IT Knowledge Needs of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Information Systems are now very pervasive in modern organisations, and are argued to be a source of competitiveness and sustainability. Poorly performing IS however, can thus be a major source of risk, and can in fact jeopardise the performance of the organisation.

In Australia, approximately 95% of all organisations fall into the category of small businesses (1-19 employees) and medium enterprises (20-199 employees). Hence, SMEs are a major source of employment, and the health of the Australian economy is very much contingent on the health of the SME sector. We know that approximately 94% of SMEs use IS/IT to conduct their business. However, a recent survey in NSW found that no small businesses employed IS/IT staff, and that only 25% of medium businesses employed any IS/IT staff. This clearly implies that in the majority of Australian organisations, critical decisions are being about investments in IS/IT, decisions which may affect the long term well-being of that organisation, by people who have almost no knowledge about IS/IT.

This research area is focussed on assessing, describing and prescribing the knowledge and skills needs of non-IS managers in SMEs in Australia who are making substantial and important decision regarding IS/IT investments for their organisation, and who need also to manage the IS/IT resource appropriately to ensure the viability and success of their organisation.