The use and benefits of information communication technology by Polish small and medium sized enterprises

Abstract

Despite the significant contribution that information communication technology (ICT) has made to business, prior studies indicated that there is a large number of unsuccessful ICT implementations in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Moreover, literature also indicated that SMEs’ utilization of ICT tools is reported to be low worldwide, while that is also the case with Polish SMEs. This paper was aim to identify the ICT tools used by Polish SMEs, the areas in which they are used, and the benefits companies perceive from such use. Findings of this research study with 153 Polish SMEs suggest that the most popular ICT tool is email, used by 88% of surveyed entities. Emails contain knowledge and information that is not codified in any knowledge repository. The main area of enterprise where employees use new technologies is marketing, as confirmed by 44% of the surveyed entities. About 59% of the companies surveyed recognize that the use of new technologies brings benefits, which translate into an increase in the company's profits. To stimulate the development of SMEs Polish companies, this study found that it is important to support the development of modern ICT tools for economic growth.