro, small and medium-sized Mexican companies in the adoption of e-commerce. Data from the 2019 Economic Census, conducted by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography, were used. The sample included 135 775 companies that reported online revenues in 2019. For the analysis of the information, Tornatzky and Fleischer's technology, organization and environment framework was taken as a basis, and a multiple linear regression model by firm size was created. The results reveal that firm size, cash sales, having a website and intranet access have a negative relationship for e-commerce adoption, while access to and use of e-mail, computers and the Internet have a positive relationship. This is because technological integration becomes less important as the company grows, going from being a facilitator to an inhibitor of the acceptance of online sales. This paper demonstrates that technological, organizational and environmental characteristics have significant effects on the adoption of e-commerce by MSMEs in Mexico; the findings may be of help to owners and managers, as well as to policy makers in Mexico responsible for expanding the number of firms adopting e-commerce.
Social media is constantly changing the business landscape across all economic sectors. Given this, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are leveraging this to give their businesses a new trend. In emerging economies, however, the rate of adoption and integration of social media among small and medium enterprises appears to have lagged due to a multitude of factors. Drawing on the technology organization and environment (TOE) framework, the purpose of this study was to investigate the factors affecting social media application adoption and their impact on SMEs’ sustainability in Ghana’s context. Data was collected from 430 managers of SMEs in Ghana using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using a PLS-SEM. Findings revealed that cost-effectiveness, customer pressure, employees’ competence, financial resource availability, and leaders’ support positively influence social media adoption, while social media adoption also impacts SME firms’ sustainability. A negative effect was, however, observed for factors like industry pressure, perceived complexity, relative advantage, and perceived compatibility. This study contributes to the rising deployment of social media by businesses to improve their competitiveness. The implications of the research are also discussed.
The world is flat with Electronic Commerce moving it into new terrains of information exchange and means of conducting business activities. The acceptance of Electronic Commerce as an IT infrastructure depends on the users' conscious assessment of the influencing constructs as could be depicted in Technology Acceptance Model (TAM),Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT), and Technology-Organization-Environment (T-O-E) model. The paper accused TAM and TPB of being traditional and utilitarian-based. Though TPB adds the constructs of perceived behavioral control and subjective norms to the original TAM's characteristic constructs of perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU), both predominantly base analysis on attitudinal variables and view EC as purely productivity tool, communication mediator, or intelligent decision-making partners. Further, TO -E model adds such descriptive constructs as firm's size, consumer readiness, trading partners' readiness, competitive pressure and scope of business operations. In order to make for better explanatory and predictive values, TAM need be integrated with other IT theories that incorporated decision-makers' social and idiosyncratic characteristics. This paper adds to existing body of knowledge on IT acceptance behavior and provides bases for more informed decision by offering such new constructs as company mission, individual difference factors, perceived trust, and perceived service quality. The proposed improved TAM and TO -E Model of Innovation Adoption and Use combines the constructs to form a richer theoretical framework that guides the understanding, explanation and prediction of adoption and use behaviors of IT in an organized system. Abstract: High technology firms sense pressure to constantly innovate and deliver goods and services to the marketplace. Most product introductions do not deliver long-term growing revenue streams or contribute to overall profitability. This study aids in understanding the importance of a new high-technology product, in the B2B sector, attaining a critical mass of customers (industry-wide) by modeling the influences driving technology adoption and development (inflow and outflow models). The paper presents a framework explaining the forces that create a critical mass of customers and the benefits flowing from critical mass in the high-technology arena. The paper's models aid by providing an understanding of delivered product technology marketplace success: short-term vs. long-term. The paper focuses on how firms should scan to determine viability of long-term success and how to invest in products accordingly. Implications to managerial decisions regarding new product launches are provided.
