The phenomenon of the Internet has forced businesses and organisations to examine their existing business practices and adopt new methods of working, both for existing and potential customers. This paper presents an analysis of a pilot study of 24 SMEs, which seeks to elicit the various determinants of employing ICTs and the level of sophistication of use. The paper analyses the approach used to facilitate the introduction and implementation of new technologies, with a view to achieving integration with business processes. The discussion, based on the initial findings, examines the circumstances for ICT success and strategic effects resulting from implementation and use of such technologies. A conceptual model provides a framework for determining the level of sophistication of SMEs in their exploitation of ICTs. The findings highlight that characteristics of the firm and industry sector are contributory factors to the extent of adoption and exploitation of ICTs by SMEs, to support business processes.

Outlines the process by which intergovernmental mechanisms for the regulation of civil aviation in Europe were replaced by European Community mechanisms. First, it describes the original preference of member‐state governments for national control of international air transport services. Then, it discusses the synergy between transnational industry actors and supranational organizations that conspired to undermine the status quo. Finally, it examines the EC policy‐making process, charting the response of member‐state governments to these pressures for Europeanization of the civil aviation sector.

This paper examines the impact of Internet technologies on value creation in the airline industry and focuses on the Internet strategies of two European low-cost and two traditional operators.• Four notable value drivers in the aviation context are identified, namely efficiency, complementarities, lock-in and novelty. • The Internet represents a powerful technology for commerce and communication between airlines and consumers and the paper highlights the implications for corporate strategists as customer expectations increase over time and the boundaries of the airline industry become increasingly blurred. SummaryThis paper examines how Internet technologies are impacting upon airline companies at the customer interface. The analysis focuses on a number of airline companies that have been exploiting Internet technologies. It is shown how airline operators are using the Internet to provide innovative exchange mechanisms and transaction structures with customers. The adoption of the Internet is increasing the expectations of customers as to what and how these organizations offer products and services. In fact, the Internet has become central to the strategic development of the airline companies analysed. The scope and boundaries of the airline industry have become less clear as a result of the adoption of Internet technologies at the customer interface. The offering of a range of products and services is creating industry convergence that has significant implications for the formulation of corporate strategy. Exploitation of the Internet at the customer interface has become a key catalyst in the transformation of the airline industry. Further exploitation of the Internet will lead to higher levels of sophistication that in turn will increase the expectations of the customer on what and how these organizations offer products and services.

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With over 2,000 participating firms, CAM-Benchmarking Ltd (http://www. cam-benchmarking.com) is one of the world's largest strategy benchmarking databases for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). This paper draws upon CAM data to show that in a geographical region suffering from the deleterious economic effects of peripherality real progress to convergence (in terms of firm performance) can be achieved through benchmarking. More specifically the paper shows that comprehensive benchmarking data can be used to close the information gap that small firms, relative to large firms, often have, and through this process boost individual firm, and hence overall regional, performance.