Small Businesses' Decision to have a Website Saudi Arabia Case Study
Recognizing the increasing importance of using the
Internet to conduct business, this paper looks at some related matters
associated with small businesses making a decision of whether or not
to have a Website and go online. Small businesses in Saudi Arabia
struggle to have this decision. For organizations, to fully go online,
conduct business and provide online information services, they need
to connect their database to the Web. Some issues related to doing
that might be beyond the capabilities of most small businesses in
Saudi Arabia, such as Website management, technical issues and
security concerns. Here we focus on a small business firm in Saudi
Arabia (Case Study), discussing the issues related to going online
decision and the firm's options of what to do and how to do it. The
paper suggested some valuable solutions of connecting databases to
the Web. It also discusses some of the important issues related to
online information services and e-commerce, mainly Web hosting
options and security issues.
[1] EUROPA, available [on-line]
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/enterprise_policy/sme_definition/in
dex_en.htm.
[2] SBDC, available [on-line] http://sbdc.gov au.
[3] R.MacGregor, ,& L.Vrazalic, L. Journal of Electronic Commerce in
Organizations; ABI / INFORM Global pg.1, 2006.
[4] D. J. Bunker & R. C. MacGregor. Successful generation of information
technology (IT) requirements for small/medium enterprises (SM E-s):
Cases from regional Australia. Proceedings of the SMEs in a Global
Economy, 2000, Wollongong, Australia (pp. 72-84).
[5] N. L. Miller. & I. I Besser. ÔÇÿThe importance of community values in
small business strategy formation: Evidence from rural Iowa, Journal of
Small Business Management, 2000, 36(1 ), 68-85.
[6] W. Reynolds, W. Savage, & A. Williams. Your own business: A
Practical guide to success. 1994. ITP.
[7] E. Tetteh, &J. Burn. Global strategies for SME-business: Applying the
SMALL framework. Logistics Information Management, 2001, 14(1/2),
171-1 80.
[8] S. I Mohan-Neill. Analysis of small business usage of the Internet for
business related activities. In M. Kunz and F. Hoyt. (Eds.), Marketing in
a Changing World (pp. 96-100).(2004a), Chicago, IL: Marketing
Management Association.
[9] S. I. Mohan-Neill. "Online Market Information And Environmental
Scanning Activity (OMIESA) By Small Business: The Correlation
between Firm's Characteristics and Online Market Information
Acquisition", 2004b, Working Paper.
[10] T. McCollum. e-commerce takes off, Nation's Business, 1998, 86(10),
34-37.
[11] H. Mehling. Small businesses are eager to sell wares on the web,
Computer Reseller News, 1998, 787, 87,94.
[12] A. Straub. 'Net' returns: purchasing and selling online, Strategic Finance,
2000, 82(1), 46-49.
[13] H. Riquelme. Commercial Internet adoption in China: Comparing the
experience of small, medium and large businesses. Internet Research:
Electronic Networking Applications and Policy, 2002, 12(3), 276-286.
[14] J. Van Akkeren, & A. L. M. Cavaye. Factors affecting entry-level
Internet technology adoption by small business in Australia: An
empirical study. Proceedings of the 10th Australasian Conference on IS,
1999.
[15] S. Purao, & B. Campbell, B. Critical concerns for small business
electronic commerce:Some reflections based on interviews of small
business owners. Proceedings of the Association for information
Systems Americas Conference, Baltimore, 1998, 325-327.
[16] K. L. Lawrence. Factors inhibiting the utilisation of electronic commerce
facilities in tasmanian small- to medium- sized enterprises. Proceedings
of the 8th Australasian Conference on Information Systems, Adelaide,
1997, (pp. 587-597).
[17] C. L. Iacovou, I. Benbasat,& A. S. Dexter. Electronic data interchange
and small organisations: Adoption and impact of technology. MIS
Quarterly, 1995, 19(4), 465-485.
