Diffusion of Internet technologies among high technology small firms (HTSFs) in Australia

Summary

Australia is different in three distinct and interrelated factors from every developed nation with which it has trade and commerce links — the low density of population, geographic isolation from its international markets and the distances between domestic population. It is generally accepted that Internet by redefining space and time provides hitherto unavailable opportunities to the small businesses in Australia to overcome the tyranny of distance. It is believed that high GDP per capita, high adult literacy, positive attitude towards technology uptake, mail order culture etc. are some of the factors favourable for adoption of electronic commerce in Australia. This paper attempts to find out the extent and intensity of adoption of Internet technologies by high technology small firms in Australia. The analysis would be primarily based on the websites of Australian small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Keywords:

• high technology small firms
• Internet technologies
• e-commerce
• technology update
• technology diffusion