The Determinant Factors of Business to Business (B2B) E-Commerce Adoption in Small- and Medium-Sized Manufacturing Enterprises

ABSTRACT

This research examines the relationships between technological, organizational, and environmental (TOE) factors on different levels of B2B e-commerce adoption. A survey of 315 Ghanaian manufacturing SMEs was validated and tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The research findings indicate that perceived desirability, organization’s readiness, and competitive pressure positively and significantly influence the different B2B e-commerce adoption levels. Likewise, top management support and government support partially had a significant impact on the various levels of B2B e-commerce adoption, whereas the business partner’s pressure has no significant influence on B2B e-commerce adoption levels. This research’s results confirm that the TOE factors influence B2B e-commerce adoption levels in the Ghanaian manufacturing SMEs. The results reveal that the various contextual factors have a different effect on the different levels of B2B e-commerce adoption. Also, the implications of this study are subsequently discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• B2B e-commerce adoption levels
• SMEs
• TOE framework
• partial least squares
• Ghana

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research supported by the Humanities, Social Science Foundation of the Ministry of Education, China, under Grant [number 16YJC790031]; and National Social Science Foundation of China, under Grant [number 18BJY105].

Notes on contributors

Chosniel Elikem Ocloo

Chosniel Elikem Ocloo holds a Ph.D. in Management Science from Jiangsu University, China and a Lecturer at the School of Business and Management Studies, Accra Technical University, Ghana. He has special interest in current business trends in Digitalisation and 4th Industrial Revolution concepts. His research areas include E-commerce, Digital Strategy and Marketing, SMEs Development, B2B Marketing and Marketing Management. Chosniel Elikem Ocloo is the corresponding author and can be contacted at: [email protected].

Hu Xuhua

Hu Xuhua (Ph.D.) is a Professor and the Executive Dean of the School of Finance and Economics at Jiangsu University, China. He is also the Director of Division of Open Economy and Industry Development and Postdoctoral Fellow. His research interests include Industrial Development, Industrial Cluster, Development and Regional Economic Growth and Global Production Network and Local Industry Upgrading. He has published research papers in many Chinese Journals and International peer-reviewed journals. Professor Hu Xuhua is a visiting Scholar in Cleveland State University and Radboud University Nijmegen.

Selorm Akaba

Selorm Akaba holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from University of Cape Coast, Ghana and a Lecturer in Agricultural Economics at the University of Cape Coast. He is a trained drone pilot and co-ordinates Unmanned Aerial Systems for Sustainable Development. He has special interest in Bio-economics, Biostatistics, Climate Change Responses, Food Security, ICT for Development and Sustainable Development. His current research focus is on Digitalisation of the agri-food systems with speciality in the use of Drones, Sensors and GIS and Remote Sensing for precision agriculture.

Junguo Shi

Junguo Shi is an Assistant Professor of the School of Finance and Economics at Jiangsu University, China and holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Economics. He is also a postdoctoral researcher2at Seoul National University. His research interests include Economics of Innovation, ABM Simulation and Industrial Policy Analysis. He has published papers in the Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Management Organisation Review and some Chinese journals.

David Kwaku Worwui-Brown

David Kwaku Worwui-Brown holds a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Ghana and a Lecturer at the School of Business and Management Studies, Accra Technical University in Ghana. He is also a Barrister of Law in Ghana. He has research interest in Marketing Management, Organizational Behaviour and Leadership.