A Profile of Adopters and Non-adopters of eCommerce in SME Professional Service Firms

Abstract

The new spatial possibilities of Internet-based technologies provide a powerful route to innovative marketing strategies. Consequently, firms of all sizes are finding it necessary to establish a Web presence to increase their ability to survive in an increasingly dynamic and competitive business environment. This study reports on the differences between adopters and non-adopters of electronic commerce in SME professional service firms in New Zealand. Six factors relating to a firm's external/internal environment were found to underpin adoption. These are: response to technological environment / opportunities afforded by technology; negative attitudes or perceived barriers/impediments to electronic commerce; electronic commerce capability; response to new technology/innovation; customer orientation; and sensitivity to competitive/customer environments. T-tests reveal differences between adopters and non-adopters, and logistic regression is used to assess the extent to which these six factors actually predict electronic commerce adoption.