Technology Related Trust Issues in SME B2B E-Commerce

There is increasing evidence that e-commerce adoption among SMEs is expanding rapidly. In spite of that, SMEs, particularly in developing countries, have not been able to adequately benefit from the new opportunities offered by e-commerce technologies. Previous studies have identified lack of trust as one of the major hurdles in achieving the potential benefits by the SMEs. This paper identifies technologyrelated trust issues that need to be addressed while building e-commerce infrastructure for SMEs. The evidence offered in the paper is based on a survey of the relevant practices regarding deployment and effective implementation of relevant technology tools to address these issues and enhance the levels of trust in e-commerce infrastructure. The paper also examines the relationship between the perceived level of trust and the level of assurance in respect of various technology-related trust issues. The paper suggests an approach of collaboration among the SMEs while building the e-commerce infrastructure and focusing their attention on the technology-related trust issues.