Worlds Apart: SMEs, e-Business and Policy Initiatives

569 Pages·2014·60.76 MB·English

Worlds Apart:
SMEs, e-Business and Policy Initiatives
Anne Wiggins B.A. M.A.
Information Systems & Innovation Group
Department of Management
London School of Economics and Political Science
Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
August 2007
UMI Number: U506962
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Dedicated to the memory of
Tasha
(29/8/1989-30/12/2002)
and
Porus
(29/5/2003)
Declaration
The research in this thesis constitutes work carried out by the candidate. The thesis is
96,782 words in length, exclusive of index, footnotes, bibliography and appendices, and
complies with the stipulations set out for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by the
University of London.
Anne Wiggins
Information Systems & Innovation Group
Department of Management
London School of Economics and Political Science
UK
TWsStS
e
iritish ibrafy o'Politico
infl&OTim, Science,
“Reality is messy”
Ormerod, 2001
Table of Contents
Dedication.................................................................................................................................ii
Declaration...............................................................................................................................iii
Table of Contents.....................................................................................................................v
List of Figures...........................................................................................................................x
List of Tables............................. xiv
Acknowledgements..............................................................................................................xvii
Publications Arising from the Thesis.............................................................................xviii
Thesis Abstract.....................................................................................................................xix
1. Introduction......................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 - Background.............................. 1
1.2 - The Research "Problem Situation" in Focus.............................................................4
1.3 - Reconciling Worlds Apart: The Research Problem Situation and The Research
Objectives.............................................................................................................................10
1.4- The Research Methodology......................................................................................20
1.5 - The Research Procedures.......................................................................................23
1.6- The Contributions of the Research..........................................................................30
1.7 - Summary of the Thesis...............................................................................................38
2. Background to the Research - SMEs.................................................. 44
2.1 - Introduction....................... 44
2.2-SMEs...........................................................................................................................47
2.2.1 - SME Characteristics...................................................................................................51
2.2.2 - Entrepreneurship........................................................................................................53
2.2.3 - Employee Relations and Training............................................................................58
2.2.4 - Familial and Social Structures...................................................................................59
2.2.5 - Networks and Alliances..............................................................................................62
2.3 - Summary.....................................................................................................................66
3. Background to the Research - e-Business......................................................................71
3.1- Introduction.................................................................................................................71
3.2 - e-Business.....................................................................................................................71
3.3 - e-Business is Innovation......................................................................................................84
3.3.1 - Why and How Does Innovation Happen?..............................................................88
3.3.2 - Innovation Adoption and Implementation Factors................................................91
3.4 - e-Business - The UK Situation................................................................................101
3.5 - Summary...................................................................................................................103
4. Background to the Research - Policy Initiatives........................................................108
4.1 - Introduction...............................................................................................................108
4.2 - Policy Initiatives.................................................................................................................108
4.2.1 - EU Policy Initiatives.................................................................................................110
4.2.2 - UK e-Business and Innovation Policy Initiatives...................................................115
4.2.3 - SME-Specific UK Policy Initiatives........................................................................121
4.3 - Why Aren't SMEs Accessing the Help That's Available?..............................................125
4.4 - Conclusion.........................................................................................................................133
5. Research Methodology....................................................................................................138
5.1 - Introduction................................................................ 138
5.2 - IS and Research Methods........................................................................................143
5.3 - The Research Approach...........................................................................................149
5.3.1 - Multi-Methodologies.............................................................................................149
5.3.2 - Action Research.....................................................................................................153
5.3.3 - Soft Systems Methodology....................................................................................163
5.3.4 - Dialogical Action Research..................................................................................173
5.3.5 - Case Study Research.............................................................................................177
5.3.6 - Action Case Research............................................................................................185
5.4 - Alignment of Research Methods with the Focus of Study....................................188
5.5 - Summary...................................................................................................................193
6. Research Procedures.......................................................................................................196
6.1 - Introduction......................................................................................................... 196
6.2 - Development of the Research Questions...............................................................202
6.3 - Research Procedures................................................................................................207
6.3.1 - Data Collection......................................................................................................212
6.3.2 - Data Analysis.........................................................................................................219
