Analysis of factors that influence the ICT adoption by SMEs in Colombia

Carlos Osorio-Gallego,John Londoño-Metaute,Esteban López-Zapata

doi:10.3926/ic.726

Carlos Osorio-Gallego, John Londoño-Metaute + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3926/ic.726

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Journal: Intangible Capital	Publication Date: Apr 4, 2016
Citations: 40	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: University of Antioquia

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this article is to analyze the factors that influence the adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by SMEs in Colombia.Design/methodology: To prove empirically these hypotheses, we administered a questionnaire to a sample of 474 SMEs in Colombia regarding the adoption of ICT and independent variables identified in the literature. Then, we conducted a series of multiple regression models using the data we obtained.Findings: We developed a model that identifies a positive relation between new business opportunities that ICT offer and their adoption level. Likewise, this research identified that a lack of confidence in ICT's security and privacy, a perception of ICT cost-benefit unbalance have a negative impact on the implementation of these technologies.Research limitations/implications: This study has limitations that are inherent to cross-sectional research. These restrict the possibility of conducting dynamic analysis between independent and dependent variables. Likewise, the generalization of results is circumscribed to a geographical context and the type of enterprises surveyed.Practical implications: The results of this research provide valuable contributions to decision-making by SMEs' directors and to public policies that foster the implementation of ICT in SMEs based on an analysis of benefits and barriers found in this study.Originality/value: In view of a lack of empirical work that analyzes the implementation of technology in enterprises in emerging countries, this study provides a valuable contribution to the creation of knowledge when attempting to explain the implementation of ICT using a representative sample of SMEs in Colombia identifying the quantitative form of the impact of the benefits and barriers of these technologies.

Highlights

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), and specially, the use of Internet and Web services are changing rapidly the traditional way for companies to do business
In view of a lack of empirical work that analyzes the implementation of technology in enterprises in emerging countries, this study provides a valuable contribution to the creation of knowledge when attempting to explain the implementation of ICT using a representative sample of SMEs in Colombia identifying the quantitative form of the impact of the benefits and barriers of these technologies
When we review statistically significant results of the adoption of ICT in the individual models of each one of the technologies shown in Table 8, you find that the adoption of technologies as PCs, company email and Internet, are positively related with the relative advantage of the DOI model, and ecommerce is negatively associated

Summary

Introduction

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), and specially, the use of Internet and Web services are changing rapidly the traditional way for companies to do business. A continuous growing interest in the ICT adoption is attributed to the exponential growth of the number of internet users worldwide, and a greater increase of users reported in developing countries when you compare Latin America and the United States of America, Europe and Asia. 3.2 billion people are using internet, and of these, 2 billion are from developing countries (ITU, 2015). Internet penetration rates have begun to decrease in the former and have begun to grow in the latter. This is because new mobile broadband technology has become more accessible to countries in via of development (ITU, 2015)

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