This paper discusses the characteristics, contributions of SMEs to economic development, and the constraints to SME development in developing countries with particular reference to Ghana and South Africa. SMEs in Ghana have been noted to provide about 85% of manufacturing employment of Ghana. They are also believed to contribute about 70% to Ghana's GDP and account for about 92% of businesses in Ghana. In the Republic of South Africa, it is estimated that 91% of the formal business entities are SMEs. They also contribute between 52 to 57% to GDP and provide about 61% to employment. Notwithstanding the recognition of the important roles SMEs play in these countries, their development is largely constrained by a number of factors, such as lack of access to appropriate technology; limited access to international markets, the existence of laws, regulations and rules that impede the development of the sector; weak institutional capacity, lack of management skills and training, and most importantly finance. The paper provides some relevant recommendations to policy makers, development agencies, entrepreneurs, and SME managers to ascertain the appropriate strategy to improve the SME sector in these countries.
The information superhighway pinnacled as the internet has significantly altered many aspects of life especially in the areas of banking, commerce, work and employment, transportation, entertainment, community life, family life, human relationships, education, freedom, democracy, and many more. The Internet Technologies provide communication tools and services, with distinct characteristics and communication capabilities that allow individuals and organizations to use them either independently or jointly, to achieve multiple communication goals. While the internet technology continues to develop as an important aspect of Ghanaian life, it becomes increasingly important to understand the behaviors of internet users in order to effectively market to its target audience. The objective of this study is to review the adoption and penetration of internet usage in Ghana and evaluate the current internet usage by various working folks in the country. The study shows that 45.6% use internet frequently for educational purpose, 33.75% frequently use it for news; and only 6.35% frequently use the internet for commerce.
Research dealing with various aspects of* the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1985,
1987) is reviewed, and some unresolved issues are discussed. In broad terms, the theory is
found to be well supported by empirical evidence. Intentions to perform behaviors of different
kinds can be predicted with high accuracy from attitudes toward the behavior, subjective
norms, and perceived behavioral control; and these intentions, together with perceptions of
behavioral control, account for considerable variance in actual behavior. Attitudes, subjective
norms, and perceived behavioral control are shown to be related to appropriate sets of salient
behavioral, normative, and control beliefs about the behavior, but the exact nature of these
relations is still uncertain. Expectancy value formulations are found to be only partly
successful in dealing with these relations. Optimal rescaling of expectancy and value
measures is offered as a means of dealing with measurement limitations. Finally, inclusion of
past behavior in the prediction equation is shown to provide a means of testing the theory*s
sufficiency, another issue that remains unresolved. The limited available evidence concerning
this question shows that the theory is predicting behavior quite well in comparison to the
ceiling imposed by behavioral reliability.
This study sought to ascertain what key international and local triggers accelerated or militated against their e-business adoption process in Ghanaian non-traditional export (NTE) firms. The macro international trigger explored was competition from exporters in other countries as well as an ascertainment of the significance of export direction. The macro level trigger explored hinged on the level of infrastructural support available for e-business adoption and deployment. Study focused on active non-traditional exporters in Accra. 60 firms responded to questionnaires on e-business and exporting. Analysis of the data was mainly by means of descriptive statistics. Competition acts as a trigger for e-business adoption even though its relationship to the level of internationalization could not be clearly established. E-business is important for Ghanaian exporters irrespective of where they are exporting to and they seem prepared to go electronic irrespective of the level of infrastructural sophistication within and without their export firms.
Limthongchai, P., & M. Speece. 2003. The Effect of Perceived Characteristics of Innovation on E-Commerce Adoption by SMEs in Thailand. In: Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Global Business and Economic Development, Bangkok, Thailand, January 2003, pp. 1573-1585.
The study investigates factors that effect E-commerce adoption rate by Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Thailand. Based on Rogers' Innovation Diffusion theoretical framework, five perceived characteristics of innovation are considered as factors affect E-commerce adoption rate. Security and Confidentiality is additional variable investigated this research. A multiple regression was conducted and the result shows that four characteristics of innovation – relative advantage, compatibility, security/confidentiality and observability – were positively related to the rate of E-commerce adoption by Thai SMEs.
