Government support for the e-readiness of small and medium sized enterprises

Government initiatives are continuously being designed to create stable and supportive environments for developing new industries, enhancing the global competitiveness of companies, promoting innovation and fostering fair competition. Because of its significant potential, electronic business (e-business) is now the focus of efforts in many countries, and governments are beginning to play a critical role in nurturing the e-readiness of various industry sectors. This paper presents a conceptual model for creating and sustaining an appropriate e-readiness climate that facilitates the national adoption of e-business. It focuses specifically on the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and showcases various government e-readiness initiatives aimed at them. The paper also suggests six categories of e-readiness metrics/measures to be used for assessing how a country is performing in terms of providing a positive e-readiness climate for businesses/citizens.