PRIORITIZING ELECTRONIC COMMERCE TECHNOLOGIES IN …journal-archieves37.webs.com/147-180jun14.pdf · PRIORITIZING ELECTRONIC COMMERCE TECHNOLOGIES IN IRANIAN ... research to prioritizing

ijcrb.webs.com

INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN BUSINESS

COPY RIGHT © 2014 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 147

JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

PRIORITIZING ELECTRONIC COMMERCE TECHNOLOGIES IN IRANIAN

FAMILY SMEs

SEYED KAVEH JAMALI

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY (MMU)

MALAYSIA

BEHRANG SAMADI

FACULTY OF BUSINESS &MANAGEMENT

ASIA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION (A.P.U)

MALAYSIA

DR. G. MARTHANDAN

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY (MMU)

MALAYSIA

Abstract

This study investigates the most relevant e-commerce technology for Iranian family SMEs. The

purpose of the study is narrowing down the range of e-commerce technologies to the most

relevant one in such unique SMEs in Iran to fit their distinct needs and objectives. To this end,

the relevant EC technologies in SMEs involving E-mail; Internet/Website, Intranet, Extranet,

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) and Barcode (Alzougool

and Kurnia, 2008) were prioritized by family SMEs’ experts through of Analytic Hierarchy

Process (AHP) Method based on the specific needs and objectives in family SMEs in Iran. As a

results, Internet/Website with 0.361 value point recognized as most fitted EC technology in

Iranian family SMEs.

Keywords: Family Business, Family SMEs, Electronic Commerce, Electronic Commerce

Technologies, Analytic Hierarchy Process

1. Introduction

Electronic commerce technology adoption is a critical investment which can have significantly

effects on competitiveness and performances of SMEs. This is could be more considerable in

case of family SMEs regarding with their unique characteristics and situations, such as ‘social

network intention’ and ‘unknown image’. However, regarding to the typical shortness of the

financial resources, and the existence of a precautious investment approach, since the financial

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

resources mainly depend on the family assets in such SMEs, selecting a proper EC technology

from the wide-ranging ICTs, suited to their distinct needs and objectives to convey the electronic

commerce functions over its technology structure is a vital step. This is motivated the current

research to prioritizing the most related electronic commerce technologies for such businesses.

According to the Alzougool and Kurnia (2008); E-mail, Internet/Website, Intranet, Extranet,

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), and Barcode are as the

relevant EC technologies in SMEs. However, they are not the same in start-up and maintenance

costs, provided advantages, technical and technological requirements, and even their focuses. For

instance, EDI has a narrow focus and SMEs may adopt such proprietary systems to communicate

with suppliers (MSC) through the exchange of structured data involving business to business

(B2B) processes. In contrast, Internet has a broad focus and SMEs may adopt Internet for

business to business (B2B) and/or business to consumer (B2C) processes in both buying and

selling sides. Accordingly, this study tried to underline the most relevant EC technology for

family SMEs in Iran. Consequently, the purpose of current study is to recognizing the most

relevant EC technology in Iranian family SMEs through of weighting their importance ranked by

Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). In this way, we were faced with two main issues: a)

recognizing the Iranian family SMEs’ strategic and short-term objectives through of

decomposition method, b) Selecting the most suited EC technology in Iranian family SMEs by

narrowing down the relevant EC technologies in such SMEs based on the decomposed

objectives, ranked by an expert team using Analytical Hierarchy Process technique (Zohoori,

Mohseni, & Samadi, 2013).

1.1. Family SMEs’ Unique Needs and Objectives

Family businesses represent the majority of all businesses in societies all around the world

(Astrachan and Shanker 2003) from which mostly are categorized in the small or medium-sized

enterprises (Donckels and Fröhlich 1991; Corbetta and Montemerlo 1999), so called family

SMEs defined as the autonomous family-owned enterprises (engaged in an economic activity,

European Commission, 2005) with more than 50% privately shares owned by a single family not

controlled directly or indirectly by government in which maximum 249 employees operate

(European Commission, 2005; ISIPO, 2009) and minimum two owners/managers belong to the

family, in the current study.

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

There is little realization of family SMEs attributes among policy makers and their contributions

to society only referred to their traditional distinct manners. However, in the recent years the

researchers have put enormous efforts to distinguishing their distinctiveness.

