1.

a)
Quaddus, M. & Hofmeyer, G. 2007. An investigation into the factors
influencing the adoption of B2B trading exchanges in small businesses.
European. Journal of Information Systems, 16:202215.
Lamb, R. & Kling, R. 2006. Reconceptualising users as social actors in
information systems research. MIS Quarterly, 27(2):197-235.
Kapurubandara, M. (2009) A Framework to E-Transformation SMES in
Developing Countries. The Electronic Journal on Information Systems in
Developing Countries, 39(3):1-24.
Dyerson, R., Harindranath, G. & Barnes, D. 2009. National survey of SMEs
use of IT in four sectors. The Electronic Journal Information Systems
Evaluation, 12(1):3950
Davidson, E. & Heslinga, D. 2007. Bridging the IT adoption gap for small
physician practices: an action research study on electronic health records.
Information Systems Management, 24(1):15-29.

The articles above are highlighting important issues that address the adoption
and utilisation of ICT in SMEs. Dyerson,Harindranath, and Barnes (2009:41)
propose that Small business are the most influential in any economy today
and have risen to be a dominant force particularly in areas of economic
growth and employment creation. In developing countries one of the main
challenges to the utilisation of ICT in SMEs is internal expertise (Davidson &
Heslinga 2007). Quaddus and Hofmeyer (2007) also

point out that ICT

utilisation by any SME has many benefits to its business processes which
include an improved collaboration between internal and external business
units through the use of extranets and intranets, huge savings in costs
especially when moving from hard copies to electronic copies, the ease with
which collaboration with partners and clients can be done, improved customer
satisfaction, growth in market, improved accountability and enhance strategic
planning. The articles also agree that SMEs not only help to improve the living
standards of people but bring about substantial local capital formation and
achieve high levels of productivity and capacity (Kapurubandara, 2009).

5. Research Questions
a) What are the key motivators of ICT adoption and application in SMEs in
developing countries?
b) What are the critical barriers and constraints that are faced by stakeholders
in the implementation and adoption of ICT in SMEs?