DIGITALIZATION OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES: MARKETING AND LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS OF E-COMMERCE

Abstract

This article improves theunderstanding of researchers and practitioners about theways of e-com-merce adoption by retailSMEs in Ukraine. The concept of electronic commerce is clarifiedand pro-posed to be defined from the value perspectiveandconsider e-commerce as the process of exchangingphysical anddigitalgoodsandserviceswith the use of Internet to transform the interaction betweenparticipants to createadditional value. It is definedthat e-commerceadoptionratesamongretailSMEsare significantlyslowcompared to otherdeveloping countries and the reasons for suchSMEs’ behaviorare underestimated.Thestimulating,inhibiting, or dual role of factorsaffecting e-commerce adoptionamongretailSMEs is highlighted.Thetechnology,organization,environment,andmanagerialgroupsof factors wereidentifiedand their nature and impact on the e-commerceadoptionwithin the retailSMEs’ activitieswereinvestigated. The conceptualframeworkbased on the TOEmodelwasdevelopedwhere the factorsaffecting e-commerce adoptionamongretail SMEs are considered. Theproposedconceptual framework enables the researchers totake into account the additionalmanagerialgroup of factors thereby overcoming the limitation of theTOEmodel thatdoesn’tconsiderindividual attributesof SMEs’ownersand top managers.Moreover,the conceptual model alsotakesinto account some of the institutional factors that help to identify the institutional forces of the sector whereUkrainian retailSMEs areoperating.Therefore, thedeveloped conceptual modelmakes scientificandmanagerial con-tributions anddeeps the knowledge about the roleanddegree of influence of various factors on e-com-merce adoptionamong retailSMEs in retail.Further research is to test the conceptual model to refine andverify its components to make scientificrecommendations for retailSMEs about e- commerce adop-tion. Theauthors proves the close connection betweenmarketing support andlogisticsservices, partic-ularly in the retail sector. Thechallenges of today necessitate thedigitalization of retail trade,especiallyin thefield of smallandmedium-sized enterprises