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The purpose of this study is to investigate the environmental and organizational factors that influence the intensity of electronic business adoption by contemporary organizations, and provide evidence regarding the relationship between e‐business adoption and organizational performance.

The study develops an integrative conceptual model of the antecedents and performance outcomes of e‐business adoption. The research model is subsequently tested empirically using data collected from 154 hotel companies. Structural equation modeling procedures were used to assess the psychometric properties of measurement scales and test research hypotheses.

The study findings indicate that customer power has the greatest impact on the intensity of e‐business adoption, followed by organizational learning ability, adhocracy culture, and top management emphasis. The results also suggest that companies that use the internet more extensively to perform a range of value‐chain activities achieve superior e‐business performance, and e‐business performance has a significant positive effect on organizational performance.

E‐business adoption can provide substantial benefits to companies including increased revenues, operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and relationship development. A thorough understanding of the factors that facilitate (or inhibit) e‐business adoption, and the provision of clear evidence regarding its potential impact on business performance, is critically important for firms that should invest significant financial and human resources in order to successfully implement these innovative technologies. The present study adds to the limited empirical work done in this area by simultaneously investigating the antecedents and outcomes of e‐business adoption, within the context of a highly competitive and rapidly evolving industry.

The purpose of this chapter is to analyse the theoretical work conducted in the fields of e-business adoption by small businesses in the UK. This chapter aims to explore the benefits and drawbacks that influence small businesses in adopting Internet-based e-business. We are thus responding to a need to recognise and measure the perceived importance of driving forces and barriers in the adoption of e-business solutions among small businesses. Currently, adoption of e-business is rapidly growing among business organisations throughout the world. Crucially, it is often seen as an essential strategic tool that attracts many companies in turning their traditional business strategy to e-business and as a more complex concept of interfirm cooperation.

A structured work was applied to synthesise a theoretical model. A meticulous search of available literature was conducted, focussing on key terms such as e-business adoption, benefits, drawbacks and small businesses in the UK. We identify that e-business adoption within small businesses is affected by perceived relative advantage, perceived compatibility, CEO’s innovativeness, information intensity, buyer/supplier pressure, support from technology vendors and competition. Furthermore, the value of such adoption depends on how, in the face of rapid growth, small businesses can effectively expand IT resources, strategic planning and business partnerships to develop e-business capability and business process competence. These are the key areas of activity which help adopting companies to achieve outstanding business performance. The findings of this study to date are presented within the limiting parameters of methodology based upon use of self-report scales to measure the constructs of the theoretical model. The main orientation of the work of this study is theoretical and sectional which provides a static picture of e-business adoption by small businesses – offering guiding practical insight and providing foundations for subsequent empirical study.

This chapter offers researchers a broader and more comprehensive view of the benefits and drawbacks that influence small businesses in adopting Internet-based e-business. Educators, researchers and practitioners will be all benefitted. In recent years, e-business has been adopted by many corporations to improve operational efficiency and profitability and to strengthen their competitive position and potential for survival in the new economic era (the information era).

This chapter discusses the use of an extended stage model for the evaluation of the adoption of e-business in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Empirical studies of e-business adoption are rare in Middle Eastern and developing countries and the chapter provides valuable insight into this region, by presenting an account of the use of the extended stage model to explore the level of e-business adoption among Yemeni SMEs.

In making this examination, the challenges and opportunities that accompany e-business adoption are revealed. The internal drivers and barriers, such as finance and skills, are recognised along with the external factors that include infrastructure and legislation. It also provides valuable insight into the macro-level sociopolitical determinants of e-business adoption that have not previously been appreciated; the study was undertaken during the Yemen Civil War in 2016.

Current adoption models imply that organisations adopt technologies in a linear fashion, gradually increasing complexity and capability. This study makes an important contribution by recognising that there are multiple points at which SMEs may ‘enter’ the technology-adoption ladder.

To examine the impact of organizational learning factors (training available, technical expertise, and knowledge level) and knowledge management processes (knowledge acquisition, knowledge application, and knowledge sharing) on e‐business systems adoption level.

