The purpose of this study is to identify enablers of and barriers to E-Commerce in Tanzanian small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Tanzania is classified as a least developed country (LDC) and has received relatively little research attention with respect to E-Commerce in the SME sector. The study is qualitative in nature and a set of semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. 32 SMEs were interviewed. A thematic analysis approach was used for reporting SME's experiences, perspectives, and meanings, whilst examining the ways in which events, realities, meanings, and experiences come about. The study unearthed contextual understanding of E-Commerce and the challenges faced by Tanzanian SMEs. Factors perceived to be conducive for E-Commerce, include the availability of business resources, specifically business relationships with ICT foreign companies; top management support; the use of mobile technology for interactive and transactive purposes with consumers and suppliers; and the strategic use of mobile phones to avoid ICT-related challenges such as those associated with fixed line telephone and Internet-enabled desktop computing.
The advancement in technological development is now altering the conventional order in the diffusion of Information Technology innovation from a top‐down approach (organization to employees) to a bottom‐up approach (employees to organization). This change is more notable in developed economies and has led to the bring your own device (BYOD) phenomenon, which promises increased productivity for employees and their organizations. There have been several studies on the corporate adoption of BYOD, but few have investigated this phenomenon from a small and medium enterprise (SME) perspective and from developing countries specifically. This study investigated the BYOD phenomenon in South African SMEs. The goal was to identify contextual factors influencing BYOD adoption. A conceptual framework using the Perceived EReadiness Model (PERM) was adopted. The study took an interpretive stance and was qualitative. Data was collected from SMEs using semi‐structured interviews and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. The findings show that for BYOD to be adopted and institutionalized in an SME, there needs to be organizational and environmental readiness. Organizational readiness in terms of awareness, management support, business resources, human resources, employees' pressure, formal governance, and technological readiness. Environmental readiness in terms of market forces, support from industry, government readiness and the socio‐cultural factor. These readiness factors present both opportunities and challenges that SMEs in developing countries need to concentrate on as they prepare for and use BYOD.
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