Our project studied the adoption and use of ICT - software, hardware, networking and Web 2.0 - in SMEs (small-medium sized companies) in South West London and the Thames Valley region. The project was conducted by a team of collaborators from Royal Holloway University of London, Brunel University and Kingston University with assistance from non-academics experienced in advising small companies. Its aim was to establish an informed basis for the transfer of best practice from leading-edge ICT-using companies to the wider SME community.

Creating a foundation for successful knowledge transfer

The project contacted more than 400 SMEs within four sectors (food processing, logistics, internet services and media)which are particularly important to the economy of the region. It studied the experiences of individual companies in order to identify the key issues that enable or inhibit the successful adoption and use of ICT, including e-business. The work included a large-scale telephone survey, face-to-face interviews with selected companies and a series of practitioner workshops.

The project team included senior management academics who had previously advised large companies on their IT strategies, working with experienced advisors to smaller companies. This combination of skills distilled the project findings into the Abandoned Heroes report (download Word document) which has subsequently provided the basis for training and consultancy packages for the SME market - particularly in the subsequent Punch Above Your Weight seminar series. It has also helped to form the basis for a new research project into ICT use by SMEs in the School of Management at Royal Holloway, University of London.