Readiness for a Web Presence

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Author(s): Stephen Burgess (Victoria University, Australia), Carmine Carmine Sellitto (Victoria University, Australia)and Stan Karanasios (Leeds University Business School and AIMTech Research Group, UK)
Copyright: 2009
Pages: 26
Source title: Effective Web Presence Solutions for Small Businesses: Strategies for Successful Implementation
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Stephen Burgess (Victoria University, Australia), Carmine Sellitto (Victoria University, Australia)and Stan Karanasios (Leeds University Business School, AIMTech Research Group, UK)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-60566-224-4.ch003

Keywords: Business & Management / Business Science Reference / E-Business / Small & Medium Enterprises

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Abstract

The new global economy has resulted in the availability of unprecedented opportunities for small business. ICTs in particular have contributed to the underpinning of a revolutionary era of trade and commerce. The Internet in particular, and the ability to use the Web as a virtual shop front (having an online shop without physical premises) has not only allowed new forms of small businesses to emerge, but created an environment where they can compete with their larger counterparts. In what has been commonly become known as the new economy, one of the most fundamental tasks for small businesses is to investigate the usefulness and relevance of ICTs for their business. Furthermore, all small businesses need to assess their capacity to adopt ICTs allowing them to leverage the technology so that they are well positioned to expand their customer base, rationalize business processes and enter new markets. Porter (2001) observed at the height of the dot-com boom that it should be evident for many businesses that it was not whether to deploy ICTs, but how to use them as a competitive part of business strategy. In this chapter we first look at some of the main barriers and drivers of ICT adoption. We then move on to examine the notion of the “readiness” of small businesses to set up a Web presence. We will also examine previous studies that have examined adoption of ICTs in small businesses, for the purpose of identifying those drivers and barriers that can affect small business wishing to go down that path.

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