In overall, family SMEs express idiosyncratic features due to their entwined family and business

subsystems (Sharma et al., 1996) where the organization value is created by the combination of

the family and business concerns. They usually tolerate the financial resources’ restrictions,

specific financing methods such as equity, debt financing and/or reinvestment of profits in which

taxation play significant roles, and also certain challenges related to succession of

ownership/management transition between family generations in the company. There is also a

general negative view for expert career progression in such unique SMEs, which may make them

even unattractive for skilled workers. Relatively, they may be perceived as organizations with

nepotistic and paternalistic practices where non-family members are in disadvantage. Family

SMEs may also find themselves too adamant on building a solid clan like a team. Moreover, their

community commitment may cause such atmosphere through which the business concerns may

be neglected. In the other hand, the CEOs in such businesses may also follow their own

objectives by trying to keep the control position over the company through of resistance for

renewing and adapting new condition.

Nevertheless, the long-surviving family SMEs over a generation by keeping up a balanced

orientation between family and business, through which the positive sense of altruism and

familiness were becoming as the competitive advantages for permanently and fervently achieving

the organizational missions, have changed the threats to opportunities.

In specific, the main business objectives in the family SMEs, detailed by Molly (2009) are

‘Increasing of the financial value of the business’, ‘Growth of the sales figure of the business’,

‘Maximization of profit’, and ‘Increasing of the market share of the business’. And in the other

hand, the main family goals are as ‘Preservation of family control and independence’,

‘Minimization of family conflicts’, and ‘Provision of work to family members’ (Molly, 2009).

Having a balance strategic orientation between family and business by considering the good

combination of the above-mentioned family and business strategic goals might be the common

threat for better understanding of the successful survival family SMEs over generation in the

ever-increasing competitive new market.

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

1.2. Family SMEs and ICT adoption in Iran

Family SMEs compromise over 90% of the private sectors in developing countries and 95 % of

the private sectors in the Middle East region (Walton and Whitener, 2010). They play an

outstanding role in the socio-economic cycle of developing nations, by taking noteworthy

responsibility in their economic growth, job creation and employment. They are moreover

credited as a shock absorber in their socio-economic system, providing a safe investment,

adjusting the milieu of economic crisis in such countries. However, they are evidently suffering

from the specific challenges such as limited resources, marketing infirmity, lacking of flexibility,

knowledge and approaches in order to enter and opening the new markets, meeting new strong

competitive business partners, increasing competitive forces, and having a leading edge over

competitors (Phapruke et al., 2009). Todays, growth and development of Information and

Communication Technologies (ICTs) provide the outstanding opportunities to overcome the

critical situations in such distinct SMEs by improving their communications, reducing the

marketing and operational costs, launching new products, and finally obtaining the competitive

advantage in the global market. However, the existence of specific needs and situations cause

such paucity to embrace electronic commerce by family SMEs, from which the selection of the

fitted technology structure for conveyance the electronic commerce functions over could not be

ignored.

Family SMEs in In Iran, as the main population of interest in this research, comprise the majority

of SMEs in Iran, which in turn hold more than 98% of the economy (UNIDO, 2003). Despite of

their vital role, there is almost no business category for such businesses in Iran and they are

usually categorized as SMEs; thus, there is no reliable information concerning to their specific

conditions. Referring to the latest nationwide statistical data collection from businesses in Iran,

by Statistical Center of Iran (SCI, 2002), more than 99% of all enterprises in Iran have less than

250 employees categorized under SMEs (based on ISIPO’s definition of SMEs at 2009), from

which a quiet majority belongs to family SMEs (UNIDO, 2003). Family SMEs in Iran, as the

sub-division of SMEs, based on their activity are divided in two main categories; a) providing

consumers’ general needs, and b) supplying the intermediary goods and materials for large

enterprises (UNIDO, 2003). Recently, by the emerging trend of electronic data interchange by

means of ICTs, Iran’s political, economical and social issues have been diverted to a more

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

aggressive approach to the world of ecommerce, and despite the shadowing issues of the past,

Iran already internalized the promising craft of e-commerce through various ICT technologies

adoption (Ajdari, 2007). However, the rate of electronic commerce adoption in Iran family SMEs

is still questionably low (Hajkarimi and Azizi, 2008). One of the main reasons for the

unwillingness of having more progressive EC adoption in Such SMSs in Iran could be the

selecting of a not well-fitted electronic technology structure for satisfying their distinct

expectations. Accordingly, the current study by differentiating the broad range of EC

technologies’ structures for fitting the Iranian family SMEs’ prime needs and priorities, tried to

underline the most suited EC technology, overtaking the related barriers for adopting electronic

commerce in such SMEs in Iran.