The data from a survey of 202 IS executives in Taiwan were used empirically to test the proposed research model. Moreover, confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine the reliability and validity of the measurement model, and the structural equation modelling technique was used to evaluate the research model.

The analytical results showed that organizational learning factors and knowledge management processes are closely related to the level of e‐business systems adoption. However, knowledge sharing did not significantly affect e‐business systems adoption level.

Future studies could seek an enhanced understanding of the impacts on the level of e‐business adoption of the organizational learning and knowledge management factors investigated in this paper through structured interviews and case studies of IS executives dealing with ongoing or recently completed e‐business systems projects.

Owner/managers considering e‐business systems adoption would be best to focus on both social and technical factors, and their interaction within and beyond the organization, rather than focusing exclusively on technological considerations.

This paper has implications for e‐business managers or policy‐makers in formulating policies and targeting appropriate organizational capabilities to ensure effective adoption of e‐business systems.

In 2003 the authors investigated the level of adoption of e‐business by manufacturing firms in Europe. Four company strategies were identified based on different extents of adoption of internet‐based tools for interaction with customers and/or suppliers. The purpose of this paper is to replicate, those analyses using the new release of the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey (IMSS) IV. These new results are compared with previous ones in order to determine whether modeling previously described in the literature remains valid.

Data collected in Europe through IMSS III and IV are used. In particular, companies are clustered according to e‐business practices adopted in supply chain management (SCM) and the degree of adoption of e‐business between the two editions of the research is compared. A longitudinal analysis is also conducted using data from companies participating in both editions of the survey.

It is shown that the fundamental aspects of the modeling approach earlier proposed in the literature remain valid, with a higher average level of adoption of e‐business tools in the more recent edition of the study. However, the four‐cluster model is shown to be no longer valid. In the more recent dataset, three clusters emerge. They are characterized by different levels of adoption of e‐business, balanced between e‐commerce and e‐procurement. The longitudinal analysis shows that the firms participating in both editions of the research have changed their strategy, coherently to what the overall sample does.

This paper is focused on the assembly industry and only part of the sample is strictly longitudinal. Further research is needed to relate e‐business strategy with performance and to distinguish among the various tools available.

This paper also shows that the adoption of e‐business is increasing among small and medium firms, even if the practices adopted by any individual company remain limited. Results show that a cautious adoption is preferable to more radical implementation, since some firms have actually reduced their initial efforts to adopt e‐business.

The literature currently lacks extensive, longitudinal studies on e‐business strategies in SCM. The paper shows how the concept has rapidly evolved recently, and it modifies models that are proposed only a few years ago in the face of new data.

This paper seeks to investigate and provide empirical evidence of the interrelationships among network externalities, e‐business adoption and information asymmetry.

A conceptual model was proposed and tested using 307 completed interview cases selected from a database of 2,075 Chinese international trading companies published by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce for this study.

The results indicated that network externalities significantly influenced e‐business adoption and information asymmetry, and e‐business adoption influenced information asymmetry through information sharing and collection. A split sample analysis showed that cultural contexts significantly moderated the interrelationships among network externalities, e‐business adoption, and information asymmetry.

Data for this study were collected only from mainland China, therefore, non‐Chinese companies (foreign‐owned) operating in China may have been influenced by Chinese cultures and some of them have been localizing their operations in China. The influences of network externalities on business performance and decision making remain unclear. In addition, data were collected from self‐reported questionnaires, and thus may be subject to self‐reporting bias. Future studies should use more objective measurements to reduce the potential for self‐reporting bias.

This study contributes significantly to the literature by providing empirical evidence on interrelationships among network externalities, e‐business adoption, and information asymmetry. The findings in this study also provide valuable insights for managers to better understand the influence of network externalities on e‐business adoption.

This study contributes significantly to the literature by providing empirical evidence of the interrelationships among network externalities, e‐business adoption, and information asymmetry. The findings also provide managers with valuable insight into better understanding of the nature of these interrelationships.

The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize e‐business adoption and to generate understanding of the range of factors affecting the adoption process. The paper also aims at exploring the perceived impact of e‐business adoption on logistics‐related processes.

Case study research, by conducting in‐depth interviews in eight companies.

