IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i22p14897-d969616.html

ICT Adoption Scale Development for SMEs

Author

Listed:
  • Mehtap Özşahin

    (Department of Management, Gebze Technical University, 41400 Kocaeli, Turkey)

  • Büşra Alma Çallı

    (Department of Management Information Systems, Sakarya University, 54050 Sakarya, Turkey)

  • Erman Coşkun

    (Department of Management Information Systems, İzmir Bakırçay University, 35665 İzmir, Turkey)

Abstract

Information systems research lacks a validated scale for assessing and measuring the adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The relevant literature is limited in studies mainly concentrating on developing country settings. Furthermore, the emergence of new technological elements and increasing digitalization and digital transformation efforts in the last two years have changed how an organization utilizes and adopts ICTs. Therefore, it is inevitable that the conceptual dimensions proposed in the previous literature and the definitions of these dimensions will also alter. Hence, it is essential to revisit and validate the prior work and enhance it based on current vitality and developments. This study developed and validated a scale for measuring ICT adoption and digitalization for SMEs in a developing country context. The researchers followed an eight-step scale development procedure: (1) comprehensive literature review on ICT adoption and digitalization; (2) identification of dimensions of the level of ICT adoption and digitalization; (3) generation of items; (4) item refinement through focus group; (5) pretest of the measurement; (6) scale purification; (7) data collection; and (8) measurement evaluation. Within the Turkish setting, the ICT adoption scale was determined to have sufficient reliability and validity. Data for this study were gathered from 421 respondents of 219 Turkish SMEs. Supporting the multidimensionality of ICT adoption, 14 items and five dimensions (communication, internal integration, integration with customers, interorganizational integration, and strategic integration) constituted the ICT adoption construct. Considering the dominance of conceptual frameworks that were proposed based on developed countries and the prevalence of unidimensional constructs in the field, the developed multidimensional scale is expected to contribute significantly. Practitioners and policymakers can utilize the suggested scale to discover areas where specific changes are required for the digital transformation in SME utilization efforts that need attention. The outcomes can be applied to industrial sectors and different geographic contexts. By considering stage-based integration, the developed scale can also be used in future studies to investigate the effects of different variables on the extent of ICT adoption and the impact of ICTs on several organizational outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Mehtap Özşahin & Büşra Alma Çallı & Erman Coşkun, 2022. "ICT Adoption Scale Development for SMEs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-28, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:22:p:14897-:d:969616
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/22/14897/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/22/14897/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alfalla-Luque, Rafaela & Marin-Garcia, Juan A. & Medina-Lopez, Carmen, 2015. "An analysis of the direct and mediated effects of employee commitment and supply chain integration on organisational performance," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 242-257.
    2. Hillol Bala & Xuan Feng, 2019. "Success of Small and Medium Enterprises in Myanmar: Role of Technological, Organizational, and Environmental Factors," Journal of Global Information Technology Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(2), pages 100-119, April.
    3. Peetu Virkkala & Martti Saarela & Kai Hanninen & Anna-Mari Simunaniemi, 2020. "Business Maturity Models for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Systematic Literature Review," Expanding Horizons: Business, Management and Technology for Better Society,, ToKnowPress.
    4. Faruk Arslan & Kallol K. Bagchi & Peeter Kirs, 2019. "Factors Implicated with Firm-Level ICT Use in Developing Economies," Journal of Global Information Technology Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(3), pages 179-207, July.
    5. Niemand, Thomas & Rigtering, J.P. Coen & Kallmünzer, Andreas & Kraus, Sascha & Maalaoui, Adnane, 2021. "Digitalization in the financial industry: A contingency approach of entrepreneurial orientation and strategic vision on digitalization," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 317-326.
    6. Peetu Virkkala & Martti Saarela & Kai Hänninen & Jaakko Kujala & Anna-Mari Simunaniemi, 2020. "Business Maturity Models for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Systematic Literature Review," Management, University of Primorska, Faculty of Management Koper, vol. 15(2), pages 137-155.
    7. Flora Wang, 2016. "What are the biggest obstacles to growth of SMEs in developing countries? - A picture emerging from an enterprise survey," Working Papers IES 2016/09, Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Economic Studies, revised May 2016.
    8. Yao Wang, 2016. "What are the biggest obstacles to growth of SMEs in developing countries? – An empirical evidence from an enterprise survey," Borsa Istanbul Review, Research and Business Development Department, Borsa Istanbul, vol. 16(3), pages 167-176, September.
    9. Giotopoulos, Ioannis & Kontolaimou, Alexandra & Korra, Efthymia & Tsakanikas, Aggelos, 2017. "What drives ICT adoption by SMEs? Evidence from a large-scale survey in Greece," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 60-69.