2. Literature review and framework

As it mentioned, EC technologies adoption is a critical investment with significant effects on

competitiveness in family SMEs. Relatively, regarding with the family SMEs’ financial

restrictions and specific needs/objectives, recognizing the most relevant of these technologies to

fit their needs and objectives is analytically important. The current study, to recognize the most

relevant EC technology in the family business SMEs in Iran, presents a comprehensive

framework for selecting a suitable EC technology in Iranian family SMEs. The framework can

systematically attach the EC technologies features to the objectives of Iranian family SMEs,

identifying the appropriate attributes and setting up consistent evaluation criteria for facilitating a

group decision process. Based on how well the features meet the main objectives as criteria the

mentioned technologies are ranked by Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) Technique in family

SMEs in Iran under this study.

In the related literature, to evaluate the EC technologies as ICT technologies some methods have

been applied such as scoring, ranking, mathematical optimization, and multi-criteria decision

analysis with their own merits and disadvantages. The scoring method also has the similar

restraints (Buss, 1983). Another evaluation method so called optimization methods like goal

programming, 0–1 programming, and nonlinear programming could apply to resource

optimization in the selection (i.e. Santhanam and Kyparisis; 1995, 1996); however, for

optimization of the resource allocation a nonlinear programming model is needed to be processed

for dealings the factors and deliberate interdependencies between projects in the model.

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

Accordingly, such models may deal with the selection process with partially (Lee and Kim,

2000). To overcome the gap, such other related studies in the literature have combined the

analytic network process (ANP) technique and 0–1 goal-programming model; however, it seems

the usage of such complicated mathematic models like 0–1 goal programming still weakens the

practical usability of the results since they are not clearly understandable for managers,

particularly when the attributes are qualitative. Moreover, these methodologies have too much

focus on quantifiable calculations and undermine having a comprehensive selection framework

for selection of technologies linked to the objectives of companies.

Saaty (1980) by introducing the AHP technique opened up the reliable method for determining

the priority of alternatives based on the relative attributes’ importance in a multiple criteria

decision-making problem. Recently, this technique has been widely used in the related literature.

As an instance, Schniederjans and Wilson (1991) employed the AHP method to determine the

relative weights of attributes for IS technology selection. Likewise, Lai et al. (1999) carried out a

study of multimedia technology selection through of AHP method. However, both studies have

not illustrated how they extracted the proper criteria for evaluating the strategic goals’

fulfillment. Relatively, there is almost no related study to evaluate the importance of strategic-

means structures for evaluating the EC technologies in family SMEs in Iran.

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

Figure 1. EC technology Selection Framework

Accordingly, for covering up the gap, this study applied a methodical selection framework,

building the structure accounting for Iranian family SMEs’ needs and strategic objectives linked

to the attributes of the EC technology alternatives. In this research the logical AHP Method was

used to synthesize decision makers’ touchable and insubstantial measures regarding to the rival

goals. The strategic objectives present a concrete foundation for decision-making and steady

orientation. The selection of most fitted EC technology to suit the Iranian family SMEs overall

strategic-means objectives are the ultimate goal which expert team should achieve.

2.1. EC Technology Selection Model

Based on the key strategic criteria extracted from the family SMEs’ related literature and

criticized by the first expert team’s members who were closely connected to the family SMEs in

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

Iran, the Iranian family SMEs’ strategic-means objectives and priorities were outlined. These

discussions most effectively were organized through structured online meetings, allowing

participants to focus on dialogue, and group decision-making (Nogoev, Yazdanifard, Mohseni,

Samadi, & Menon, 2011). These discussions had clear results for having more specific progress

in selecting of the most relevant EC technology regarding to the family and business objectives,

in such SMEs. After the criteria were identified, they were organized by expert team’s opinion

based on their importance. Duplicated or redundant criteria were eliminated and all criteria were

closely reviewed for final inclusion in the EC technology selection model. Figure2 is a model

based on the key selection criteria.

