The adoption of an on-line ERP by SME : between concern and necessity
In a more and more competitive world, the company needs a powerful information system. ERP became the solution for numerous companies and a key element of the strategy. But the setting-up of such an in-house product is a heavy operation from different point of view, financial, organizational or still of delay of implementation. On-line ERP (cloud) can then turn out to be an interesting solution in the face of these constraints. The advantages that it presents would facilitate its adoption within SMEs. So, this research attempts to determine the factors which can incite or slow down SMEs in the adoption of such a solution. It is based on TAM, improved by proposals stemming from the Diffusion Theory Model. Our model was tested with companies of the Region Centre in France, on the basis of a on-line questionnaire and of 64 exploitable answers. It appears that decision-makers are sensitive to two variables which directly influence the intention to adopt or to continue the use of an on-line ERP for companies which have already been equipped, the perceived use and, the security and trust they put in such a solution. But it appears than other variables exercise an indirect influence as well, in particular social influence which plays a central role in the model but also the size of the company, the perceived benefits in terms of status and the attitude to the technological innovations.