Study on information and communication technology (ICT) models of adoption and use in the kingdom of Saudi Arabian SMEs

There has been no research done on how SMEs are adopting and use ICT in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). In particular, which factors are influencing the implementation and use of ICT and how those factors impact a firm's performance. The aim of this study is to address this gap through an exploration of the sufficient and necessary factors associated with adoption and use of ICT in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's SMEs. Significance of the project is founded on premises that SMEs are the main developing and an economy's diversifying factor and that adoption and use of ICT represents the fundamental source of competitiveness and the basis for SMEs survival in the world market. In many countries, small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have played a crucial role in creating jobs and providing economic stability. Following its significance, the authors set the following general objectives: • To develop the ICT adoption model for the KSA SMEs, • To evaluate intensity of factors influencing the ICT use, • To design the Map of Interactions of the Performance influencing factors In this study authors are applying the original two-stage multidisciplinary qualitative-comparative analysis and the systems theory methods to achieve the objectives: • The first phase using the QCA will be to develop the ICT adoption model for the KSA SMEs. • The System Theory Methods (STM), applied in the second stage, have the capacity to evaluate the complex and dynamic interactions between organisational context, users, ICT and the environment. Outcomes of this study are comprehensive arrays of recommendations for policy makers, economic development, a firm's performance improvement, increased profitability, market share, and increased use of ICT in a company.