Title: E-business value creation in Small and Medium Enterprises: a US study using the TOE framework

Authors: Kuang-Wei Wen, Yan Chen

Addresses: Information Systems Department, College of Business Administration, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 1725 State Street, La Crosse, WI 54601, USA. ' Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3202 N. Maryland Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA

Abstract: This research intended to identify the factors of and their impacts on e-business value creation in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). We followed the Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) theory of innovation diffusion and drew heavily upon Zhu et al. (2004) in developing a causal model for SMEs. The model was validated using data obtained from a survey of SMEs in an upper Midwestern metropolitan area. Our results supported the hypotheses that technology readiness and competition intensity have positive impact, and firm size has negative effect on e-business value. However, we also found that SMEs| financial resource appropriation for IT and regulatory environment had no impact on e-business value.

Keywords: SMEs; small and medium-sized enterprises; e-business value; information technology investment; technology-organisation-environment framework; TOE framework; USA; United States; electronic business; value creation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEB.2010.030717

International Journal of Electronic Business, 2010 Vol.8 No.1, pp.80 - 100

Published online: 31 Dec 2009 *

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