Individuals' knowledge does not transform easily into organizational knowledge even with the implementation of knowledge repositories. Rather, individuals tend to hoard knowledge for various reasons. The aim of this study is to develop an integrative understanding of the factors supporting or inhibiting individuals' knowledge-sharing intentions. We employ as our theoretical framework the theory of reasoned action (TRA), and augment it with extrinsic motivators, social-psychological forces and organizational climate factors that are believed to influence individuals' knowledge-sharing intentions. Through a field survey of 154 managers from 27 Korean organizations, we confirm our hypothesis that attitudes toward and subjective norms with regard to knowledge sharing as well as organizational climate affect individuals' intentions to share knowledge. Additionally, we find that anticipated reciprocal relationships affect individuals' attitudes toward knowledge sharing while both sense of self-worth and organizational climate affect subjective norms. Contrary to common belief, we find anticipated extrinsic rewards exert a negative effect on individuals' knowledge-sharing attitudes.
Today, information technology (IT) is universally regarded as an essential tool in enhancing the competitiveness of the economy of a country. There is consensus that IT has significant effects on the productivity of firms. These effects will only be realized if, and when, IT are widely spread and used. It is essential to understand the determinants of IT adoption. Consequently it is necessary to know the theoretical models. There are few reviews in the literature about the comparison of IT adoption models at the individual level, and to the best of our knowledge there are even fewer at the firm level. This review will fill this gap. In this study, we review theories for adoption models at the firm level used in information systems literature and discuss two prominent models: diffusion on innovation (DOI) theory, and the technology, organization, and environment (TOE) framework. The DOI found that individual characteristics, internal characteristics of organizational structure, and external characteristics of the organization are important antecedents to organizational innovativeness. The TOE framework identifies three aspects of an enterprise's context that influence the process by which it adopts and implements a technological innovation: technological context, organizational context, and environmental context. We made a thorough analysis of the TOE framework, analysing the studies that used only this theory and the studies that combine the TOE framework with other theories such as: DOI, institutional theory, and the Iacovou, Benbasat, and Dexter model. The institutional theory helps us to understand the factors that influence the adoption of interorganizational systems (IOSs); it postulates that mimetic, coercive, and normative institutional pressures existing in an institutionalized environment may influence the organization's predisposition toward an IT-based interorganizational system. The Iacovou, Benbasat, and Dexter model, analyses IOSs characteristics that influence firms to adopt IT innovations. It is based on three contexts: perceived benefits, organizational readiness, and external pressure. The analysis of these models takes into account the empirical literature, and the difference between independent and dependent variables. The paper also makes recommendations for future research. Keywords: information technology, diffusion of innovations (DOI) theory, technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework, interorganizational systems (IOSs), institutional theory
We undertook a review and classification of research on electronic commerce (e-commerce) in developing countries. We analyzed 181 articles published in a broad range of journals covering e-commerce, global information technology, and development issues. The analysis provides a roadmap that not only indicates the current state of e-commerce for development research but also identifies gaps and priorities for future research. This will be of significant value to both academics and practitioners who are working on, or plan to work on, e-commerce in developing countries.
Airline companies have increasingly employed electronic commerce (eCommerce) for strategic purposes, most notably in order to achieve long-term competitive advantage and global competitiveness by enhancing customer satisfaction as well as marketing efficacy and managerial efficiency. eCommerce has now emerged as possibly the most representative distribution channel in the airline industry. In this study, we describe an extended technology acceptance model (TAM), which integrates subjective norms and electronic trust (eTrust) into the model, in order to determine their relevance to the acceptance of airline business-to-customer (B2C) eCommerce websites (AB2CEWS). The proposed research model was tested empirically using data collected from a survey of customers who had utilized B2C eCommerce websites of two representative airline companies in South Korea (i.e., KAL and ASIANA) for the purpose of purchasing air tickets. Path analysis was employed in order to assess the significance and strength of the hypothesized causal relationships between subjective norms, eTrust, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude toward use, and intention to reuse. Our results provide general support for an extended TAM, and also confirmed its robustness in predicting customers' intention to reuse AB2CEWS. Valuable information was found from our results regarding the management of AB2CEWS in the formulation of airlines' Internet marketing strategies.
