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This study aims to explore the determinants of digital technology adoption within micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) operating in a developing economy. Grounded in the theoretical frameworks of fit-viability and task-technology fit models, this study investigates the impact of environmental fit, task-technology fit and viability on the intention to adopt digital technologies among MSMEs.

This study validates the theoretical model using structural equation modeling, using data collected from 280 experienced respondents employed in the MSMEs in India.

The results indicate that both functional and symbolic benefits positively impact managers’ intention to adopt digital technology. However, subgroup analysis reveals that in the case of service enterprises, only functional benefits have a positive influence on managers’ intention to adopt digital technology. In addition, the findings underscore the crucial role of viability in shaping the intention to adopt digital technologies among MSMEs. This study highlights how functional and symbolic benefits motivate digital technology adoption in MSMEs.

There is a dearth of empirical studies investigating the factors influencing the adoption of digital technology by MSME firms, especially within the context of developing economies and specifically within the MSME domain. This study contributes to the theoretical discussion surrounding digital technology adoption among MSMEs in India. Through empirical research, it expands on the fit-viability model and formulates a technology adoption model within the MSME context.

A digital servitization ecosystem (DSE) is a cooperation model based on the concept of value cocreation. However, capability asymmetry among enterprises can lead to unfair benefit distribution and hinder value cocreation and digital service transformation. This paper aims to investigate the impact of the varying capabilities of enterprises (manufacturers, service providers and digital technology providers) on revenue distribution when these enterprises collaborate on digital servitization transformation. This analysis is performed from an ecosystem perspective to facilitate the stable development of DSEs.

The rise of DSEs has engendered extensive literature, and the distribution of benefits within DSEs is in dire need of new mechanisms to adapt to the new competitive environment. The importance of investment contribution, digital servitization level, digitalization level, risk-taking ability, digital servitization effort level and brand awareness is determined by combining the expert scoring method and the entropy value method to determine different weights for manufacturers, service providers and digital technology providers. The Shapley value is used to design the benefit distribution mechanism for stable cooperation among DSE enterprises, thus providing a more scientific basis for the development of cooperative relationships.

Digital servitization is a collaborative process that involves multienterprise activities, and it is significantly affected by digital servitization level and digitalization level. Moreover, constructing the modified Shapley value benefit distribution mechanism according to the relevant capabilities of digital servitization can promote the stable development of DSEs and value cocreation among members.

The main contributions of this study are as follows: First, it summarizes the stability-influencing factors of DSEs on the basis of empirical and literature research on the demand for enterprise digital servitization capabilities and transformation difficulties, delves deeper into the capability composition and cooperative relationship of DSE members and combines the expert scoring method and the entropy value method to determine the weighting to design the benefit distribution mechanism. Second, it reflects system stability and development by studying the revenue distribution of DSE members, thereby expanding the ecosystem construction and business model transformation of digital servitization in the existing research.

This paper examines the formation of pension plans from a corporate finance perspective. The theoretical underpinnings for selecting a defined‐benefit or defined‐contribution plan are discussed and used to form empirically testable hypotheses. Linear probability and logit models are used to identify corporate financial characteristics that affect the likelihood of forming a defined‐benefit or defined‐contribution plan. The results strongly indicate that firms with high degrees of debt and intangible assets are least likely to form defined‐benefit plans in a post‐reversion situation, while firm size enhances the probability of forming defined‐benefit plans. The growth in private retirement plans over the past quarter century has made pension fund management a critical concern for many financial managers. The total amount of assets in private pension plans amounted to approximately $150 billion in 1970, while this figure was about $2 trillion in 1989. A corresponding trend to this growth has been an acceleration in the formation of defined‐contribution plans relative to defined‐benefit plans. In 1975 about 29 percent of all plans were defined‐contribution plans, and 71 percent were defined‐benefit plans. In contrast, defined‐contribution plans comprised 55 percent of all plans in 1988, while 45 percent were defined‐benefit plans.1 Gustman and Steinmeier (1987) suggest that the shift to defined‐contribution plans in recent years may be attributable to shifts in jobs in the economy away from the manufacturing sector and toward the service sector. Furthermore, the role of unions, firm size, and administrative costs have also been sighted as factors which partially explain the economy wide shift toward defined‐contribution plans (see Gustman and Steinmeier (1989), Clark and McDermed (1990), and Kruse (1991)). In this paper, we address the pension choice by examining the formation of individual plans from a corporate finance perspective. Specifically, we examine the pension choice issue when firms are faced with making this decision after the termination of an overfunded defined‐benefit plan. The remainder of this paper is organized as follows. Section I discusses the possible motives for selecting one plan over the other, and develops testable hypotheses. The data and methodology are discussed in section II, while section III presents the empirical results. Section IV summarizes and concludes the paper.

This issue has an extended Benefits section. Manchester Advice provide a service to 48,000 people a year and for the last three years have been building a dossier of the rules, procedures and practices within the main benefit system which act as barriers to paid work and to activities, such as volunary work, study and training. Jean Betteridge (Welfare Rights Officer for Take Up, Training & Publicity, Manchester Advice) has produced a comprehensive analysis of benefit barriers to work. This article summarises the main points. A full version can be obtained from the author. Judy Scott

The potential impact of employee benefits on individuals and their dependants is significant and growing as new products and solutions come on to the market. The aim of this paper is to investigate how benefits impact on employees and the organization as a whole, and how organizations are choosing to inform their people about the type of benefits on offer.

