Factors that Differentiate between Adopters and Non-adopters of E-Commerce: An Empirical Study of Small and Medium Sized Businesses

The study of technology adoption has been a hot topic among researchers in the IS community in recent years. With the increased use of the Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW), many small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have taken advantage of the potential benefits that e-commerce can provide. However, a significant number of SMEs have not adopted e-commerce yet. This study surveyed managers/owners of SMEs in the Midwest region of the USA to identify variables that differentiate between adopters and non-adopters of e-commerce. The results suggest that managers/owners most receptive to adopting e-commerce have the financial and technological resources to implement it, see e-commerce as useful for their firms, perceive e-commerce as compatible with preferred work practices, values and culture of their organizations, and feel external pressure to put e-commerce into operation.