A comprehensive introduction to the underlying technologies of e-commerce
This book explores the full range of technologies, protocols, and techniques necessary for building successful e-commerce sites. The authors begin with an overview of the Internet and the Web, then quickly move on to explain server-side programming techniques, cryptography and Internet security, and how to take advantage of leading-edge technologies such as mobile agents, WAP, XML, and data mining tools. Placing this technical know-how in business context, the authors then walk readers through actual e-commerce applications, from Internet payment systems to Web advertising and publishing. A running case study depicting a Virtual Book Store (VBS), step-by-step programming exercises, and real-world examples round out this highly practical, easily accessible guide.
In this study, we extend the decomposed theory of planned behavior (DTPB) by incorporating trust and examining its impact on an individual's intention to adopt Internet banking. A majority of the technology adoption research has been completed in developed countries such as the U.S. Overall, the results indicate that the proposed model provides a good understanding of factors that influence the intention to use Internet banking. From a theoretical perspective, the findings help further our understanding of the constructs that impact technology adoption in an under researched area: developing countries. It also confirms the multidimensionality of trust and its role in the adoption of Internet banking. From a practical perspective, the findings can help banks who wish to offer Internet banking services make informed decisions about what actions they can take to increase their chances of success.
Most methodological fields undertake regular critical reflections to ensure rigorous research and publication practices, and, consequently, acceptance in their domain. Interestingly, relatively little attention has been paid to assessing the use of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in marketing researchdespite its increasing popularity in recent years. To fill this gap, we conducted an extensive search in the 30 top ranked marketing journals that allowed us to identify 204 PLS-SEM applications published in a 30-year period (1981 to 2010). A critical analysis of these articles addresses, amongst others, the following key methodological issues: reasons for using PLS-SEM, data and model characteristics, outer and inner model evaluations, and reporting. We also provide an overview of the interdependencies between researchers’ choices, identify potential problem areas, and discuss their implications. On the basis of our findings, we provide comprehensive guidelines to aid researchers in avoiding common pitfalls in PLS-SEM use. This study is important for researchers and practitioners, as PLS-SEM requires several critical choices that, if not made correctly, can lead to improper findings, interpretations, and conclusions.
In recent years globalization has become the subject of fervent debate, intensified by the spread of low-cost information and communications technologies (ICTs), particularly the Internet. On the one hand, crossborder flows of capital, labor, and information may be leading to convergence in how economic activities are organized, reducing the role of the state and its ability to control and guide its own economic development. There are fears that globalization is causing serious economic dislocation as competition intensifies and trade imbalances grow. On the other hand, culture, history, regulation, and other local factors may limit economic convergence, preserving national differences and creating unique capabilities and comparative advantages. The spread of low-cost ICTs, particularly the Internet, accelerates the convergence process by facilitating cross-border information flows and coordination of economic activities. Excitement about the Internet’s potential for improving quality of life and bolstering overall economic health is, however, tempered by concern over its potential for worsening the perceived threats of globalization. The United States has played a key role in developing Internet technologies and applying them to create new models of e-commerce – uses of the Internet for business activities such as buying, selling, and providing support for products and services in the firm’s value chain. US firms have been supported in these efforts by favorable government policies, a largely deregulated telecommunications market, a dynamic venture capital market, and positive attitudes toward information technology. US companies have used the Internet to create new businesses, transform old ones, and coordinate global production networks. © Cambridge University Press 2006 and Cambridge University Press 2009.
Many of the pioneers of Internet business, both dot-corns and established companies, have competed in ways that violate nearly every precept of good strategy. Rather than focus on profits, they have chased customers indiscriminately through discounting, channel incentives, and advertising. Rather than concentrate on delivering value that earns an attractive price from customers, they have pursued indirect revenues such as advertising and click-through fees. Rather than make trade-offs, they have rushed to offer every conceivable product or service. It did not have to be this way - and it does not have to be in the future. When it comes to reinforcing a distinctive strategy, Michael Porter argues, the Internet provides a better technological platform than previous generations of IT. Gaining competitive advantage does not require a radically new approach to business; it requires building on the proven principles of effective strategy. Porter argues that, contrary to recent thought, the Internet is not disruptive to most existing industries and established companies. It rarely nullifies important sources of competitive advantage in an industry; it off en makes them even more valuable. And as all companies embrace Internet technology, the Internet itself will be neutralized as a source of advantage. Robust competitive advantages will arise instead from traditional strengths such as unique products, proprietary content, and distinctive physical activities. Internet technology may be able to fortify those advantages, but it is unlikely to supplant them. Porter debunks such Internet myths as first-mover advantage, the power of virtual companies, and the multiplying rewards of network effects.. He disentangles the distorted signals from the marketplace, explains why the Internet complements rather than cannibalizes existing ways of doing business, and outlines strategic imperatives for dot-coms and traditional companies.