Research conducted by AIG UK Benefits seeks to provide an insight into the current employee benefits environment and in particular to the areas highlighted above. The research consisted of a two‐stage study undertaken by the AIG UK corporate research and development team between November 2007 and January 2008.

The study highlights the differences between the perceptions of employers/HR professionals and employees when it comes to the awareness and understanding of the benefits on offer and asks whether employees are really to blame if they fail to appreciate the true value of their employers' voluntary employee benefits.

There is an opportunity for HR to improve benefits communications. The study looks at how one UK retailer has successfully implemented a strong communications program and presents steps that employers and reward professionals can take to improve their own benefits communications.

Investigates employee benefits on offer in the USA. Acknowledges that several benefits (such as social security payments) are required by law but focuses on voluntary or discretionary benefits, which may or may not be taxable, such as child care. Explores the purpose of these benefits, particularly from the employ’s point of view, as a tool for offering incentives and increasing motivation. Provides a brief overview of the history of benefits in the USA, the benefits on offer, the cost of benefit packages to employers, and tax consequences. Notes that the traditional benefit package was based on a male worker with a non‐working spouse and two children, which has not kept pace with demographics. Describes a typical household today as a two‐income family with children, with increased life expectancy and more elderly people. Concedes that benefit packages are beginning to change, particularly in relation to elder care and child care. Terms pick and mix benefits packages as cafeteria‐style benefit plans and outlines their advantages and disadvantages. Warns that more and more benefits are likely to be taxable.

Previous research has found that nonprofit organizations pay lower wages than do other organizations. This has been attributed to altruism on the part of workers who are willing to donate some of the value of their time to organizations that support causes in which they believe. This paper extends that analysis to the cost of fringe benefits. Do nonprofit organizations spend less on fringe benefits than do other organizations? Utilizing a data set containing information on wages and fringe benefits in the nonprofit sector we estimate a standard wage equation to test for such a relationship. We find that not only are nonprofit organizations spending less on fringe benefits than are other organizations, but that they are spending significantly less than would be predicted by the previous research on nonprofit wage differentials.

This article aims to review how one organization – Vinci – leveraged a strategic and integrated approach to employee benefits to unify three different businesses, each with their own, different set of T&Cs, employee benefits and benefit providers. This work was undertaken in the midst of economic recession that put significant pressure on the business to retain and reward its people.

The article provides best practice case evidence that outlines how effective employee consultation and buy‐in was generated, employee communication was delivered and understanding of the new employment package was disseminated to staff.

The paper demonstrates the positive and far‐reaching impact of the work to unify employee benefits provision across these merging organizations. With over 99 percent of employees signing their revised T&Cs and employees making savings of over £500,000 in tax and NICs (National Insurance Contributions), the work undertaken at the organization has, understandably, had a positive effect on employee turnover and overall levels of engagement.

The article presents a first‐hand account of the work carried out to bring the businesses together and ensure the company could offer a strong and engaging employment and benefits package.

The purpose of this research paper is to provide practitioners and researchers with guidance and ideas for benchmarking employee benefits in companies providing professional services. The research addressed employee benefits in multi‐owner accounting firms.

Data from a survey of a large number of multi‐owner accounting firms (CPA firms) were analyzed to examine professional employee benefits and to look at the relationship between firm size and benefits offered.

An analysis of survey results suggested that larger firms offer better benefits than smaller firms. Larger firms tend also to be more profitable. Various employee benefit metrics were examined.

The survey was limited to accounting firms in the United States, so the findings may have limited value for researchers and practitioners in other countries.

The better benefits offered by larger accounting firms may allow them to attract better personnel, possibly accounting for their greater profitability. If this is indeed true, then a good benefit package may well be a key success factor for accounting firms, and possibly for other professional services. Firms seeking to improve their competitive position may, therefore, find it advantageous to benchmark their professional employee benefits against the benefit packages of larger more profitable competitors.

This paper examines professional employee benefits in multi‐owner accounting firms and identifies metrics that could be useful to practitioners in benchmarking those benefits. The metrics identified and other findings may provide practitioners with ideas for benchmarking benefits in other professional service organizations.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the main elements of the existing framework of the UK welfare benefit system and the key changes that will be implemented under the Welfare Reform Act 2012 and its socio‐economic effects.

This paper outlines the structure of the key welfare benefits likely to be encountered by those with a neurological disability, the broad qualifying criteria and the interaction between various types of benefit. By comparison, it examines the elements of key significance that will take effect under Welfare Reform and the resulting impact on the various demographics of benefit claimants.

Since the merging of the UK's social security system with unemployment services, welfare legislation has seen countless changes, although the core underlying principles have remained largely the same along the way. The Government has committed to overhauling a complex benefit regime whilst counterbalancing the task of addressing the issues of budget deficit. In principle, the Government aims to deliver a more streamlined, cost‐effective benefit system, which will focus the greatest attention on the most vulnerable elements of our society. The most detrimental affect will be on unemployed, working‐age families; those that are perceived to have a greater advantage in the labour market.

The objective of this paper to raise awareness amongst professionals as to the benefits available to their clients to improve their financial and social position and to go some way to prepare for the potential impact of Welfare Reform.