E-business in Micro Companies: Lessons learned

Simona  Sternad Zabukovšek; Irena  Šišovska; Monika Mravljak; Samo Bobek

Simona Sternad Zabukovšek
Irena Šišovska
Monika Mravljak
Samo Bobek

Keywords: E-business, micro companies, e-business adoption, e-business CSFs

Abstract

E-business is entering its mature stage. E-business in large companies has been researched in several surveys, whereas SMEs and micro companies have been researched less often. Micro companies are, together with SMEs, a critical part of national economies worldwide; both are central to the EU’s development strategies. It is well known that, in an information society, business models are driven by e-business concepts, and e-business models are emerging. An in-depth understanding of e-business use in micro companies is crucial for the success of such companies. The main purpose of this paper is to research the intensity of e-business use, advantages and disadvantages of e-business, the biggest problems of e-business implementation/maintenance, and attitude toward trends of e-business in micro companies. The paper presents findings from a survey carried out on a sample of micro companies. Data were collected via an e-questionnaire, and results were calculated using SPSS. The data confirmed that e-business in micro companies is most often used in connection with e-banking; e-business with the government also appears to be very important.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Simona Sternad Zabukovšek

Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Maribor, Slovenia
E-mail: simona.sternad@uni-mb.si

Simona Sternad Zabukovšek is an assistant professor of e-business at the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Maribor. Her research areas include business process reengineering, ERP and e-business solutions, and the implementation and maintenance of ERP solutions. Her bibliography includes more than 70 articles, conference papers, book chapters, and research reports. She teaches several courses at the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels in the areas of e-business and information management.

Irena Šišovska

Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Maribor, Slovenia
E-mail: irena.sisovska@uni-mb.si

Irena Šišovska is a teaching and researching assistant in the Department of e-Business, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Maribor. She graduated in 2009 from the Faculty of Economics and Business in Maribor after completing her final paper entitled “Benefits and problems of implementing ERP system in the company.” She earned her master’s degree at the same faculty in September 2013, studying information system management and e-business; her thesis was titled “The quality of banks portals in the case of banks in Macedonia.” Her research work includes the field of e-business, e-business models, e-business concepts, ERP systems, and implementation of ERP systems.

Monika Mravljak

Dobja vas 54, Ravne na Koroškem, Slovenia
E-mail: monika.mravljak@gmail.com

Monika Mravljak graduated from the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Maribor in 2009, where she studied information management. In 2012 she completed her master’s degree in information system management and e-business at the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Maribor. She wrote her master’s thesis on e-business in micro enterprises. While studying she was active and gained experience in various companies through compulsory work placements and student work. Her knowledge and experience combine knowledge in the field of electronic business as well as the fundamentals of information technology, economics, project management, marketing, and human resource management.

Samo Bobek

Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Maribor, Slovenia
E-mail: samo.bobek@uni-mb.si

Samo Bobek is a professor of e-business at the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Maribor. He teaches undergraduate, master’s-level, and doctoral courses in the areas of e-business and information management. His research areas include strategic information systems management, e-business, and business solutions. He has published several books and books chapters, and his bibliography includes more than 200 articles, conference papers, and research reports. He is the chair of the E-Business Department.

References

Abid, A. A., Rahim, M. M., & Scheepers, H. (2011). Experienced benefits and barriers of e-business technology adoption by SME suppliers. Communications of the IBIMA, 1.

Damanpour, F. (2001). E-business e-commerce evolution: Perspective and strategy. Managerial Finance, 27(7), 16–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/03074350110767268

eBusiness Watch. (2008). Industry perspectives on e-business developments and ICT impact. European Communities. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/archives/e-business-watch/key_reports/documents/BRO08.pdf

European Communities. (2008). Ebusiness software and services in the European Market. Formit. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/e-bsn/ebusiness-solutions-guide/docs/eBusiness_Guide_for_SMEs.pdf

Fillis, I., Johannson, U., & Wagner, B. (2004). Factors impacting on e-business adoption and development in the smaller firm. Interna- tional Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 10(3), 178–191. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/13552550410536762

Fillis, I., & Wagner, B. (2005). E-business Development- An Exploratory Investigation of the Small Firm. International Small Business Journal, 23(6), 604–634. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0266242605057655

Ghobakhloo, M., Arias-Aranda, D., & Benitez-Amado, J. (2011). Adoption of e-commerce applications in SMEs. Industrial Management and Data Systems, 111(8), 1238–1269. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02635571111170785

Mendo, F. A., & Fitzgerald, G. (2005). A multidimensional framework for SME e-business progression. Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 18(6), 678–696. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/17410390510628382

Ng, E., (2005). An empirical framework developed for selecting B2B e-business models: The case of Australian agribusiness firms. Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, 20(4/5), 218–225. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/08858620510603891

Prudens. (2008). The e-business model—A Prudens e-report. Bruke Technology Services. Retrieved from http://www.prudens.com/patens/ebusiness/busmodel.html

Raymond, L., & Bergeron, F. (2008). Enabling the business strategy of SMEs through e-business capabilities. Industrial Management and Data Systems, 108(5), 577–595. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02635570810876723

Simmons, G., Armstrong, G. A., & Durkin, G. M. (2008). A conceptualization of the determinants of small business website adoption— Setting the research agenda. International Small Business Journal, 26(3), 351–389. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0266242608088743

Taylor, M., & Murphy, A. (2004). SMEs and e-business. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 11(3), 280–289. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14626000410551546

Tsao, H-Y., Lin, K. H-C., & Lin, C. (2004). An investigation of CSFs in the adoption of B2BEC by Taiwanese companies. Journal of American Academy of Business, 5.

Turban, E., Chung, M., & Lee, J. K. (2000). Electronic commerce: A managerial perspective. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Wang, S., & Zheng, S. (2011). The impact of business-to-business electronic marketplaces: A field study. International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations, 8(3/4). http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/IJNVO.2011.039996

Wynn, M. G., Turner, P., & Lau, E. (2013). E-business and process change: Two case studies (towards an assessment framework