[18] J. Fielding. Getting out in front with EDI. inform, 1996, 10(9), 12-18.
[19] M. Quayle. E-Commerce: The challenge for UK SMEs in the 21st
century. International Journal of Operations and Production
Management, 2002, 22(10), 1148-1161.
[20] M.K. McGowan, & G. R. Madey. The influence of organization
structure and organizational learning factors on the extent of EDI
implementation in U.S. firms. Information Resources Management
Journal. 1998, 11(3), 17-27.
[21] V. S. Venkatesan, & D. Fink. Adoption of Internet technologies and Ecommerce
by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in western
Australia. Proceedings of the Information Resource Management
Association 1nternatinal Conference, Seattle, Washington 2002, (pp.
1136-1137).
[22] J. Damsgaard, & K. Lyytinen. Contours of diffusion of electronic data
interchange in Finland: Overcoming technological barriers and
collaborating to make it happen. Journal of Strategic Information
Systems, 1998, 7(4), 275-297.
[23] R. Walczuc, G. Van Braven, & H. Lundgren . Internet adopt ion barriers
for small firms in the Netherlands.European Management Journal, 2000,
18(5), 561-572.
[24] S. Poon,& P. Swatman. The Internet for small businesses: An enabling
infrastructure. Proceedings of the INET'95-5th Annual Conference of the
Internet Society, Honolulu, 1997, Hawaii (pp. 221-231).
[25] A.Hadjimanolis. Barriers to innovation for SMEs in a small less
developed country (Cyprus). Technovation, 1999, 19(9), 561-570.
[26] V. K.Tuunainen. Opportunities of effective integration of EDI for small
businesses in the automotive industry. Information & Management,
1998, 36(6), 361-375.
[27] T.Robertson, & H. Gatignon. Competitive effects on technology
diffusion. Journal of Marketing, 1986, 50, 1-12.
[1] EUROPA, available [on-line]
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/enterprise_policy/sme_definition/in
dex_en.htm.
[2] SBDC, available [on-line] http://sbdc.gov au.
[3] R.MacGregor, ,& L.Vrazalic, L. Journal of Electronic Commerce in
Organizations; ABI / INFORM Global pg.1, 2006.
[4] D. J. Bunker & R. C. MacGregor. Successful generation of information
technology (IT) requirements for small/medium enterprises (SM E-s):
Cases from regional Australia. Proceedings of the SMEs in a Global
Economy, 2000, Wollongong, Australia (pp. 72-84).
[5] N. L. Miller. & I. I Besser. ÔÇÿThe importance of community values in
small business strategy formation: Evidence from rural Iowa, Journal of
Small Business Management, 2000, 36(1 ), 68-85.
[6] W. Reynolds, W. Savage, & A. Williams. Your own business: A
Practical guide to success. 1994. ITP.
[7] E. Tetteh, &J. Burn. Global strategies for SME-business: Applying the
SMALL framework. Logistics Information Management, 2001, 14(1/2),
171-1 80.
[8] S. I Mohan-Neill. Analysis of small business usage of the Internet for
business related activities. In M. Kunz and F. Hoyt. (Eds.), Marketing in
a Changing World (pp. 96-100).(2004a), Chicago, IL: Marketing
Management Association.
[9] S. I. Mohan-Neill. "Online Market Information And Environmental
Scanning Activity (OMIESA) By Small Business: The Correlation
between Firm's Characteristics and Online Market Information
Acquisition", 2004b, Working Paper.
[10] T. McCollum. e-commerce takes off, Nation's Business, 1998, 86(10),
34-37.
[11] H. Mehling. Small businesses are eager to sell wares on the web,
Computer Reseller News, 1998, 787, 87,94.
[12] A. Straub. 'Net' returns: purchasing and selling online, Strategic Finance,
2000, 82(1), 46-49.
[13] H. Riquelme. Commercial Internet adoption in China: Comparing the
experience of small, medium and large businesses. Internet Research:
Electronic Networking Applications and Policy, 2002, 12(3), 276-286.