Figure 2. EC Selection AHP Model

In addition, to finalize the EC technology selection model, the expert team formulated a clear

definition for each of the criterion within the model. The criteria definitions articulated in enough

detail so that all the participant unanimous on the meaning and intention of each criterion. Figure

3 contains the definition of each criterion within the EC technology selection.

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

Figure 3. Criteria Definition

3. Research Methodology

The primary qualitative data collected from this study was transformed to the numeric data using

Analytical hierarchy process. In particular, the comparative analyses were performed to weight

the alternatives based on the criteria, selecting the most fitted EC technology in Iranian family

SMEs. From the literature, the related needs and objectives in such distinct businesses were

extracted, liked by the decomposed structuring method to the alternatives’ features by eligible

knowledge-people who were selected by a purposive sampling technique. The AHP method was

used to analyze the results and evaluate the validity and reliability of the research through of

consistency assessments.

3.1. Sample and Data

Forming an expert team and collecting the information on EC technologies’ features to link the

literature extracted specific needs and objectives in Iranian family SMEs took a place first. Expert

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

team’s member, defined as a CEO of family SMEs in Iran who have at least 5 years managerial

work experiences, Bachelor educational level in a relevant field. The samples were selected by a

purposive sampling technique as non-probability sampling technique from the WWW.SME.IR

(ISIPO) database as the population frame in this research. ISIPO database offers the accessible

sheer list of Iranian SMEs’ names and valuable resource of their business information. As a

result, 20 of eligible experts who accepted our invitation were participated in this research. The

qualitative primary data, converted to the numeric data by AHP technique, were collected from

the participants. The unit of analysis was an Iranian family SME.

3.2. Analysis

Unstructured interviews and discussions were used to elicit the structure of strategic-means

objectives of the members of the expert team during the several online meetings. After analyzing

the open questionnaire filled by the 10 accidentally chosen experts’ members, the elements of the

hierarchical structure of strategic objectives (assumed to be achieved by means of the

alternatives) in family SMEs in Iran which previously were extracted from the related literature

were refined. As results, the consistent strategic objectives’ items, synchronized with lower-level

objectives of alternatives’ adoption in Iranian family SMEs, were highlighted as follows:

(a) Minimization of family conflicts

(b) Preservation of family independence

(c) Increasing of market share

(d) Maximization of profit

(e) Growth of sales

(f) Increasing the financial value of the business

Then, the importance of the results was ranked from ten by the ten other experts through of filling

a closed questionnaire including the 6 above-mentioned items. The items with an average point of

seven and more were candidate as the final criteria. The ultimate goal was set to ‘‘Select the most

fitted EC technology in Iranian family SMEs’’. The mission was processed by structuring a

strategic-means objectives’ decomposition in which the strategic goals in family SMEs in Iran

(extracted from the literature) were systematically linked to the alternative’s features, though

lower-level objectives as latent criteria in a Delphi Technique, and finally ranked out of ten

scores. The seven and above are ranked items including the following five items; ‘Minimization

of family conflicts’, ‘Preservation of family independence’, ‘Increasing of market share’,

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

‘Maximization of profit’, and ‘Growth of sales’ were candidate as final criteria in prioritizing the

most fitted EC technology in Iranian family SMEs.

Table 1. Criteria Selecting

The hierarchy of the research model reflects the EC technologies’ features which are suitable to

the Iranian family SMEs’ goals. The strategic-means objectives as criteria, consisted of two main

and fundamental objectives, namely approached to select the most appropriate EC technology

from the alternatives by the expert’s team opinion. The processes ensured that each of

participants follows the same criteria in the evaluation process, consistently.

To this end, for prioritizing the EC technology by the AHP methodology, a paired comparison of

the alternatives in each of the attributes and the inter-attribute relative importance were made and

converted to a numerical scale from 1–9. For this step, the five members of the expert team who

have the most work experience and educational level were picked up and the paired comparisons

questionnaire was given to them. It is worth to note that, the view point’s value of these five

chosen members was assumed to be equal and got the same coefficients.

