Government Sponsored Online Platforms for SMEs

Fearing a growing digital divide between small and medium enter-prises (SMEs) and large companies, some governments have tried to encourage SME participation in e-commerce by sponsoring regional Internet platforms for them. These initiatives are predicated on the be-lief that online platforms provide a low-cost introduction to e-commerce, while at the same time delivering benefits to SMEs. How-ever, very little academic literature exists on how to assess the success, or evaluate the benefits, of these platforms. This study looks at three such platforms in Western Australia. It syn-thesises existing theoretical perspectives in related areas to develop a framework to identify critical success factors for these platforms, and the benefits that may be derived from them. Although the findings are based on the Western Australian experience, they have a much broader application and are relevant to such platforms everywhere. This study is essential reading for those interested in the subject or involved in government-sponsored regional Internet trading platforms for SMEs, and is particularly useful for university academics, research students and those engaged in regional economic planning.