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ICT Policy to Foster Interorganisational ICT Adoption by SMEs: The Netherlands Goes Digital Case

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Information Systems for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Part of the book series: Progress in IS ((PROIS))

Abstract

SMEs are of vital importance for our economy and society. However, they lag behind in their adoption of ICT, particularly interorganisational ICT. Many countries have put policy programmes in place to improve SMEs on this aspect. Previous research provides unclear evidence on the effectiveness of these programs. With this study we aim to provide new insight into the impact of such policy choices on ICT adoption. Through a survey among a relatively large sample of SME participants (n = 516) and a matched control group (n = 124) of non-participating SMEs, we assess a policy programme that ran in the Netherlands from 2002 to 2007. Participants are found to use significantly more interorganisational ICT and also more often find that ICT has enhanced their firm’s performance compared to the control group. However, pre-selection effects cannot be ruled out. Based on our results, we suggest basic, awareness-focused policy programmes, as opposed to complex, government supported implementation processes.

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Acknowledgments

A preliminary version of this chapter has been presented at the Bled eConference in 2011: Plomp, M. G. A., Batenburg, R. S., & Den Hertog, P. (2011). Does ICT policy improve interorganisational ICT for SMEs? A Dutch policy evaluation study. In Proceedings of the 24 th Bled eConference “eFuture: Creating Solutions for the Individual, Organisations and Society” (pp. 558–571). Bled, Slovenia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Information, Logistics and Innovation, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Marijn G. A. Plomp

  2. Department of Information and Computing Sciences, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.089, 3508 TB, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Ronald S. Batenburg

  3. Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, P.O. Box 1568, 3500 BN, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Ronald S. Batenburg

  4. Dialogic Innovation and Interaction, Hooghiemstraplein 33-36, 3514 AX, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Pim den Hertog

Authors
  1. Marijn G. A. Plomp
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  2. Ronald S. Batenburg
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  3. Pim den Hertog
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marijn G. A. Plomp .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. ELIT - Lab, Ghent University University College West-Flanders, Kortrijk, Belgium

    Jan Devos

  2. Industrial Management, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium

    Hendrik van Landeghem

  3. Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Ghent University Faculty of Economics and Business Admin., Ghent, Belgium

    Dirk Deschoolmeester

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Plomp, M.G.A., Batenburg, R.S., den Hertog, P. (2014). ICT Policy to Foster Interorganisational ICT Adoption by SMEs: The Netherlands Goes Digital Case. In: Devos, J., van Landeghem, H., Deschoolmeester, D. (eds) Information Systems for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. Progress in IS. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38244-4_6

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