Title: The balancing acts in SME e-commerce development: a multiple case study

Authors: Jens Hultman, Lars Torsten Eriksson

Addresses: Jonkoping International Business School, P.O. Box 1026, SE-551 11, Sweden. ' Department of Business Administration, University of Gavle, SE-801 76, Sweden

Abstract: By applying a resource-based view on SME development and analysing empirical data collected from qualitative and longitudinal research on e-commerce development among 20 Swedish SMEs, the authors identify and discuss the post-adoption decision dilemmas – or Balancing Acts – faced by managers. The study contributes to the existing literature on SME e-commerce development by suggesting that SME management faces three major decision dilemmas: e-commerce capacity and competence development, e-commerce scope and e-commerce development drive. By outlining a set of managerial aspects of e-commerce development, we point out the contextual and resource dependence of SME management.

Keywords: e-commerce development; resource-based view; SMEs; small and medium-sized enterprises; post-adoption; decision dilemmas; balancing acts; electronic commerce; Sweden; context dependency; resource dependency.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEB.2008.021183

International Journal of Electronic Business, 2008 Vol.6 No.5, pp.476 - 497

Published online: 09 Nov 2008 *

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