6.4 - Selection of the Case Organisations.......................................................................222
6.5 - Reflections on the Skills and Role of the Researcher.............................................229
6.6 - Summary of the Research Procedures.................................................................230
7. Three In>Depth Case Studies........................................................................................232
7.1 - Introduction...............................................................................................................232
7.2 - In-depth Case Study - Berkeley Square Gallery....................................................236
7.2.1 - Key e-Business Adoption Drivers........................................................................237
7.2.2 - Development and Operational Issues.................................................................239
7.2.3 - Networks and Alliances.........................................................................................249
7.2.4 - Perspectives on Government Policies and Initiatives.........................................251
7.2.5 - Into the Future.......................................................................................................252
7.2.6 - Postscript.................................................................................................................253
7.3 - In-depth Case Study - Davis & Co.......................................................................253
7.3.1 - Key e-Business Adoption Drivers........................................................................257
7.3.2 - Development and Operational Issues.................................................................258
7.3.3 - Networks and Alliances.........................................................................................267
7.3.4 - Perspectives on Government Policies and Initiatives.........................................268
7.3.5 - Into the Future.......................................................................................................269
7.4 - In-depth Case Study - Lobster.............................................................................271
7.4.1 - Key e-Business Adoption Drivers........................................................................276
7.4.2 - Development and Operational Issues.................................................................278
7.4.3 - Networks and Alliances.........................................................................................279
7.4.4 - Perspectives on Government Policies and Initiatives.........................................279
7.4.5 - Into the Future.......................................................................................................280
7.4.6 - Postscript.................................................................................................................281
7.5 - Summary................................................................................................................282
8. Four Case Overviews.......................................................................................................284
8.1 - Introduction...............................................................................................................284
8.2 - Case Study Overview - Design Bridge....................................................................285
8.3 - Case Study Overview - Foyles.................................................................................288
8.4 - Case Study Overview - GF-X..................................................................................293
8.5 - Case Study Overview - Toast..................................................................................298
8.6 - Summary...................................................................................................................303
9. Discussion of the Seven Case Organisations..............................................................306
9.1 - Introduction...............................................................................................................306
9.2 - Drivers to e-Business Adoption................................................................................312
vii
9.3 - Development and Operational Issues.....................................................................319
9.4 - Networks and Alliances...........................................................................................322
9.5 - Perspectives on Government Policies and Initiatives............................................325
9.6 - Drawing Together All the Strands of the Research..............................................327
9.7 - Summary...................................................................................................................334
10. Reconciling Worlds Apart.........................................................................................336
10.1 - Introduction............................................................................................................336
10.2 - Summary of the Research.....................................................................................340
10.2.1 - The Research "Problem Situation" Outlined..................................................341
10.2.2 - The Research Methodology..............................................................................350
10.2.3 - The Research Procedures...................................................................................352
10.2.4 - Outcomes of the Research.................................................................................354
10.3 - Directions for Future Research.............................................................................360
10.4 - Core Contributions of the Research.....................................................................366
10.4.1 - Contributions to Literature................................................................................370
10.4.2 - Contributions to Theory.....................................................................................371
10.4.3 - Contributions to Practice....................................................................................375
10.5 - Limitations of the Thesis........................................................................................376
10.6 - Conclusion........................... 378
Appendices............................................................................................................................381
Appendix A - The Advantages of e-Business Adoption and Implementation.............381
Appendix B - SME Characteristics..................................................................................386
Appendix C - Drivers to e-Business Adoption by SMEs...............................................393
Appendix D - Interview Questionnaire..........................................................................398
Appendix E - Barriers to e-Business Adoption by SMEs..............................................404
Appendix F - The Disadvantages of e-Business Adoption and Implementation........409
Appendix G - Collected Datasets - A Classification of the Case Organisation
Documents.........................................................................................................................412
Appendix H - Fieldwork Appointment Diary................................................................415
Appendix I - Incentivisation/Workshops Questionnaire..............................................419
Appendix J - Strategy........................................................................................................421
Appendix K - EU Policy Initiatives and Programmes Aimed at Stimulating Innovation
and/or the SME Sector....................................................................................................426
Appendix L - UK Policy Initiatives and Programmes Aimed at Stimulating Innovation
and/or the SME Sector....................................................................................................430