After the collection of the filled up questionnaires, the all same elements of answer sheets were

integrated by following formula:

Consequently, through of arithmetic average technique, each column of the reciprocal tables was

summed for each of criteria, independently. Then, each element of the table was divided by the

sum of its own column, so called normalizing relative weight. The normalized principal eigen

vector is also known as priority vector. The priority vector shows relative weights among the

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

compared items. The related results were presented in Table2, in which ‘Minimization of family

conflicts’ had the most weight among the criteria.

Table 2. Ranked Inter-Attributes Priority Vector

Now, for the final priority assessment among the alternatives, each alternative was individually

evaluated by calculation of total sum of priority vector weight results for each criterion multiply

to the importance weight of the alternative based on the related criterion, depicted in table3.

Table3. Alternatives Priority Vector

3.3. Validity and Reliability

In this step the validity and reliability of the study were tested through of the consistency ratio

among the paired comparisons, as follows:

a) Calculation of weighing sum vector (WSV) through multiplying of the integrated pair-

comparison matrix to the vertical priority vector matrix

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

b) Calculation of the consistency vector (CV) through computing the WSV divided by the

vertical priority vector matrix

c) Calculation of ʎmax by computing the average of the CV’s elements

d) Calculation of the consistency index (CI) by computing the following formula:

(CI)

e) Calculation of consistency ratio (CR) by computing the following formula, where RI was

determined by the number of alternatives from the Alternatives number –Consistency ratio table

(See table 4):

CR

Table4. Alternatives Number –Consistency Ratio

Accordingly, all the paired comparisons based on each one of the criteria were consistent. The

related analysis was detailed as follow:

3.3.1. Consistency Test Inter Attribute Items

(CI)

CR (five alternatives, thus RI was1.12, See Table4)

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

CR

3.3.2. Consistency Test for ‘minimization of Family Conflicts’

7.645038

(CI) .1075

CR (seven alternatives, thus RI was1.32, See Table4)

3.3.3. Consistency Test for ‘Preservation of Family Independence’

(CI) .1244


3.3.4. Consistency Test for ‘Increasing of Market Share’

7.641296

(CI) 0.1068


3.3.5. Consistency Test for ‘Maximization of Profit’

(CI)


3.3.6. Consistency Test for ‘Growth of Sales’

7.4874

(CI) 0.0812

CR (seven alternatives thus RI was1.32, See Table4)

3.4. Research Findings

At last step, the final alternatives’ weights were computed and ranked, led to selection of

Internet/Website as the most fitted EC technology in Iranian family SMEs.

7.365355

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

4. Discussion

To recognize the most relevant EC technology in the family SMEs in Iran, this study presented a

comprehensive framework. The proposed framework systematically constructed a linkage

between EC alternatives’ features and the strategic objectives in Iranian family SMEs, pinned by

the latent lower-level objectives in relation to EC technologies which were consistently

considered in the evaluating process by an expert team, setting up a reliable evaluation in this

group decision process. Based on the final outlined criteria, the alternatives were ranked by

Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) in the Iranian family SMEs under the study. Followed by

Clemen (1996), to stay away from being constrained by existing objective structure, the expert

team was asked in any order during constructing a network of the fundamental objectives linked

to the means objectives, so called strategic-means objectives structure. It is very important to get

rid of impurities in the structure of objectives to guarantee that the decision was examined

completely. During the discussion, a ladder of alternative from means objectives to the

fundamental objectives as the latent criteria to attain a harmony on EC technology selection in

such distinct SMEs in Iran was constantly modified by decision makers; thus, the accuracy of

presented paired comparison might be limited by the participants’ awareness, knowledge, and

even cognitive biases Accordingly, to overcome the discrepancy in semantic imageries during

comparisons, the AHP method was primarily explained in depth for decision makers improving

their judgments skills. During the development process, the overall consistency evaluation was

carried out for which the decision makers’ were asked to afford rationale for their decisions. The

time allocated to set up an objective framework increased the results’ quality and even declined

the total research period by avoiding decisions adjustments reconsideration.