[14] J. Van Akkeren, & A. L. M. Cavaye. Factors affecting entry-level
Internet technology adoption by small business in Australia: An
empirical study. Proceedings of the 10th Australasian Conference on IS,
1999.
[15] S. Purao, & B. Campbell, B. Critical concerns for small business
electronic commerce:Some reflections based on interviews of small
business owners. Proceedings of the Association for information
Systems Americas Conference, Baltimore, 1998, 325-327.
[16] K. L. Lawrence. Factors inhibiting the utilisation of electronic commerce
facilities in tasmanian small- to medium- sized enterprises. Proceedings
of the 8th Australasian Conference on Information Systems, Adelaide,
1997, (pp. 587-597).
[17] C. L. Iacovou, I. Benbasat,& A. S. Dexter. Electronic data interchange
and small organisations: Adoption and impact of technology. MIS
Quarterly, 1995, 19(4), 465-485.
[18] J. Fielding. Getting out in front with EDI. inform, 1996, 10(9), 12-18.
[19] M. Quayle. E-Commerce: The challenge for UK SMEs in the 21st
century. International Journal of Operations and Production
Management, 2002, 22(10), 1148-1161.
[20] M.K. McGowan, & G. R. Madey. The influence of organization
structure and organizational learning factors on the extent of EDI
implementation in U.S. firms. Information Resources Management
Journal. 1998, 11(3), 17-27.
[21] V. S. Venkatesan, & D. Fink. Adoption of Internet technologies and Ecommerce
by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in western
Australia. Proceedings of the Information Resource Management
Association 1nternatinal Conference, Seattle, Washington 2002, (pp.
1136-1137).
[22] J. Damsgaard, & K. Lyytinen. Contours of diffusion of electronic data
interchange in Finland: Overcoming technological barriers and
collaborating to make it happen. Journal of Strategic Information
Systems, 1998, 7(4), 275-297.
[23] R. Walczuc, G. Van Braven, & H. Lundgren . Internet adopt ion barriers
for small firms in the Netherlands.European Management Journal, 2000,
18(5), 561-572.
[24] S. Poon,& P. Swatman. The Internet for small businesses: An enabling
infrastructure. Proceedings of the INET'95-5th Annual Conference of the
Internet Society, Honolulu, 1997, Hawaii (pp. 221-231).
[25] A.Hadjimanolis. Barriers to innovation for SMEs in a small less
developed country (Cyprus). Technovation, 1999, 19(9), 561-570.
[26] V. K.Tuunainen. Opportunities of effective integration of EDI for small
businesses in the automotive industry. Information & Management,
1998, 36(6), 361-375.
[27] T.Robertson, & H. Gatignon. Competitive effects on technology
diffusion. Journal of Marketing, 1986, 50, 1-12.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:59059", author = "M. Al-hawari and H. AL–Yamani and B. Izwawa", title = "Small Businesses' Decision to have a Website Saudi Arabia Case Study", abstract = "Recognizing the increasing importance of using the
Internet to conduct business, this paper looks at some related matters
associated with small businesses making a decision of whether or not
to have a Website and go online. Small businesses in Saudi Arabia
struggle to have this decision. For organizations, to fully go online,
conduct business and provide online information services, they need
to connect their database to the Web. Some issues related to doing
that might be beyond the capabilities of most small businesses in
Saudi Arabia, such as Website management, technical issues and
security concerns. Here we focus on a small business firm in Saudi
Arabia (Case Study), discussing the issues related to going online
decision and the firm's options of what to do and how to do it. The
paper suggested some valuable solutions of connecting databases to
the Web. It also discusses some of the important issues related to
online information services and e-commerce, mainly Web hosting
options and security issues.", keywords = "E-Commerce, Saudi Arabia, Small business, Webdatabase connection, Web hosting, World Wide Web (Web).", volume = "2", number = "1", pages = "23-5", }
