Abstract
The growth of micro-enterprises is a key driver of economic development. The ability of micro-enterprises to adopt IT can potentially increase their growth by 3.4% according to a World Bank expert. However these gains do not always take place as the challenges are many. Current theoretical models on IT adoption focus on the intent to adopt IT in large organizations where employees' attitudes and perceptions are measured in terms of their objectives within the structures of accountability. Micro-enterprises are unique in that the intention to adopt is an individual decision made by the micro-entrepreneur. It is often the innovative ways in which IT is used that enable the gains to be realized by micro-entrepreneurs. This chapter describes a process that can be used to enable micro-entrepreneurs faced with limited resources to adopt IT to grow their businesses. This process of IT therapy involves diagnosis, interventions and an assessment of IT for development outcomes. Examples and guidelines are provided to enable this process to be used by practitioners. This chapter concludes with alternatives for sustainable development and guidelines for achieving these improvements in micro-enterprises.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Corporate Environmental Management Information Systems |
| Subtitle of host publication | Advancements and Trends |
| Publisher | IGI Global |
| Pages | 55-69 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781615209811 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2010 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Environmental Science