A framework for the influencing factors in the adoption of ICT in SMEs

The importance of Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is widely acknowledged. As a result, several studies have been undertaken to study the adoption of ICT in SMEs and have identified specific factors such as the technological, organizational, cultural, individual and environmental factors that influence these firms to adopt a technology. The individual factor has been cited as the most significant in the adoption process. However, these studies were confined to the more developed countries and their findings might not necessarily be applicable to other developing countries that are different in terms of, for example, national cultures, education and organisational cultures. The current study draws upon Innovation Diffusion Theory as the theoretical basis and empirical findings for explanation that the individual factor mediates between the cited factors and the process of ICT adoption in SMEs. The study uses a questionnaire based survey responses from 497owners/managers in SMEs based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ¿ a country whose ICT adoption in SMEs sector has previously been unexplored.