The Assimilation of E‐business in Manufacturing SMEs: Determinants and Effects on Growth and Internationalization

In order to become ‘world‐class’ enterprises, manufacturing SMEs have made sizable investments in Internet‐related technologies as the infrastructure for e‐business applications. To the extent that e‐business is assimilated by the SME, it can significantly affect the firm's key business processes and relationships such as servicing customers and collaborating with business partners. In this regard, an empirical study of 108 Canadian firms sought to answer the following questions: For what purposes are the Internet and the Web presently used, i.e., to what extent are e‐business functions assimilated in manufacturing SMEs? What characteristics of the SMEs' environmental, strategic, managerial, operational and technological context determine e‐business assimilation? And ultimately, to what extent does e‐business assimilation contribute to the growth and internationalization of manufacturing SMEs?