Analyzing the future of e-commerce adoption by SMEs amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the use of technology to become increasingly massive and has an impact on increasing business trends through e-commerce. Failure to be proactive and adapt to change will cause business disruption in the near future. The adoption of e-commerce is the right solution for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to be ready to compete and survive in the crisis era. This study aims to analyze technological, organizational and environmental factors on e-commerce adoption and the impact of e-commerce adoption on the performance and competitive advantage of SMEs in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. The object of this research is 100 SMEs in Jambi City, Indonesia. The sampling technique was non-random sampling with type purposive sampling. Data were collected by distributing questionnaires online to selected respondents. The findings of this study underscore the significant influence of technological, organizational, and environmental factors on the adoption of e-commerce among SMEs in Jambi City. Moreover, SMEs in Jambi City perceive that effectively embracing e-commerce can yield desired outcomes, enhancing their performance and competitive edge in the business landscape. Furthermore, the advantages of electronic commerce extend to the convenience of round-the-clock business operations from any geographical location, thus amplifying its appeal and utility for SMEs.