Assessing Belief Differences in Small Business Adopters and Non-Adopters of Web-Based E-Commerce
This study analyzes the differences in the beliefs of small business executives regarding the adoption of web-based e-commerce. Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, behavioral, normative and control beliefs were compared of small business executives who had already adopted web-based e-commerce and those who had not yet adopted web-based e-commerce. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding the behavioral beliefs of enhancing the distribution of information, improving information accessibility, improving communication and increasing the speed with which the company gets things done. There was also a difference in the two groups regarding security, cost and training issues related to web-based e-commerce. finally, there was a difference in the normative beliefs of the two groups. The adopters were influenced more by their social referent groups than were the non-adopters.