While e-commerce would seem to be a unique opportunity for poor countries with limited local markets to sell goods to richer nations, limited research is available on the current status of e-commerce efforts in Least Developed Countries (LDCs). This study reviewed the efforts of the nine countries identified by the UNDP as having the least technological capacity. Statistics provided by the UNDP demonstrate serious national infrastructure problems in each of the countries. Yet a survey of business web sites finds that all but one (Sudan) has some minimal e-commerce efforts underway. A survey sent to companies in three of these countries showed that many companies were being creative in where they were hosting their web sites and were able to keep their web costs low. Yet the vast majority also reported slow sales and a variety of local barriers to success. A review of the products they are offering on their sites found that the product mix might be particularly problematic. The author hopes the results of this study will suggest improved strategies for companies in LDCs seeking to use e-commerce to expand their markets.
This study explores the factors that affect e-commerce adoption in a developing country. It proposes a research model, based on perceived organizational e-readiness (POER) and perceived environmental e-readiness (PEER), that encompasses innovational, managerial, organizational, and environmental characteristics as determinants of e-commerce adoption and institutionalization. Based on survey data from 150 businesses in South Africa, it finds that initial e-commerce adoption is explained more by POER than by PEER, but PEER factors and POER commitment and governance variables explain the extent of institutionalization of e-commerce. The model links e-readiness to e-commerce adoption and suggests that a combination of PEER and POER factors affect e-commerce adoption. By implication, a multilevel model is essential to explicate the diffusion of e-commerce in developing countries. The results indicate that firms in developing countries should pay attention to both organizational and environmental considerations when making e-commerce adoption decisions. They also imply that investment in infrastructure development by governments and other agencies should go hand-in-hand with schemes for business development and managerial improvement at the organizational level.
Across industries, firms have adopted e-business initiatives to better manage their internal business processes as well as their interfaces with the environment. In this study, a unified framework that captures the antecedents of e-business adoption, adoption intensity, and performance outcomes is proposed and empirically tested using data collected from senior managers in four technology-intensive industries. Applying a framework that captures the intensity of e-business adoption across four business process domains, the authors find that the antecedents and performance outcomes of e-business adoption are best studied in a process-specific context. They find, for example, that while the communication and internal administration aspects of e-business positively affect performance outcomes, the more high-profile activities related to online order taking and e-procurement do not. The authors' findings provide the foundation for a more rigorous study of e-business.
E-commerce can be an important source of competitive advantage for most business organizations, especially small- and medium-sized (SMEs) businesses. Recently, researchers have focused on e-commerce adoption both in the United States and other countries. This study examines the factors that influence e-commerce adoption in Thailand. The results show that the major reason behind e-commerce non-adoption is that the organization is not ready to make that change because of cultural, technological, financial, and/or logistical reasons. Additionally, organizational readiness strongly influences e-commerce implementation, and managerial support and financial, logistical, and technological factors weigh heavily in determining if an SME in Thailand can pursue e-commerce implementation. We believe that the e-commerce adoption model in this study will have both managerial implication for practitioners in Thailand, as well as those in other developing countries, and academic implications for researchers who are interested in e-commerce adoption in developing countries.
