The Ten Commandments for Global Electronic Commerce Success in Small Business

Author(s):  
Nabeel A.Y. Al-Qirim

Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) contribute significantly to national economies and employment levels and represent a viable source for inventions and innovations. The emergence of electronic commerce in the early 90’s could provide different opportunities to the small business sector to overcome its inadequacies. However, in view of the electronic commerce/business (EC) literature in organizations in general and in SMEs specifically, EC research is scarce. Available research portrays a gloomy picture about EC uptake and use by SMEs. Therefore, this chapter attempts, by reviewing recent EC research, to depict an agenda for EC success in SMEs made up of ten influencing factors. Thus, an attempt is made to develop deeper understanding about the factors influencing EC success in SMEs. By following the suggested guidelines in this chapter, SMEs would be in a better position to assess the viability of the new EC perspective to their organizations. The same factors are highly important to researchers, SMEs, professionals (including educational institutions) and policymakers in driving SMEs and EC forward.

2022 ◽  
pp. 359-382
Author(s):  
Olakunle Olayinka ◽  
Martin George Wynn

Digital transformation is now impacting businesses in both the developed and developing worlds, and this chapter examines this phenomenon in the small business sector in Nigeria. Adopting an interpretivist philosophy, the methodology combines a survey of small business enterprises (SBEs) with in-depth case studies of three Nigerian companies. Ten critical influencing factors are identified, and a model (Engage-Deploy-Exploit-Transform – EDET) is developed and applied to the case studies to assess the status of digital transformation. The influencing factors provide a checklist for SBEs embarking on digital transformation projects, and the model can be used to assess progress and identify new opportunities for digital transformation at the business process level. The authors believe this to be a useful contribution to the growing literature in this field that can be used by both researchers and practitioners in similar developing-world contexts.


Author(s):  
Laura Catalina Timiras

In this article we identified a number of factors influencing the consumers’ perceived risk. In the first part we conducted a review of the main issues that define the perceived risk by the consumer at the time of purchase, some of the lines of action of the organizations to diminish this risk perception and a number of influencing factors presented in the literature, with significant impact on the intensity with which risk is perceived by consumers. The second part of the article is based on the statistical information regarding e-commerce market, market in which the perceived risk plays an important role in the purchasing decision. Thus, based on available official statistics provided by Eurostat we have revealed the existence of certain links between electronic commerce and orientation towards risk and income levels, age and consumer educational level. The review is not intended to be exhaustive, the study taking into consideration only those links that can be identified from using official statistical data.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. p14
Author(s):  
Andrey Mikhailitchenko ◽  
Yang Sun ◽  
Sanjay Varshney

The impact of the world COVID crisis on small businesses was extremely destructive. Governments of different countries being aware of critical importance of small business sector to national economies and societies as a whole undertook measures aimed at SME support. While the devastating effect of COVID on small business is quite comparable across the world, the scale and efficiency of government protective measures differ a lot in various countries. In this paper we made an attempt of comparative analysis of governmental efforts to protect small business economies on the example of SMEs in three countries: the U.S., China, and Russia.


