Differences between adopters and non-adopters of innovation: Case study of new technologies|adoption by small and medium enterprises in Serbia

Abstract

This article explores the factors that govern the process of innovation adoption by companies. We have studied the factors that promote the willingness or resistance of companies to adopt new research results or novelty, in general. As one case study, we will elaborate factors that influence a website adoption by smaller companies that mainly do not have their own ICT departments. The study investigated the attitudes of managers towards Internet-mediated business development and promotion, comprising a case study of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Serbia. Special focus was placed on low income micro-SMEs. The results showed that, in the case of larger organisations, the models proposed by Flanagin (Hum Commun Res 26(4):618-646, 2000) and Davis (MIS Q 13(3):319-339, 1989) can be effectively used as guidance for website adoption. However, in the case of very small companies, with limited budgets and locally oriented markets, a few of those factors are more prominent, while some have very little influence on the adoption process. Education background of the owners essentially determines decision making and the adoption process, and competitive pressures have no significant influence. The annual income of the company has a certain influence, but, even with the available budget, micro-SMEs will not consider introduction of a website if they cannot perceive any benefits, often due to a lack of awareness of innovations in ICT and marketing. If the owners can perceive website benefits, the cost of introduction and maintenance has little influence. Specific cultural aspects of the region should be considered as the significant factor influencing innovation introduction.