User acceptance is one of the key fundamentals for development and success of virtual fitting room. This paper integrates the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology(UTAUT) model and perceived risk into a comprehensive model of online virtual fitting room adoption. To empirically test the model a survey is administered to 226 online virtual fitting room users. Structural equation modeling(SEM) is used to evaluate relationships between these concepts and intention to use. Results indicate performance expectancy , effort expectancy ,social influence and perceived risk all have a significant impact on online virtual fitting room intention. Security concerns and privacy concerns were shown to significantly influence perceived risk. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Information sharing is considered an important approach to increasing organizational efficiency and performance. With advances in information and communication technology, sharing information across organizations has become more feasible. In the public sector, government agencies are also aware of the importance of information sharing for addressing policy issues such as anti-terrorism and public health. However, information sharing can be a complex task. Identifying factors that influence information sharing is critical. In the literature, research in information sharing focuses on the interpersonal, intra-organizational, and inter-organizational levels. This paper reviews the current information-sharing research, discusses the factors affecting information sharing at the three levels, and provides summative frameworks. These frameworks provide a means to discover future research opportunities, and a systematic way for practitioners to identify key factors involved in successful information sharing.
Purpose
In this article the authors aim to investigate the moderating effects of gender in explaining intention to use mobile chat services.
Design/methodology/approach
An extended adoption model based on the technology acceptance model and theory of reasoned action is applied for pin‐pointing the antecedents of intention to use mobile chat services and for revealing cross‐gender differences. The hypotheses are tested on data from a survey of 684 users of mobile chat services.
Findings
The study results suggest that social norms and intrinsic motives such as enjoyment are important determinants of intention to use among female users, whereas extrinsic motives such as usefulness and – somewhat surprisingly – expressiveness are key drivers among men.
Research limitations/implications
The findings put renewed focus on non‐utilitarian motives and illuminate the role of gender in technology adoption.
Practical implications
The cross‐gender differences observed give several guidelines for mobile service developers and marketers in how to accommodate female versus male users.
Originality/value
The paper provides important and new insights both into mobile services adoption and into gender as an important segmentation variable in marketing.
Aims to give a broad overview of the wide range of uses of the Internet for business information. Identifies a selection of key sites, under broad subject categories and examines recent changes which have turned the Internet from an environment where business information was provided, largely for free, to one where much of the most valuable information is now charged for. Concludes that the Internet is a dynamic environment for business information research, where refined search strategies are necessary to maximise productivity and minimise time loss. Recommends an exploration of the guides to sources together with regular use, in order to become proficient in using the Internet for business intelligence.
This paper discusses a number of complex and currently unresolved conceptual issues arising in research on innovation in complex organizations. In an effort to link the issues they are approached through an exploration of the factors responsible for instability in empirical findings. Four separate sources of instability are defined and their theoretical and methodological implications are treated at some length. The analysis of the relative adoptability of innovations and the innovativeness of organizations are found to be related by mirror-image theoretical symmetry. The four sources of instability are seen to have the same implications for the development of a theory of adoptability. Seven prescriptions for research on innovation are suggested. Although this study suggests how one might arrive at a general theory of innovation, it does not actually construct any specific theory.
The research uses a structural equation model with latent variables to examine the role of computer self-efficacy and outcome expectancy in impacting job performance. Constructs measuring management support, ease of system use, and the previous computer experience of the user are used as antecedents to computer self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. The empirical results are generated using 524 responses to a questionnaire administered in a large hospital in the southeastern United States regarding its computer-based order entry system. These results provide empirical support for the theoretical role of computer self-efficacy and outcome expectancy positively impacting job performance. Further, the antecedents were found to have the expected positive impacts on computer self-efficacy and outcome expectancy.
The statistical tests used in the analysis of structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error are examined. A drawback of the commonly applied chi square test, in addition to the known problems related to sample size and power, is that it may indicate an increasing correspondence between the hypothesized model and the observed data as both the measurement properties and the relationship between constructs decline. Further, and contrary to common assertion, the risk of making a Type II error can be substantial even when the sample size is large. Moreover, the present testing methods are unable to assess a model's explanatory power. To overcome these problems, the authors develop and apply a testing system based on measures of shared variance within the structural model, measurement model, and overall model.
