In this paper some results are presented from a survey of fifty SMEs from the Genoa province, in Northern Italy. A standardized 30-item questionnaire was employed to explore the ICT adoption and use patterns and to identify factors enabling or inhibiting this process. The SMEs were chosen from two economically significant sectors in the region: food processing and high-tech manufacturing. The primary purpose of our study was to examine whether the industry influences the attitude of SMEs towards ICT. Our results indicate that a rather limited adoption and use of ICT is common to all SMEs from that sample, but some interesting differences came out from a cross-industry comparison. While a more intense and mature approach to ICT by high-tech manufacturing firms was expected, it is partly surprising to find significant differences when it comes to factors which stimulate ICT investment and to perceived benefits. The food processing SMEs appear to have a reactive approach, due to their being driven by competitive and environmental threats; in contrast, high-tech manufacturing firms show a much more proactive attitude, and use ICT to innovate their business model and increase their competitiveness.
Ict Adoption and Use by Italian Smes: A Cross-Industry Comparison
SPINELLI, RICCARDO
2009-01-01
Abstract
In this paper some results are presented from a survey of fifty SMEs from the Genoa province, in Northern Italy. A standardized 30-item questionnaire was employed to explore the ICT adoption and use patterns and to identify factors enabling or inhibiting this process. The SMEs were chosen from two economically significant sectors in the region: food processing and high-tech manufacturing. The primary purpose of our study was to examine whether the industry influences the attitude of SMEs towards ICT. Our results indicate that a rather limited adoption and use of ICT is common to all SMEs from that sample, but some interesting differences came out from a cross-industry comparison. While a more intense and mature approach to ICT by high-tech manufacturing firms was expected, it is partly surprising to find significant differences when it comes to factors which stimulate ICT investment and to perceived benefits. The food processing SMEs appear to have a reactive approach, due to their being driven by competitive and environmental threats; in contrast, high-tech manufacturing firms show a much more proactive attitude, and use ICT to innovate their business model and increase their competitiveness.
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