Title: E-business assimilation in SMEs of China

Authors: Yi Wang, Xinping Shi

Addresses: Business School, Shantou University, 243 Daxue Rd., Shantou, Guangdong 515063, PR China. ' Department of Finance and Decision Sciences, School of Business, Hong Kong Baptist University, 9/F, The Wing Lung Bank Building for Business Studies, 34 Renfrew Rd., Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, PR China

Abstract: Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) that have already adopted e-business applications may vary significantly in terms of the scope and extent of incorporating e-business applications into their business processes and benefiting from them. Drawing upon innovation assimilation theory and TOE framework, this study develops a model to examine potential factors influencing e-business assimilation among China|s SMEs. Top Management Support (TMS), IT Readiness (ITR), Competition Intensity (CI) are proposed to influence two dimensions of e-business assimilation – breadth and depth. The results indicate that there are different effects of antecedents on e-business assimilation in SMEs of China.

Keywords: e-business assimilation; antecedents; SMEs; small and medium-sized enterprises; China; electronic business; top management support; IT readiness; information technology; competition intensity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEB.2009.028154

International Journal of Electronic Business, 2009 Vol.7 No.5, pp.512 - 535

Published online: 10 Sep 2009 *

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