FEATURE PAPER

Technology Adoption In SMEs: A Strategic Posture Matrix And A Research Agenda

The following paper was written by Vishag Badrinarayanan, and Vicki L. West, both from Texas State University-San Marcos. It was presented at the 2009 ASBE Conference.

ABSTRACT

In small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), technological advancements create opportunities and decision making challenges. As a result, there is considerable difference in technology adoption decisions implemented by SMEs and their rate of adoption remains low. Although past studies have identified various factors influencing technology adoption by SMEs, there is some consensus that the motivation for adoption decisions stems from a combination of internal and external factors. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, expanding on the internal versus external motivational forces paradigm, this paper delineates four distinct strategic postures (proactive, preemptive, reactive, and passive) that demonstrate how SMEs differ on technology adoption decisions. Second, using the strategic posture matrix, this paper offers a research agenda that identifies relevant areas for further investigation. Integration of the internal and external forces paradigm and the proposed matrix can aid decision makers in understanding how strategic postures influence technology adoption and other strategic decisions by SMEs.

Introduction

As technological advancements create opportunities for new firms to emerge and for established firms to reinvent themselves, they have the potential to remake entire industries (Day and Schoemaker 2000; Loftus 1997). The last decade or so has witnessed the proliferation of technologies such as e-commerce, advanced information technologies, Internet-enabled solutions, customer relationship management platforms, and communication interfaces, among others. From a strategic perspective, the adoption of and response to these emerging technologies can reconfigure firms' relative positions in competitive landscapes and, therefore, represent key strategic decision making challenges (Bowman and Gatignon 1995). However, emerging technology product markets are typically characterized by rapid change and development, with high levels of risk and uncertainty surrounding technological development and market opportunities (Bruce 1988). Consequently, within industries, firms differ on technology related decisions across two broad domains: the intent to adopt emerging technology and the timing of adoption (e.g., Bowman and Gatignon 1995; Porter 1980; Robertson and Gatignon 1986). For instance, while incumbent firms may possess access to resources and technical capabilities, they are often hampered by delays in adoption decisions, a tendency to stick with existing technology, reluctance to commit fully, and lack of persistence (Day and Schoemaker 2000; Hamilton and Singh 1995). In contrast, while the new firms that emerge to capitalize on emerging opportunities may not be weighed down by these encumbrances, they often lack the organizational, financial, and marketing capabilities required to fully exploit new technologies (Hamilton and Singh 1995; Schumpeter 1950).
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