Recent empirical evidence across countries shows a substantial and increasing return to IT investment. New technologies open up opportunities for small firms to expand their markets beyond national borders. This books looks specifically at ICT adoption and learning trajectories in developing countries; a context characterized by skill deficiencies and weak institutional support. The authors employ a systemic theoretical framework and a variety of research techniques to present firm-level evidence on learning in firms in an Internet-based production environment. The book arrives at a typology of firms on the basis of technological capability and learning trajectories. It identifies systemic and institutional factors that foster the adoption of technologies and goes on to analyse these factors in a multivariate econometric framework. This book is an invaluable addition to the literature on small firms and economic development.
'This book represents a valuable contribution to our understanding of the managerial and policy implications of the effects of new technologies on SMEs. It is both timely and important, as regional and national policy-makers struggle to design effective policies to promote innovation in new-technology based firms. This is by far the best book I have read on this topic.' - Donald Siegel, Professor of Economics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA
'This book brings welcome attention to an underserved area of scholarship: the role of small businesses in building capacity in developing countries...The authors have done a great deal of basic research, shedding new light into an area that does indeed have great promise for development. It joins recent books such as Jeffrey Sachs' The End of Poverty and Jagdish Bhagwati's In Defense of Globalization, in offering new pathways for development.' - Caroline S. Wagner, Lead Research Scientist, Centre for International Science & Technology Policy, George Washington University, USA, and Member, United Nations Millennium Development Task Force on Science, Technology and Innovation, Washington DC, USA
List of Tables
List of Figures
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Methodological Framework for Studying SME Clusters
Adoption of E-Business and Industry-Specific Factors
Determinants of E-Business Adoption
Learning New Technologies by SMEs: Mechanisms and Trajectories
Institutional Infrastructure Supporting E-Business Adoption
Collective Action, Competitiveness and E-Business Technologies
Growth of Employment and the Adoption of E-Business
New Technologies and Export Performance of SMEs
Conclusions
References
BANJI OYELARAN-OYEYINKA is currently Professor and Senior Researcher at the United Nations University-Institute for New Technologies (UNU-INTECH), The Netherlands. Up until early 2001, he was Senior Economic Affairs Officer with the UNCTAD, Geneva, Switzerland. He has published widely in international journals and his most recent book is Learning to Compete in African Industry (Ashgate Publishing, 2006).
KAUSHALESH LAL earned his PhD degree from Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands. He is currently a Researcher at the UNU-INTECH, The Netherlands. He has authored a book on the causes and consequences of the adoption of ICTs, and has published several articles in international journals.
Description
Recent empirical evidence across countries shows a substantial and increasing return to IT investment. New technologies open up opportunities for small firms to expand their markets beyond national borders. This books looks specifically at ICT adoption and learning trajectories in developing countries; a context characterized by skill deficiencies and weak institutional support. The authors employ a systemic theoretical framework and a variety of research techniques to present firm-level evidence on learning in firms in an Internet-based production environment. The book arrives at a typology of firms on the basis of technological capability and learning trajectories. It identifies systemic and institutional factors that foster the adoption of technologies and goes on to analyse these factors in a multivariate econometric framework. This book is an invaluable addition to the literature on small firms and economic development.
Reviews
'This book represents a valuable contribution to our understanding of the managerial and policy implications of the effects of new technologies on SMEs. It is both timely and important, as regional and national policy-makers struggle to design effective policies to promote innovation in new-technology based firms. This is by far the best book I have read on this topic.' - Donald Siegel, Professor of Economics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA
'This book brings welcome attention to an underserved area of scholarship: the role of small businesses in building capacity in developing countries...The authors have done a great deal of basic research, shedding new light into an area that does indeed have great promise for development. It joins recent books such as Jeffrey Sachs' The End of Poverty and Jagdish Bhagwati's In Defense of Globalization, in offering new pathways for development.' - Caroline S. Wagner, Lead Research Scientist, Centre for International Science & Technology Policy, George Washington University, USA, and Member, United Nations Millennium Development Task Force on Science, Technology and Innovation, Washington DC, USA
Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Methodological Framework for Studying SME Clusters
Adoption of E-Business and Industry-Specific Factors
Determinants of E-Business Adoption
Learning New Technologies by SMEs: Mechanisms and Trajectories
Institutional Infrastructure Supporting E-Business Adoption
Collective Action, Competitiveness and E-Business Technologies
Growth of Employment and the Adoption of E-Business
New Technologies and Export Performance of SMEs
Conclusions
References
Authors
BANJI OYELARAN-OYEYINKA is currently Professor and Senior Researcher at the United Nations University-Institute for New Technologies (UNU-INTECH), The Netherlands. Up until early 2001, he was Senior Economic Affairs Officer with the UNCTAD, Geneva, Switzerland. He has published widely in international journals and his most recent book is Learning to Compete in African Industry (Ashgate Publishing, 2006).
KAUSHALESH LAL earned his PhD degree from Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands. He is currently a Researcher at the UNU-INTECH, The Netherlands. He has authored a book on the causes and consequences of the adoption of ICTs, and has published several articles in international journals.
terte
terte
|