The major objective of this paper is to examine the determinants of collaborative commerce (c-commerce) adoption with special emphasis on Electrical and Electronic organizations in Malaysia. Original research using a self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 400 Malaysian organizations. Out of the 400 ques- tionnaires posted, 109 usable questionnaires were returned, yielding a response rate of 27.25%. Data were analysed by using correlation and multiple regression analysis. External environment, organization readiness and informa- tion sharing culture were found to be significant in affect- ing organ izations decision to adopt c-commerce. Information sharing culture factor was found to have the strongest influ- ence on the adoption of c-commerce, followed by organiza- tion readiness and external environment. Contrary to other tech- nology adoption studies, this research found that innovation attributes have no significant influence on the adoption of c-commerce. In terms of theoretical contributions, this study has ex- tended previous researches conducted in western countries and provides great potential by advancing the understanding be- tween the association of adoption factors and c-commerce adoption level. This research show that adoption studies could move beyond studying the factors based on traditional adoption models. Organizations planning to adopt c-commerce would also be able to applied strategies based on the findings from this research.
Getting an innovation adopted is difficult; a common problem is increasing the rate of its diffusion. Diffusion is the communication of an innovation through certain channels over time among members of a social system. It is a communication whose messages are concerned with new ideas; it is a process where participants create and share information to achieve a mutual understanding. Initial chapters of the book discuss the history of diffusion research, some major criticisms of diffusion research, and the meta-research procedures used in the book. This text is the third edition of this well-respected work. The first edition was published in 1962, and the fifth edition in 2003. The book's theoretical framework relies on the concepts of information and uncertainty. Uncertainty is the degree to which alternatives are perceived with respect to an event and the relative probabilities of these alternatives; uncertainty implies a lack of predictability and motivates an individual to seek information. A technological innovation embodies information, thus reducing uncertainty. Information affects uncertainty in a situation where a choice exists among alternatives; information about a technological innovation can be software information or innovation-evaluation information. An innovation is an idea, practice, or object that is perceived as new by an individual or an other unit of adoption; innovation presents an individual or organization with a new alternative(s) or new means of solving problems. Whether new alternatives are superior is not precisely known by problem solvers. Thus people seek new information. Information about new ideas is exchanged through a process of convergence involving interpersonal networks. Thus, diffusion of innovations is a social process that communicates perceived information about a new idea; it produces an alteration in the structure and function of a social system, producing social consequences. Diffusion has four elements: (1) an innovation that is perceived as new, (2) communication channels, (3) time, and (4) a social system (members jointly solving to accomplish a common goal). Diffusion systems can be centralized or decentralized. The innovation-development process has five steps passing from recognition of a need, through R&D, commercialization, diffusions and adoption, to consequences. Time enters the diffusion process in three ways: (1) innovation-decision process, (2) innovativeness, and (3) rate of the innovation's adoption. The innovation-decision process is an information-seeking and information-processing activity that motivates an individual to reduce uncertainty about the (dis)advantages of the innovation. There are five steps in the process: (1) knowledge for an adoption/rejection/implementation decision; (2) persuasion to form an attitude, (3) decision, (4) implementation, and (5) confirmation (reinforcement or rejection). Innovations can also be re-invented (changed or modified) by the user. The innovation-decision period is the time required to pass through the innovation-decision process. Rates of adoption of an innovation depend on (and can be predicted by) how its characteristics are perceived in terms of relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability. The diffusion effect is the increasing, cumulative pressure from interpersonal networks to adopt (or reject) an innovation. Overadoption is an innovation's adoption when experts suggest its rejection. Diffusion networks convey innovation-evaluation information to decrease uncertainty about an idea's use. The heart of the diffusion process is the modeling and imitation by potential adopters of their network partners who have adopted already. Change agents influence innovation decisions in a direction deemed desirable. Opinion leadership is the degree individuals influence others' attitudes
The small business sector of the UK economy is extremely important and the government expends considerable resources in providing support services for this sector. This paper investigated the reasons why SMEs move from traditional commerce to e-commerce, the efficacy of the support services and the barriers encountered by SMEs adopting e-commerce. The research methodology involved literature review and interviews with SMEs’ owner-managers and a UK Online business adviser. It was found that at least two “e-commerce stars” used by the government to promote its support services had in fact not used those services. The historical relationship problems between Business Link and SMEs were still causing problems. Cost was not seen as an inhibitor to adopting e-commerce. Some evidence was emerging that e-commerce may be able to save failing or struggling businesses. Other unexpected outcomes were that e-commerce had social benefits for SMEs’ owners in reducing working hours yet still increased sales.