Title: Linking ICT utilisation to SME's performance: miracle or mirage? The empirical evidence and lesson from Pakistan

Authors: Zulfiqar Hussain Pathan; Zeng Jianqiu; Faheem Gul Gilal; Shafaq Salam

Addresses: School of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, No. 10 Xitucheng, Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100786, China ' School of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, No. 10 Xitucheng, Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100786, China ' Donlinks School of Economics and Management, University of Science and Technology Beijing, No. 30, Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, 100083 Beijing, China ' School of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, No. 10 Xitucheng, Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100786, China

Abstract: The primary objective of this study is to explore the effect of information and communication technology (ICT) utilisations on the performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). To this end, we involved (N = 384) senior managers and executive staff of manufacturing SMEs sector of Pakistan. The results of structural equation modelling support the role of ICT utilisation. Notably, the technological development emerged as the strongest outcome of ICT usage followed by economic growth, SME's business performance and business expansion. Finally, the limitations, future research opportunities, and the managerial implications for the effect of ICT utilisation on the performance of SMEs are discussed in depth.

Keywords: small and medium enterprises; SMEs; information and communication technology; ICT; business performance; manufacturing sector; partial least square; PLS; Pakistan; economic growth; business expansion; technological development; information system.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISCM.2017.087987

International Journal of Information Systems and Change Management, 2017 Vol.9 No.2, pp.149 - 166

Received: 22 May 2017
Accepted: 22 Jul 2017
Published online: 13 Nov 2017 *

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