E‐business adoption is not exclusively a matter of resources. Increased e‐business adoption and impact are caused by increased operational compatibility, as well as increased levels of collaboration. In terms of e‐business impact this mainly refers to cycle time reductions and quality improvements, rather than direct cost reductions as reported by other authors.

The intrinsic weakness of the research method and the way concepts are operationalized limits the ability to generalize findings.

Managers should emphasize developing their relationships with their suppliers/customers, in an effort to do common e‐business investments, and should aim to increase their partners' commitment to the use of these applications.

This paper provides empirical evidence from a sector where limited research efforts have taken place. Explanations can be helpful to other researchers involved in the understanding of the adoption of e‐business and its impact.

The paper critiques a range of theories and evaluates their ability to provide a lens for explaining the idiosyncratic nature of small firms and their e‐business adoption decisions.

This literature review firstly summarises the existing research evidence that shows that small firms are idiosyncratic when it comes to e‐business adoption. It then critiques theories commonly used in the literature in this field to examine the extent to which they take this small firm idiosyncrasy into account when explaining e‐business adoption decisions.

The critical analysis shows that no commonly‐used theory adequately explains small firm adoption of e‐business because each omits important aspects of small firm idiosyncrasy. The analysis suggests that an integrated theoretical framework is needed. Preliminary ideas on this framework are provided.

Existing research generally applies a small number of selected theories and formulates research models of adoption factors. However, there is no systematic analysis of theories in this field and no consensus about theoretical frameworks. This paper addresses this limitation of the literature by critically evaluating the commonly used theories in terms of their individual suitability as lenses for explaining small firm e‐business adoption.

Nowadays, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are incrementally using e-business tools in order to compete in an extremely hostile market and gain global access. The importance of e-business adoption for the economic success and survival of SMEs creates a very interesting field of research. The purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically test a conceptual framework that investigates the factors affecting the e-business adoption decision in SMEs.

The examination of the proposed conceptual framework was made with the use of a newly developed structured questionnaire that was distributed to a group of Greek SMEs. The questionnaire was distributed to 600 companies, while 161 usable questionnaires were finally returned. exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, linear regression methods and the structural equation modelling (SEM) technique were used to test the research hypotheses.

The proposed model explains 71 per cent of the variance of e-business adoption, with firm size, firm scope, IT infrastructure and internet skills being the most important e-business adoption drivers (with firm size being the most significant). On the other hand, CEOs knowledge, adoption cost, and competitive pressure do not seem to play an important role in the e-business adoption decision.

A limitation stemming from the implemented methodology is the use of self report scales to measure the constructs of the proposed model. Moreover, the present paper lacks a longitudinal approach, since it is cross-sectional and provides a static picture of e-business adoption.

The paper makes an effort in order to point out areas that companies should emphasise in order to successfully adopt e-business and, therefore, harvest its potential benefits. Certain practical implications are offered in the final part of the paper.

First, the present study places SMEs in the centre of its attention, while the contemporary research mostly examines the implementation of e-business practices in large organisations. Second, the present study proposes a three-dimensional conceptual framework, including technological, organisational and environmental context. Such a multidimensional approach has randomly been explored in the existing literature. Third, the results of the study may be generalised in other developed countries with similar economic realities and yield interesting outcomes for practitioners in these countries.

The aim of this research paper is to evaluate the effect of knowledge management on the adoption of the e-business in the supply chain of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia.

Questionnaires were distributed to 200 Malaysian SMEs with a response rate of 68 percent. Data were analyzed by employing multiple regression analysis.

The results showed that knowledge management processes such as knowledge acquisition and knowledge application are significant in affecting Malaysian SMEs' decision to adopt e-business in their supply chain. Knowledge dissemination was found not to be significant in affecting the adoption of e-business among Malaysian SMEs.

This study has addressed the previous lack of literature on the relationship between knowledge management processes and e-business adoption among Malaysian SMEs.

Although existing literature has shown a relationship between knowledge management processes and technology adoption, this study empirically verifies an adoption model based on knowledge management processes. SMEs can use this model to do a pre-test baseline measurement and reassessment of effect by any KM changes on e-business adoption periodically. Organizations planning to adopt e-business would also be able to apply strategies based on the findings from this research.