Barriers to adapt eCommerce by rural microenterprises in Sweden : a case study

Research has shown that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are rapidly adopting the e-commerce. However, there is nearly no research into how microenterprises are adopting eCommerce. Present paper focus on microenterprise adaption of eCommerce in terms of barriers in relation to already known research on SMEs. A case study, carried out by 12 microenterprises to find out barriers to adapt eCommerce had been done. The empirical results show that the microenterprises share most of the barriers to adapt the eCommerce with studies of SMEs, but also reveal additional factors affecting adaptation option of eCommerce; supplier agreement, communication and customer strategy. Conclusions are that microenterprises need additional support and communication and customer strategy to adapt eCommerce, depending of their requirement and needs of eCommerce.

Från ord till (e-)handling : - Integration av e-handelssystemi SiteVision

The client, Senselogic, had noticed an increased demand for an e-commerce system integrated into its product, SiteVision, something that did not previously exist. Senselogic wanted to integrate a third-party system to manage e-commerce. The problem was that there were very many e-commerce solutions to choose from. In order to select the best system it was necessary to evaluate the e-commerce systems and compare them to each other. To identify the elements that has to be included in an e-commerce system a study of literature was conducted. From the parts identified in the study of literature, a number of criteria were presented. Those criteria were then supplemented with additional criteria that Senselogic required of an e-commerce system before integrating it with SiteVision. Before the evaluation a number of test cases were created to test whether the ecommerce systems fulfilled to the criteria developed. These test cases were then used in the evaluation of the e-commerce systems while a test score was filled in. Then the evaluations of the different systems were compiled and compared in order to see which system best fulfilled the criteria. There was one system that scored higher than the others in the evaluation created. That was the system chosen to integrate with SiteVision.

Portals for microenterprises in rural area : two cases

Research has shown that microenterprises have ability to survive and grow with the support of portals that include eCcommerce. However, almost no research has demonstrated how it’s done and what support microenterprises want. Results of our study shows that the portals have to be improved to support the use of advanced ICT applications, make it usable to use, and give more time for core business for the participating microenterprises. We have seen that portals have to solve problem with the technical solution and the process of payment. The network building activities in the portals do not happen in such extent that we have expected based on previous research. If portals will get businesses to grow in microenterprises, we propose that in addition to providing access to advanced ICT applications need to climbs one step higher in the DTI ladder and create more of eCommerce to increase sales in a greater market. We also propose that portals which support cooperation between microenterprises in rural areas from different branches have the best chances to succeed in the future.