Importance of ICT for technology-based small firm's networking

• Modern ICT is widely understood as important for enabling a more effective communication, collaboration and internal operational efficiency in today's businesses. For small firms with limited in-house resources, and especially for technology-based small firms, ICT is expected to play a vital role. The empirical evidence supporting such an understanding are however rare. This paper elaborates on the extent to which ICT capability is employed by technology-based small firms and investigates the influence of ICT capability on network configuration and networking capability. The results provide some new evidence on how ICT may enable more effective networking in this specific category of small firms, and indicates e.g. that technology-based small firms are high users of ICT for gaining flexibility in working hours, accessing vital information, maintaining collaboration with existing business partners, enable a better handling communication within the firm and providing superior customer service. ICT capability was also found to influence small firms networking configuration. Particularly, there is a clear link between higher ICT use for collaboration and more extensive partnership networking, and a higher ICT use for communication and more extensive customer networking. Furthermore, we also found support for a strong relation between ICT capability and networking capability.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Annan teknik -- Övrig annan teknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Other Engineering and Technologies -- Other Engineering and Technologies not elsewhere specified (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

fasteass

Entreprenörskap och innovation

Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Centre - The Faste Laboratory

Centrumbildning - Fastelaboratoriet

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)