An Empirical Study of the Factors Influencing ICT Adoption in SMEs

Abstract

ICT has the potential to radically change the way business is conducted, offering a competitive edge and a gateway to the global marketplace. The explosive growth of ICT has opened a vast arena providing opportunities for businesses, particularly SMEs to sell their products and service to a global audience than they would have been able to afford to reach using the traditional methods. This chapter reports on the empirical study of ICT adoption in small to medium-sized enterprises. The intention of the study is to present evidence on the factors that influence SMEs' decision to adopt ICT in business. The study is chosen because of the strategic importance of SMEs to the economy and their contribution in creating jobs cannot be over emphasized. The study uses in-depth case studies, conceptualized within the grounded theory method to generate thick description to explain the phenomenon. The study uses diffusion theory and the technology acceptance model as a basis for the theoretical framework.