Author(s):  
Nataliia MITSENKO ◽  
Igor MISHCHUK

The main purpose of the publication is the development of theoretical approaches, systematization of the results of analysis and definition of measures for the formation of logistic systems of trade enterpreneurship subjects (trade enterprises), which belong to the small business sector. The peculiarities of formation were identified and the problematic aspects of the modern stage of entrepreneurship development in Ukraine were identified. The existence of the logistic component in the general complex of the conduct of trading activity by the entrepreneurship subjects is determined. The essence and ratio of concepts «system of logistic» and «logistics system» of the enterprise are determined. The objective of the logistics system organization as a complex, economic and technical and technological system covering the logistics system of the enterprise is emphasized), personnel of the management services of the enterprise logistic activity, as well as legal, organizational,managerial and methodical principles of all these elements interaction of the system and its management, formed on the basis of the scientific and theoretical basis (theory) of logistics management. The peculiarities of the functioning of small business entities in Ukraine and the averaged parameters of commodity flows in this sector of economy are investigated, factors of logistic flows organization specificity formation in the retail segment, which influence the requirements for the creation and operation of trade enterprises logistic systems and the choice of approaches to them, are determined. The attention is drawn to the need to consider as the main factor in the formation of the trade complex system of logistic of operational and functional processes of logistics activities, which are carried out by a trading company in order to bring commodity flows to end buyers of goods. The necessity of determining the structure of the logistics system of the trading company is focused on taking into account the resources available from the dealer in order to create opportunities for organizational, economic, technical and technological interaction with other supply chain participants in which the given enterprise is involved, and simultaneously ensuring compliance of the goods sold with the requirements end buyers. The key directions of logistic activity improvement of enterprises of trade – subjects of small (and micro) entrepreneurship, which are connected with technical and technological and infrastructure improvements within the enterprise logistics system, introduction of modern management technologies in the logistics management subsystem and logistics administration, are grounded, as well as the use of outsourcing capabilities of logistics functions and operations and the use of modern communication tools for the radical change of trade technologies , which will be reflected in the requirements for organizing a complex of logistics activities of retailers and, accordingly, logistic systems created by them. The purpose of the research is to develop theoretical approaches, to systematize the results of the analysis of the essential characteristics and the composition of the trade company system of logistics, and to identify the main measures for the formation of the system of logistics of the subjects of trade enterprise (trade enterprises), which belong to the small business sector. Object of research – subjects of trade enterprise – trade enterprises, which belong to the small business sector. The subject of the study is theoretical and methodological principles of logistic activity organization and conceptual approaches to the construction of logistic formations in the conditions of integration processes. In accordance with the goal formulated, the main objectives of the study: • on the basis of analysis of the most common scientific theories to determine mechanisms for managing them; • to identify new approaches for identifying the essence of logistics, the content of logistics activities of trade enterprises and identify the actual problems of their construction; • to formulate a conceptual approach, basic principles and applied principles of organization of logistic formations with the participation of small business entities; • to develop scientific and practical recommendations on the construction of trade enterprises systems of logistics and their development taking into account the integration processes in the field of commodity circulation.


Author(s):  
Wei Yu ◽  
Jie Tong ◽  
Xirong Sun ◽  
Fazhan Chen ◽  
Jie Zhang ◽  
...  

Background: Factors related to medication adherence in patients with schizophrenia have always been key to the treatment and rehabilitation of these patients. However, the treatment modes in different countries are not the same, and there is no research on the factors influencing medication adherence under different mental health service modes. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore medication adherence and its influencing factors in patients with schizophrenia in the Chinese institutional environment. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of hospitalized persons living with schizophrenia from November 2018 to January 2019. A systematic sampling method was used to select 217 hospitalized persons living with schizophrenia. The Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (SQLS), and Scale of Social Skills for Psychiatric Inpatients (SSPI) were used to explore medication compliance and its influencing factors in the Chinese institutional environment. Results: The descriptive analysis and ANOVA showed that there were no significant differences in medication adherence when assessed by demographic characteristics such as sex, marital status, and education level (p > 0.05). A correlation analysis showed that there was no significant correlation between medication adherence and mental symptoms (p > 0.05) but that there was a positive correlation with self-efficacy, quality of life, and activities of daily living (p < 0.01). The linear regression analysis showed that self-efficacy, psychosocial factors, symptoms/side effects, and activities of daily living had significant effects on medication adherence (F = 30.210, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our findings show that the self-efficacy, quality of life, and social function of patients with schizophrenia are important self-factors influencing medication adherence in the Chinese institutional environment.


2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 222-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael T. Schaper

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the development of the SME sector in Australia, concentrating on a number of key areas: small business definitions and numbers; the role of government; the emergence of key industry groups; and the evolution of education, training and research services. Design/methodology/approach – The study is a result of extensive literature reviews, desk research and the recollections of various participants in the field. Findings – There have been major changes to the Australian small business sector over the last 40 years. In 1983-1984 there were an estimated 550,000 small firms, and by 2010 this had grown to almost two million. Government involvement in, and support for, SMEs was virtually non-existent before 1970. Following the delivery of the Wiltshire report (1971), however, both state and federal governments responded by developing specialist advisory services, funding programmes and other support tools. Virtually non-existent before the 1970s, several peak industry associations were formed between 1977 and the 1990s. At the same time, formal education and teaching in the area expanded in the 1970s and 1980s and is now widespread. Practical implications – Development of the small business sector in Australia has often paralleled similar trends in other OECD nations. State and territory governments have often (but not always) been the principal drivers of policy change. Originality/value – There has been no little, if any, prior documentation of the evolution of the small business sector in Australia in the last 40 years.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document