The Development of Digital Divide Assessment Mechanism for SMEs: A Perspective from the Taiwan Manufacturing Industry

Abstract

This study developed a mechanism to evaluate and gain a better understanding of the digital divide in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in light of the need to improve the information and communication technologies (ICT) investment and ICT utilization efficiency of SMEs. This study applied the Gowin's Vee research strategy. Through the grounded theory method, 38 critical conceptual factors were found in the literature review. These critical factors were used by the authors to develop an evaluation system for assessing the digital divide. The expert questionnaire methodology was applied and a tentative model set with 29 critical factors was generated. Using the analytic hierarchy process, the authors approached the experimental side and sent questionnaires evaluating the weight of every factor in the prototyped mechanism to Taiwan's manufacturing companies. The resulting comprehensive scale can be a useful tool for measuring the sources of the digital gap as well as for suggesting ways to encourage the adoption of ICT and e-business by SMEs in Taiwan and other countries.