    10. Tejumade V. Adeniran & Kevin A. Johnston, 2016. "The impacts of ICT utilisation and dynamic capabilities on the competitive advantage of South African SMEs," International Journal of Information Technology and Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 15(1), pages 59-89.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Muhammad Noor Ardiansah & Sri Murtini & Rani Raharjanti & Ulfah Hidayati & Ahmad Wafa Mansur, 2024. "Determinants of ICT Adoption in Business for Emerging SME Entrepreneurs in Indonesia," European Journal of Business and Management Research, European Open Science, vol. 9(5), pages 177-184, September.
    2. Abdu Seid ALI & Ibrahim BUSHERA & Abdurahman Jemal YESUF, 2020. "The potential of Islamic financial institutions in promoting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Ethiopia," Journal of Economics and Political Economy, EconSciences Journals, vol. 7(3), pages 188-203, September.
    3. Richard Adu-Gyamfi & John Kuada & Simplice A. Asongu, 2023. "An Integrative Framework for Formal and Informal Entrepreneurship Research in Africa," Journal of African Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(2), pages 167-187, April.
    4. Adu-Gyamfi, Richard & Kuada, John & Asongu, Simplice, 2018. "An Integrative Framework for Entrepreneurship Research in Africa," MPRA Paper 89133, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Saibal Ghosh, 2022. "Firm Performance and Productivity: Is Labour an Obstacle?," The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, Springer;The Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE), vol. 65(3), pages 709-728, September.
    6. Ignitia Motjolopane & Martin Chanza, 2023. "Digital transformation dimensions for evaluating SMEs' readiness for big data analytics and artificial intelligence: A review," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 12(7), pages 583-595, October.
    7. Muhammad Arif & Mudassar Hasan & Ahmed Shafique Joyo & Christopher Gan & Sazali Abidin, 2020. "Formal Finance Usage and Innovative SMEs: Evidence from ASEAN Countries," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-19, September.
    8. Dinna Charisma & Bambang Hermanto & Margo Purnomo & Tetty Herawati & Anne Charina, 2025. "Sustainable Business Through Local Strength: A Qualitative Study of Financial, Social, and Cultural Strategies in Bandung’s Culinary Micro-Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-27, May.
    9. Timothy Ayomitunde Aderemi & Adedayo Mathias Opele & Johnson Ifeanyi Okoh & Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh Al‐Faryan, 2023. "An econometric analysis of small‐ and medium‐scale enterprises and employment creation in Nigeria," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(3), pages 1624-1633, April.
    10. Jing Gu & Junyao Wang & Yang Yang & Zeshui Xu, 2019. "Credit Line Models for Supply Chain Enterprises with Channel Background and Soft Information," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-20, May.
    11. Yilong An & Yinghua Zhang, 2021. "Crossing the Valley of Death for SMEs: Management Practices From China," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, September.
    12. Frank Ranganai Matenda & Mabutho Sibanda, 2022. "Determinants of Default Probability for Audited and Unaudited SMEs under Stressed Conditions in Zimbabwe," Economies, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-28, November.
    13. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2023. "Foreign Direct Investment, Information Technology, And Total Factor Productivity Dynamics In Sub‐Saharan Africa," World Affairs, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 186(2), pages 469-506, June.
    14. Grace Carolina Guevara‐Rosero, 2021. "Determinants of manufacturing micro firms' productivity in Ecuador. Do industry and canton where they operate matter?," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(4), pages 1215-1248, August.
    15. Raymond Darfo-Oduro & Viktor Prokop & Jan Stejskal & Viktorie Klímová & Vladimír Žítek, 2024. "Do R&D intensity and capacity utilisation matter for SMEs’ innovations within the CEE region? Testing moderating roles of different ownership structures," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(1), pages 1-25, January.
    16. Ciza, Toussaint Bugandwa & Kamdjoug, Jean Robert Kala & Biga-Diambeidou, Mahamadou & Tchokote, Ivan Djossa & Kibekenge, Guillain Birindwa, 2025. "Quality of accounting information and SMEs’ financial performance: The mediating role of bank and informal financing," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    17. Liliane Pasape, 2018. "Internationalization of Small and Medium Enterprises from Arusha Tanzania: Market Information, Financial Resources and Product Quality Setbacks," Business and Management Studies, Redfame publishing, vol. 4(2), pages 77-89, June.
    18. Edmund Mallinguh & Christopher Wasike & Zeman Zoltan, 2020. "Technology Acquisition and SMEs Performance, the Role of Innovation, Export and the Perception of Owner-Managers," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-19, October.
    19. Yu-Xia Tu & Oleksandr Kubatko & Leonid Melnyk & Rui Li & Bohdan Kovalov & Anastasia Yaremenko, 2025. "Economic, institutional and environmental drivers of SMEs’ development in the EU: sustainable development goals perspective," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(8), pages 20101-20119, August.
    20. Ismail J. Ismail, 2022. "Entrepreneurial Start-up Motivations and Growth of Small and Medium Enterprises in Tanzania: The Role of Entrepreneur’s Personality Traits," FIIB Business Review, , vol. 11(1), pages 79-93, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:22:p:14897-:d:969616. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager The email address of this maintainer does not seem to be valid anymore. Please ask MDPI Indexing Manager to update the entry or send us the correct address (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.