Proceedings of the 1st Business & Management Conference, Vienna

STRATEGIC USES OF ELECTRONIC COMMERCE FOR THAI TRAVEL SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SMES)

NARUEMON CHOOCHINPRAKARN

Abstract:

The purpose of this paper is to examine the current stage of e-commerce usage by Thai small and medium travel enterprises (SMEs) and investigate the effect of technological, organizational, and environmental (TOE) factors on three stages of e-commerce (EC) adoption. An online survey was employed to collect data from Thai travel SMEs that have company websites, are registered with the Thai Department of Business Development and are a member of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Data from 114 usable cases was analyzed using multiple regression. Results revealed that the use of EC in Thai travel SMEs was in the second stage of EC adoption. This indicates that the majority use the Internet for provision of information and services. Other key findings are: (1) only competition intensity positively affected the first (promotion) stage of EC adoption, (2) relative advantage was found to be the only determinant of EC adoption in the second stage of the provision of information and services, and (3) only organization readiness was found to influence EC adoption in the third (processing) stage. This study can provide Thai travel SMEs with useful findings to further understand EC adoption and help to develop a better strategic vision in adopting advanced EC technologies to gain potential benefits and competitive advantages. In addition, the findings have implications for government agencies and EC consultants and vendors in providing guidance on practical applications of EC adoption in Thai travel SMEs and in supporting the development of EC systems. The findings of this study offer a theoretical extension to e-commerce adoption research by highlighting the role of TOE factors on e-commerce adoption by Thai travel SMEs.

Keywords: E-Commerce Adoption, TOE framework, Travel and tourism industry, SMEs, Thailand

DOI: 10.20472/BMC.2015.001.006

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