Internationalization of Small and Medium- sized Enterprises from the Baltic States to Mature Markets in the EU

Abstract

E-commerce has been making significant contributions to reduction in costs of doing business, improved product/service quality, new customer and supplier penetration, and generation of new ways or channels for product distribution (Chaudhury & Kuiboer, 2002). Such benefits can be realized in not only large enterprises but also small and medium enterprises (SMEs) (Huff et al., 2000). However, there has thus far been little research exploring the adoption and utilization of e-commerce in SMEs (Grandon & Pearson, 2004). This study has, based on an extensive review of literature on e-commerce benefits, characteristics of SMEs and their e-commerce adoption, and relevant theories on adoption of an innovation, proposed a success model for e-commerce adoption in Vietnamese SMEs. Furthermore, a set of model hypotheses presenting relationships among factors influencing e-commerce adoption have been set up. Finally, future research is discussed. ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR