Using case study evidence collected from Uganda in 2004 and the theoretical lens of change-agent theory, a framework is presented that explains how intermediaries can fulfil an effective role in assisting SMEs to benefit from e-commerce. Findings point towards the influence of multiple change-agents performing distinct roles. Primary change-agents have been identified as playing a lead role in catalysing and intermediating e-commerce, through facilitating market access due to favourable commodity chain positioning, and through solution provision that is tailored to specific SME needs. Secondary change-agents, on the other hand, provide complementary inputs such as technology, training and financial resources. It follows that competency to intervene is defined according to the differing roles that change-agents perform, and that intervention strategies for capacity building should be based upon the requirements of different categories of change-agent. This paper makes a contribution to the theory of e-commerce adoption, as well as providing an assessment framework to assist practitioners in formulating intervention strategies and helping agencies in developing countries.
Bridges (2003), ‘World Economic Forum–NEPAD E-Africa Commission E-Readiness Policy Programme: Building capacity to narrow the digital-divide in Africa from within’, Website: http://www.bridges.org.
2.
CampbellC. (1989), ‘Change-agents in the new economy: Business incubators, and economic development’, Economic Development Review, spring, pp 56–59.
3.
ChauS. B.TurnerP. (2003), ‘A four phase model of electronic commerce business transformation amongst small to medium sized enterprises: Preliminary findings from 34 Australian case studies’, School of Information Systems, University of Tasmania, available from Website: www.infosys.utas.edu.au/publications/research/2002 (accessed 8 April 2005).
4.
CloeteE.CourtneyS.FintzJ. (2002), ‘Small business acceptance and adoption of e-commerce in the Western-Cape province of South-Africa’, Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, Vol 10, No 4, pp 1–13.
5.
DanielE.WilsonH.MyersA. (2002), ‘Adoption of e-commerce by SMEs in the UK: Toward a stage model’, International Small Business Journal, Vol 20, No 3, pp 253–270.
6.
de BerrangerP.TuckerD.JonesL. (2001), ‘Internet diffusion in creative micro-businesses: Identifying change-agent characteristics as critical success factors’, Journal of Organizational Computing and Electronic Commerce, Vol 11, pp 197–214.
7.
DiMaggioP. J.PowellW. (1983), ‘The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational behaviour’, American Sociological Review, Vol 48 (April), pp 147–160.
8.
DuncombeR. A. (2004), Growth and Formalisation of Information Systems in Developing Country SMEs, Development Informatics Working Paper No 19, IDPM, University of Manchester, available from Website: http://idpm.man.ac.uk/publications/wp/di/index.shtml.
9.
EisenhardtK. M. (1989), ‘Agency theory: An assessment and review’, Academy of Management Review, Vol 14, No 1, pp 57–74.
10.
ElsammaniZ. A.HackneyR.ScownP. (2004), ‘SMEs adoption and implementation process of websites in the presence of change-agents’, in Al-QirimNabeelA. Y., ed, Electronic Commerce in Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises: Frameworks, Issues and Implications, Idea Group Publishing, London.
11.
EsselaarP.MillerJ. (2002), ‘Towards electronic commerce in Africa: A perspective from three country studies’, The Southern African Journal of Information and Communication, Vol 2, No 1, Johannesburg, Wits University Pubs.
12.
FillisI.JohannsonU.WagnerB. (2004), ‘Factors impacting on e-business adoption and development in the smaller firm’, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour, Vol 10, No 3, pp 178–191.
13.
HavelockR. G.HavelockM. C. (1973), Training for Change-Agents, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
14.
HumphreyJ.MansellR.PareD.SchmitzH. (2003), The Reality of e-Commerce With Developing Countries, Institute for Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton.
15.
JonesC.HeckerR.HollandP. (2003), ‘Small firm Internet adoption: Opportunities forgone, a journey not begun’, Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, Vol 10, No 3, pp 287–297.
16.
JonesO. (2004), ‘Innovation in SMEs: Intrapreneurs and new routines’, in JonesO.TilleyF., eds, Competitive Advantage in SMEs: Organising for Innovation and Change, Wiley, Chichester.
17.
KiggunduJ. (2002), ‘Designing e-commerce strategies: Roles of governments and non-governmental actors’, report produced for the Ugandan Investment Authority by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), available from Website: http://wwwugandainvest.com (accessed 8 April 2005).
18.
KingJ. L.GurbaxaniV.KraemerK. L.MacFarlanF. W.RamanK. S.YapC. S. (1994), ‘Institutional factors in information technology innovation’, Information Systems Research, Vol 5, No 2, pp 139–169.
19.
KleinH. K.MyersM. D. (1999), ‘A set of principles for conducting and evaluating interpretive field studies in information systems’, MIS Quarterly, Vol 23, No 1, pp 67–94.
20.
LertwongsatienC.WongpinunwatanaN.AchakulwisutA. (2004), ‘Factors influencing e-commerce adoption in small and medium businesses: An empirical study in Thailand’, in Al-QirimNabeelA. Y., ed, Electronic Commerce in Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises: Frameworks, Issues and Implications, Idea Group Publishing, London.
21.
LevyM.PowellP. (2003), ‘Exploring SME Internet adoption: Towards a contingent model’, Electronic Markets, Vol 13, No 2, pp 173–181.
22.
MartinL. M.MatlayH. (2001), ‘Blanket approaches to promoting ICT in small firms: Some lessons from the DTI ladder adoption model in the UK’, Internet Research: Electronic Networking Applications and Policy, Vol 11, No 5, pp 399–410.
23.
MirchandaniD. A.MotwaniJ. (2001), ‘Understanding small business electronic commerce adoption: An empirical analysis’, Journal of Computer Information Systems, Vol 41, No 3, pp 70–74.
24.
MoleK. (2002), ‘Business advisors impact on SMEs: An agency theory approach’, International Small Business Journal, Vol 20, No 2, pp 139–162.
25.
MollaA. (2004), The Impact of e-Readiness in e-Commerce Success in Developing Countries: Firm Level Evidence, Development Informatics Working Paper No 18, IDPM, University of Manchester, available from Website: http://idpm.man.ac.uk/publications/wp/di/index.shtml.
26.
MontealegreR. (1999), ‘A temporal model of institutional interventions for information technology adoption in less-developed countries’, Journal of Management Information Systems, Vol 16, No 1, pp 207–232.
27.
MoodleyS.MorrisM.VeliaM. (2003), E-Commerce for Exporting Garments from South Africa: ‘Digital Dividend’ or Leap of Faith?IDS Working Paper 182, Institute for Development Studies, Brighton.
28.
MurphyJ. T. (2002), ‘Networks, trust and innovation in Tanzania's manufacturing sector’, World Development, Vol 30, No 4, pp 591–691.
29.
OECD (2000), ‘Realising the potential of electronic commerce for SMEs in the global economy’, paper presented at the Conference for Ministers Responsible for SMEs and Industry Ministers, 14–15 June, Bologna, Italy, available from Website: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/19/48/2011580.pdf.
30.
PoonS.SwatmanP. (1999), ‘Small business use of the Internet: Findings from Australian case studies’, International Marketing Review, Vol 14, No 5, pp 385–402.
31.
PurcellF.TolandJ.HuffS. L. (2004), ‘The potential for e-commerce for remotely located SMEs: Case studies from Samoa’, in Al-QirimNabeelA. Y., ed, Electronic Commerce in Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises: Frameworks, Issues and Implications, Idea Group Publishing, London.
32.
RogersE. M. (1995), Diffusion of Innovations, 4 ed, Free Press, London.
33.
SchulpenL.GibbonP. (2002), ‘Private sector development: Policies, practices and problems’, World Development, Vol 30, No 1, pp 1–15.
34.
ShielsH.McIvorR.O'ReillyD. (2003), ‘Understanding the implications of ICT adoption: Insights from SMEs’, Logistics Information Management, Vol 16, No 5, pp 312–326.
35.
UNCTAD (2002), e-Commerce and Development Report, United Nations, New York.
36.
UNCTAD (2004), e-Commerce and Development Report, United Nations, New York.
37.
Van SlykeC. (1998), ‘Technology cluster innovations: Impacts of adding a technology to an existing cluster’, PhD dissertation, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL.
38.
WreschW. (2003), ‘Initial e-commerce efforts in nine least developed countries: A review of national infrastructure, business approaches and product selection’, Journal of Global Information Management, Vol 11, No 2, pp 67–89.
39.
YinR. K. (1994), Case Study Research: Design and Methods, 2 ed, Sage, London.
