Title: The impact of e-commerce on small Irish firms

Authors: Patrick Ibbotson, Martin Fahy

Addresses: University of Ulster at Coleraine, Coleraine, Co. Derry, BT52 1SA, UK. ' Department of Accountancy and Finance, NUI Galway, Ireland

Abstract: Electronic Commerce has the potential to transform the way business is conducted throughout the world. It can eliminate traditional constraints such as time, distance and location, enabling companies to launch themselves instantaneously into a global marketplace. This new business medium offers many benefits to both consumers and industry alike, such as cost reduction, convenience, improved services and relationship building. The attitudes of both consumers and businesses towards e-commerce must be altered if the potential benefits are to be realised. Many websites merely act as advertising and marketing mediums. Few organisations and in particular small firms are launching fully interactive sites due to the high degree of risk involved. Trust, security, consumer protection and confidentiality are elements of an e-business transaction that must be guaranteed if e-commerce is to feature significantly in the future business environment.

Keywords: e-commerce; SME; internationalisation; entrepreneurship; e-business adoption; born-global; internet usage; electronic commerce; electronic business; Ireland.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTM.2004.004845

International Journal of Services Technology and Management, 2004 Vol.5 No.4, pp.317 - 332

Published online: 07 Jul 2004 *

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