The take-up of ICT and access to the digital economy by SMEs can be enhanced
by paying close attention to the availability of physical networks, such as Internet
infrastructure and systems; economic networks (market and business organisations);
resources (information and knowledge); and financial capital and policy
(especially support and regulation). Alongside access to physical infrastructure,
access to information and knowledge is the main challenge in the digital economy.
The erosion of time-space-cost barriers and the decentralised network model
makes ICTs extremely powerful in stimulating and/or accelerating growth, as they
allow knowledge resources to break the chains imposed by old and rigid business
organisation models, and favour creativity to explore new applications in different
sectors. Countries and other entities require well-defined e-business strategies and
plans if they are to obtain competitive advantages. The foundation for all e-business’
readiness is based on modern technologies and access to those technologies through
communications and information systems. Included in communications and information
systems infrastructure are networking and computer hardware, underlying
application software for e-business applications, and the applications representing
automated business processes. SMEs that create and commercialize evolutionary
new technologies directly are able to output new innovations ahead of their competitors
(Jutla et al., 2002).