Exploring the needs of SMEs for mobile data technologies: the role of qualitative research techniques

Abstract

The technological environment in which contemporary small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) operate can best be described as dynamic. The seemingly exponential nature of technological change, characterised by perceived increases in the benefits associated with various technologies, shortening product life‐cycles and changing standards, provides for SMEs a complex and challenging operational context. The development of infrastructures capable of supporting the wireless application protocol (WAP) and associated “wireless” applications represents the latest generation of technological innovation with potential appeal to SMEs and end‐users alike. This paper aims to understand the mobile data technology needs of SMEs in a regional setting. The research was especially concerned with perceived needs across three market segments: non‐adopters of new technology, partial‐adopters of new technology, and full‐adopters of new technology. The research was exploratory in nature as the phenomenon under scrutiny is relatively new and the uses unclear, thus focus groups were conducted with each of the segments. The paper provides insights for business, industry and academics.

The value proposition of adopting mCRM strategy in UK SMEs

“…Evans (2002) found that the low acceptance rate for business adoption of m‐commerce is mainly caused by business barriers related to business models and revenues, together with technology barriers related to security, product maturity, standards, usability, bandwidth and cost. Another barrier to adopting mobile technologies is pointed out by Harker and van Akkeren (2002) – the lack of speed and a lack of a standardised IT infrastructure environment for developing mobile data applications.…”

“…Convenience is one of the strengths of adopting mCRM services, as they provide flexibility (Anckar and Eriksson, 2003) and 24-hour availability. Other benefits include localisation, personalisation, dissemination (Camponovo et al, 2007), context sensitivity, interactivity, convenience familiarity and multimediality (Schierholz et al, 2007), reduced latency, increased speed of response, enhanced efficiency of operations and workforce, improved productivity ( Jain, 2003), eliminating time and distance Value proposition mCRM strategy in UK SMEs for companies to conduct business (Harker and van Akkeren, 2002). It has transformed business processes and models, significantly impacting on SMEs' process innovation (Scornavacca and Barnes, 2008).…”

“…External pressure. Harker and van Akkeren (2002) stated that owner/managers would need to assess the compatibility and benefits of mobile technology adoption to include both the internal and external environment in which the business operates. External forces, such as increasing pressure from the external market where the organisation operates, particularly the external support from the mobile application suppliers, are found to be critical to the adoption of mobile technologies (Premkumar and Roberts, 1999).…”

Knowledge Based Information System for Strengthening the Competitive Advantages of Women Technopreneurs in Malaysia

“…Some major situations includes when expert is not available, when expertise is to be stored for future use or when expertise is to be cloned or multiplied, when intelligent assistance and/or training are required for the decision making for problem solving and when more than one experts' knowledge have to be grouped at one platform. In case of Small and Medium Enterprise (SME), Harker and Akkeren (2002) noticed that the factor which influences ICT adoption in SMEs includes: organization's ICT readiness, external pressure to adopt, customer/supplier dependency, structural sophistication of the businesses, size, sector and status and its information intensity. In a case of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME), as example, Kushwaha (2011) noticed that ICTs adoptions by SMEs are faced with many challenges especially poor ICTs infrastructure, lack of ICTs technical and managerial capacity.…”

SPECIFIC CHALLENGES FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES (SME) IN M-BUSINESS - A SME-suitable Framework for Mobile Services

“…There are not many empirical results concerning mobile services and SME: A study by Villanen et al (2004) is concerned with mobile B2E-services in SME: Their findings are that one third of the companies with mobile employees but without a mobile solution to support them state that they see a need for mobile support. There are also short descriptions of seven case studies that demonstrate how SME from different industrial sectors use mobile technologies to support their workforce A qualitative study by Harker & Akkeren (2002) tried to explore the perceived needs concerning mobile data technology of SME in Australia across three levels of adopters of new technology (non-, partial-, and full-adopters). Another study by this group (Akkeren & Harker, 2003) concentrated on SME that already used the internet for e-Mail and had an own website; it was found out that 60 % of these full adopters were "very interested or interested in acquiring" mobile data technology.…”