5. Conclusion

The current study develops all-inclusive framework to select the most fitted EC technology in

Iranian family SMEs, grounded in AHP decision process. The proposed processes allow Iranian

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

family SMEs to recognize the rudiments of EC technology selection and devise the fitted EC

technology as a ladder from means objective networks to the fundamental objectives. The

framework and policy initiatives in family SMEs differ from country to country, so the result

may have limitations for generalization to the other countries. The proposed comprehensive EC

technology selection framework contributes the subsequent advantages:

a) Making certain consistency of objectives’ structure in Iranian family SMEs

The expert team realized associations among dissimilar objectives and evaluated their effects by

reproducing them in a hierarchical strategic-means structures

b) Decomposing the complexity of EC technologies into easier and more rational conclusion of

the attributes. Predominantly, awareness of objectives’ structure, improved identification of the

requirements.

c) Hastening the consensus among multiple decision makers

d) Evaluating features and directions methodically based on the goals’ satisfaction progress

As it was shown throughout the evaluation process, the consistency index (CI) and consistency

ratio (CR) of each decision maker’s paired comparison matrix was less than the threshold value

0.1 (Saaty, A was the best choice for the family-owned SME 1980) to ensure that the decision

maker was consistent in assigning paired comparisons. Otherwise, the decision makers were

needed to reconsider their evaluation. According to the results the decision makers were fairly

consistent in ranking the attributes based on the criteria and “Internet/Website” with 0.361 weight

point recognized as most fitted EC technology in Iranian family SMEs. The results were

consistent with the related study of Ajdari (2007), in which the Internet/website was credited as

the stable growth driver by increasing 46 percent growth rate in Iranian SMEs.

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

6.References

Afzal, H. (2008). “EC adoption and Critical Success factors of EC in SMEs in Iran”, Lulea

University of Technology, Master Thesis,.

Ahn, H. (2001). Applying the Balanced Scorecard Concept: An Experience Report. Long Range

Planning, 34, 441-461.

Ajdari, B. (2007). Impact of e-Commerce on internationalization of Iranian SMEs. Lulea

University of Technology.

Ali, S. and Majid, R. (2008). “A Model of Adoption of Electronic Commerce by Small and

Medium-Sized Enterprises”, the third international electronic commerce focused on developing

countries. Isfahan- Iran.

Alpar and Reeves. (1990). Predictors of MS/OR application in small businesses. Interfaces. v20

i2. 2-11.

Alzougool, B. and Kurnia, S. (2008). EC Technologies Adoption by SMEs: A Conceptual Study,

19th Australasian Conference on Information Systems, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Astrachan, J. and Shanker, M. (2003). Family businesses’ contribution to the U. S. economy: A

closer look. Family Business Review, 16(3): 211-220

Beckhard, R., Dyer J. and W.G. (1983b). Managing change in the family SME – issues and

strategies. Sloan Management Review 24 (3), 59–65.

Birley, S., Ng, D. and Godfrey, A. (1999) .The family and the business. Long Range Planning,

32(6), 598-608.

Business Review 61 (1), 118–125), 1–12.

Buss, M. (1983). How to rank computer projects. Harvard Business Review 61 (1), 118–125.

Cabrera-Suarez, K., De Saa-Perez, P. and Garcia-Almeida, D. (2001). The succession process

from a resource-and knowledge-based view of the family firm. Family Business Review, 14, 37-

47.

Chien, C.., Chen, S. and Lin, Y. (2002). Using Bayesian network for fault location on distribution

feeder. IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery 17, 785–793.

Clemen, R. (1996). Making Hard Decisions: An Introduction to Decision Analysis. Duxbury

Press, Pacific Grove.

http://people.eng.unimelb.edu.au/sherahk/Papers/ACIS-SMEs.pdf

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

Corbetta, G. and Montemerlo, D. (1999), “Ownership, Governance, and Management Issues in

Small and Medium-Size Family Businesses: A Comparison of Italy and the United States”.

Family Business Review, Vol. 12, No. 4, pp. 361-374.

Donckels, R. and Frohlick, E. (1991). Are family businesses really different? European

experiences from STRATOS. Family Business Review 4 (2), 149–160.

Dunn, B. (1995). Success Themes in Scottish Family Enterprises: Philosophies and Practices

through Generations, Family Business Review, 8, 17-28.

European Commission (2005). Enterprise and Industry, The new SME definition, User guide and

model declaration.

European Commission (2009): Enterprise and Industry Directorate-General promotion Of SMEs’

Competitiveness, November. “Final Report of the Expert Group overview of Family–Business–

Relevant Issues: Research, Networks, Policy Measures and existing Studies”.

Gersick, K., Davis, J., Hampton, M. and Lansberg, I. (1997). Generation to Generation: life

cycles of the family business. Boston Massachusetts: Harvard Business School Press.

