Abstract
The adoption of E-Business by SMEs is a critical issue for economic development. More than 90% of world companies are SMEs and E-Business is widely recognized as a critical source of competitive advantage. Thus, it is important to understand why SMEs are lagging behind large firms in terms of E-Business adoption and assimilation. This chapter will attempt to search for explanations through a comprehensive analysis of main topics in terms of E-Business implementation, strategies and policy. It is believed that the inadequacy of existing E-Business adoption incentives and theoretical models may be due to SME specificity, as these companies are conditioned among other by resource availability and high CEOs/owners' dependency. Empirical evidence shows that SMEs have erratic behaviors in terms of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) investment and need external support to integrate E-Business in the overall strategy of the firm.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Small and Medium Enterprises |
| Subtitle of host publication | concepts, methodologies, tools, and applications |
| Publisher | IGI Global Publishing |
| Pages | 97-117 |
| Number of pages | 21 |
| Volume | 1 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781466638877 |
| ISBN (Print) | 1466638869, 9781466638860 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 30 Apr 2013 |
