A Contemporaneous Statistical Note on E-Commerce Adoption in Romania – Based SMEs

Dorel Mihai Paraschiv, Adrian Cantemir Calin, Oana Popovici and Gerard Cazabat
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Dorel Mihai Paraschiv: The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania
Gerard Cazabat: EDC Pars Business School, France

The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, 2019, vol. 21, issue 50, 177

Abstract: During the recent period, the scientific literature has highlighted the role of E-commerce in business development and growth. In this article we revisit the specifics of E-commerce adoption, focusing on the case of Romanian SMEs. Using the online questionnaire survey method and the principal component analysis, we draw a comprehensive picture of Romanian SMEs with E-commerce activities, with reference to the determinants and barriers of E-commerce adoption, benefits emerged with the use of E-commerce and main problems in the E-commerce development. We find that the main factor determining E-commerce adoption is the perceived relative advantage brought by E-commerce activities pointing to higher productivity and efficiency inside the company, while the major barrier is the lack of compatibility between E-commerce activities and the SME’s way of doing business, and not the costs, as initially expected. The low competitiveness of the business environment has an important role in deterring E-commerce activity. We conclude that the launch of information campaigns for enhancing familiarity with E-commerce practices for increasing confidence in E-commerce activities for both SMEs managers and their clients is among the most effective measures for intensifying E-commerce activity in Romania.

Keywords: SMEs; E-Commerce; adoption barriers; benefits. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: M10 M15 M31 O33 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aes:amfeco:v:21:y:2019:i:50:p:177

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