E-business adoption in Iranian small and medium enterprises: Analyzing and prioritizing the extra-organizational factors

Abstract

The main purpose of this research is to investigate and prioritize the extra-organizational E-business adoption factors among Iranian small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The research is structured around the two dimensions of extraorganizational or exogenous factors. These dimensions are environmental factors (a set of economical, political, social,legal and market/industry issues) and technological factors (Ebusiness technologies characteristics). After conducting an indeep literature review and eliciting the potential adoption factors, we used a combination of the modified Delphi and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methods to explore the most important extra-organizational factors and ascertain their relative importance in expert's view. Results indicate that the effect of environmental factors on E-business adoption by Iranian SMEs is greater than technological factors. In the category of environmental factors, customer demand and supplier/partner pressure have the most impact, whereas the existence of supportive rules have the least effect on using Ebusiness. The study also shows that in the category of technological factors, implementation and maintenance cost of E-business rank last, while compatibility and awareness of potential benefits (relative advantages) of E-business are the most important adoption factors in Iranian SMEs.

ICTs for improving Iran’s national Competitiveness

“…However, there are, and would definitely be, barriers associated with SMEs implementing ICTs at a wider level in order to increase national competitiveness. Further literature can be found on the existing barriers to adoption of ICTs by Iranian SMEs (see Houraliet al, 2008;Sameni & Khoshalhan, 2009;Hajliet al, 2014;Yasin et al, 2014). For instance, ICT solutions and the technological sophistication brought by it should be cost-effective in order to make it possible for firms to implement it.…”

Conceptualizing Model of Factors Influencing Electronic Commerce Adoption in Iranian Family SMEs

“…11, No. 10; Despite the noticeable efforts clarifying EC adoption phenomenon in Iranian SMEs (i.e., Ghamatrasa, 2006;Ajdari, 2007;Afzal, 2008;Hajkarimi & Azizi, 2008;Sanayei & Rajabion, 2009 ;Ghorishi, 2009;Sameni & Khoshalhan, 2009;Abbasi, Sarlak, Ghorbani, & Esfehani, 2010;Ghobakhloo, Aranda, & Amando, 2011a;Ghobakhloo, Aranda, & Amando, 2011b;Hajli & Bugshan, 2012); there is almost no related study in family SMEs' context in Iran. Furthermore, the significant differences in terms of EC adoption, between large-sized and SMEs, Non-family SMEs and family SMEs, and also developing and developed countries had made the usage of existing SMEs' EC adoption models and findings not quite appropriate to explain EC adoption in family SMEs.…”

“…Zhu et al, 2003). In case of Iranian SMEs, Ghobakhloo et al (2011b), Afzal (2008), Sameni andKhoshalhan (2009), Sanayei andRajabion (2009) have done some related studies. These studies indicated that the lack of national readiness, in terms of technological, social, cultural, legal, logistical, and financial structures, was the major inhibitor stalling the uptake of EC in developing countries.…”

“…Compatibility Thong (1999), Karahanna et al,(1999), Beatty et al, (2001), Mirchandani and Motwani (2001), Kendall et al, (2001), Wu and Sawy (2003), Ching and Ellis (2004), Teo and Ranganathan (2004), Grandon and Pearson (2004) , Al-Qirim (2005), Wu and Wu (2005), Jeon et al,(2006), Huy and Filiatrault (2006), Chong (2006), Sparling et al, (2007), Al-Qirim (2007), Afzal (2008), Sameni and Khoshalhan (2009), Ghobakhloo et al,(2011b) Trialability Kendall et al, (2001), Wu and Sawy (2003), Zhang and Huang (2004), Wu and Wu (2005), Chong (2006), Sameni and Khoshalhan (2009) Observability Karahanna et al, (1999) Harrison D. et al, (1997), Venkatesh and Davis(2000), McKinney (2001-2002), Kula and Tatoglu (2003), Riemenschneider et al, (2003), Sarosa and Underwood (2005), Dawkins and Frass (2005), Ghamatrasa (2006), Celuch et al, (2007), Nasco et al, (2008), Abbasi et al,(2010), Niehm et al, (2010), HAJIHA, et al, (2010 www.ccsenet.org/ass Asian Social Science Vol. 11, No.…”

Assessing the challenges and opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Vietnamese apparel retail market

“…SMEs engaged in the apparel retail market suffer from inadequate organizational planning and sales strategies (Tetteh & Burn, 2001). In contrast to large firms, SMEs are different in terms of the scope of the products or service varieties available to the customers (Reynolds, Savage, & Williams, 1994;Sameni & Khoshalhan, 2009), as well as sales strategies, leading to the next research question:…”