| The emergence of information and communication technologies(ICTs),especially the Internet applications,has become an indispensable tool to the small and medium-sized enterprise sector.Business-to-business(B2B)e-commerce adoption has become inevitable for most small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs),enabling them to gain and sustain competitive advantage in today’ s competitive and dynamic environment.Acknowledging the fact that B2B e-commerce adopted at different levels based on the availability of different resources leads to the acceptance that competitive advantage is achieved.The factors affecting B2B e-commerce adoption and benefits attained by SMEs have been well-documented in developed countries,but little studies have been conducted regarding B2B e-commerce adoption in the developing countries,particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa(SSA)countries.Also,some existing studies identified different levels of B2B e-commerce implementation and adoption by manufacturing SMEs.However,they neglect to focus on the factors that affect each level of adoption,and they also failed to identify the competitive advantage gained by adopting each level.Similarly,the findings of previous studies on factors affecting B2B e-commerce adoption has been mixed.Therefore,researchers are calling for more comprehensive studies to investigate the potential moderators and contextual factors in the processes of organizations’ adoption of B2B e-commerce.Therefore,the aim of this study is to examine the different factors affecting B2B e-commerce adoption and each level of adoption,and its effect on competitive advantage by focusing on Ghanaian Manufacturing SMEs.Also,to test the moderating effect of organizational culture on the relationship between the different factors and B2B e-commerce adoption,and each level of adoption.In achieving this aim,an integrated conceptual framework was developed from previous models and theories relevant to innovation adoption and B2B e-commerce adoption.The conceptual framework was developed through the lens of the technological,organizational and environmental(TOE)framework.The different TOE factors were used to identify how they affect B2B e-commerce adoption,the different levels of adoption and competitive advantage.This study adopted quantitative research based on the positivism philosophy and deductive approach.A questionnaire survey technique was used to collect the data from Ghanaian SME owner/managers from across the manufacturing sector.This study used simple random,systematic and stratified sampling methods to obtain a comprehensive sample.The conceptual model is then tested with a total of 315 completed questionnaires and analyzed through a multivariate statistical analysis using a variance-based statistical technique known as Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling(PLS-SEM).The path analysis results showed that technological factors which are perceived relative advantage and perceived compatibility significantly affect B2B e-commerce adoption and the different levels of adoption.Similarly,organizational factors which are organizational readiness and top management support;and environmental factors which are competitive pressure and government support significantly affect B2B e-commerce adoption and the different levels of adoption.Therefore,these results confirm that TOE factors affect B2B e-commerce adoption,which highpoints the significance of the TOE factors to the adoption of B2B e-commerce and the specific level of adoption.Also,the research findings indicate that B2B e-commerce adoption and the different levels of adoption significantly affect competitive advantage.The results revealed that the higher the level of B2B e-commerce,which an SME adopted,the higher the level of competitive advantage is achieved.The results demonstrated that adopting B2B e‐commerce can help Ghanaian manufacturing SMEs to gain competitive advantage in term of cost reduction,growth,differentiation and innovation.Also,B2B e-commerce adoption and the different levels of adoption significantly mediates the relationship between TOE factors for SMEs’ competitive advantage.The study also found that organizational culture significantly moderates the relationship between TOE factors and the different levels of B2B e-commerce adoption.In addition,a comparative analysis based on the path coefficients and coefficient of determination(R~2)revealed different significant results of the structural models on the relationship between TOE factors and B2B e-commerce adoption,and competitive advantage,as well as organizational culture.The study covered some novelty aspects of the subject of B2B e-commerce adoption and its effects on competitive advantage for both practical and academic perspectives.Firs of all,the study developed an integrated conceptual framework to offer a comprehensive explanation of B2B e-commerce adoption and competitive advantage among manufacturing SMEs from a developing economy perspective.Therefore,the research could be considered to be a unique study in the field of B2B e-commerce generally and B2B e-commerce adoption amongst Ghanaian manufacturing SMEs in particular.Secondly,the researcher’ s analysis of the interactivity of SMEs’ organizational culture as a potential moderator that affect B2B e-commerce adoption is an attempt to fill the knowledge gap in innovation literature.This is considered novel since the reviewed literature revealed most studies rarely analyzed the effects of moderators on B2B e-commerce adoption levels.Thirdly,in terms of theoretical contribution,the study through B2B e-commerce growth stage model proposed four stages of B2B e-commerce which adds to innovation and information systems literature in relation to a developing country perspective.Finally,the empirical results of the structural models compared established that TOE factors positively and significantly influence the adoption of B2B e-commerce as well as the interaction effect of organizational culture with the various TOE factors on B2B e-commerce adoption.This study extended TOE framework as the theoretical lens to understand the factors affecting B2B e-commerce adoption and the different levels of adoption in SMEs and their impacts on competitive advantage.Also,it offers some insights for top managers and owners of SMEs on the success of adopting B2B e-commerce and help them to prepare strategies for B2B e-commerce expansion and identify the required resources and training.Also,this study presents important implications for government,web/technology vendors and information technology consultants,policy makers and other stakeholder institutions linked to SMEs and manufacturing SMEs in particular.Like any other studies,this study has some limitations.For instance,it lacks the use of detailed qualitative analysis to explain how SMEs understand the concept of competitive advantages and how these benefits could assist them in growing.Also,the cross-sectional survey only reflects the respondents’ beliefs,perceptions,and experiences towards B2B e-commerce adoption at a particular point in time.However,these can change over time which necessitates conducting a longitudinal survey in future research to provide more solid evidence of the study and gives further validation of the conceptual framework proposed in this study. |