Gils, W. (2007). Full-time working couples in the Netherlands: Causes and consequences.

Nijmegen: Radboud Universities Nijmegen.

Gomez-Mejia, L., Nunez-Nickel, M. and Gutierrez, I. (2001). The role of family ties in agency

contracts. Academy of Management Journal, 44(1), 8 1-95.

Habbershon, T. and Williams, M. (1999). A resource-based framework for assessing the strategic

advantages of family firms. Family Business Review, 12, 1-15.

Habbershon, T., Williams, M. and MacMillan, I. (2003). A unified systems perspective of family

firm performance. Journal of Business Venturing, 18, 451-465.

Hajkarimi A. and Azizi, Sh. (2008). Model of Factors Affecting E-Commerce Adoption in Small

Businesses, Iranian Journal of Trade Studies (IJTS), FALL, 12(48), 191-229.

Heuvel, J., Gils, A. and Voordeckers, W. (2006). Board Roles in Small and Medium-Sized

Family Businesses: Performance and Importance, corporate Governance: An International

Review, Vol. 14, No. 5, pp 467-485.

Iacovou, C., Benbasat, I. and Dexter, A. (1995). Electronic data interchange and small

organizations: adoption and impact of technology. MIS Quarterly 19 (4), 465–485.

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

Lai, V., Trueblood, R. and Wong, B. (1999). Software selection: A case study of the application

of the analytical hierarchical process to the selection of a multimedia authoring system.

Information & Management 36, 221–232.

Leach, P., Smith, W., Hart, A., Morris, T., Ainsworth, J., Beterlsen, E., Iraqi, S. and Pasari, V.

(1990). Managing the family business in the UK: Stoy Hayward Survey in conjunction with the

London Business School. Stoy Harward, London.

Lee, G. and Xia, W. (2006). "Organizational size and IT innovation adoption: A meta-analysis",

Information and Management (43:8), 975-985.

Lee, J. and Kim, S. (2000). Using analytic network process and goal programming for

interdependent information system project selection. Computers & Operations Research 27, 367–

382. l Research 89, 380–399.

Lee, J. and Runge, J. (2001). Adoption of Information Technology in Small Business: Testing

Drives of Adoption for Entrepreneurs. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 42(1):44.

Lohrke, F., Kreiser, P. and Weaver, K. (2006). ‘The influence of current firm performance on

future SME alliance formation intentions: a six-country study’ , Journal of Business Research,

59(1): 19-27

Lucas, H. and Moore J. (1976). A multiple-criterion scoring approach to information system

project selection. Info. 14 (1 Buss, M.D.J., 1983. How to rank computer projects. Harvard

Miller, D. and LeBreton-Miller, I. (2005). ‘Managing for the Long Run: Lesson in Competitive

Advantage from Great Family Businesses’, Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Miller, D., Steier, L. and Le Breton-Miller, I. (2003). Lost in time: Intergenerational

Molly, V. (2009). The heterogeneity of the family business: Goal orientation, Intergenerational

differences and Succession, Doctoral dissertation, Antwerpen University, Belgium.

Morck, R. and Bernard Y. (2003). Family Control and the Rent-Seeking Society,

Entrepreneurship :Theory and Practice, forthcoming.

Nogoev, A., Yazdanifard, R., Mohseni, S., Samadi, B., & Menon, M. (2011). The Evolution and

Development of E-Commerce Market and E-Cash. In International Conference on Measurement

and Control Engineering 2nd (ICMCE 2011). ASME Press.Nogoev, A., Yazdanifard, R.,

Mohseni, S., Samadi, B., & Menon, M. (2011). The Evolution and Development of E-Commerce

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

Market and E-Cash. In International Conference on Measurement and Control Engineering 2nd

(ICMCE 2011). ASME Press.

Zohoori, M., Mohseni, S., & Samadi, B. (2013). The Relationship between Knowledge Sharing

and Innovation in Electronic Industry of Iran. Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Development, 1(June), 26–33.

Phapruke ussahawanitchakit et al., (2009). Organizational culture, business ethics, and earnings

quality: an empirical study of SMEs in Thailand international journal of business strategy.

Primary Informatics Association of Republic Islamic of Iran, 2003; Electronic Commerce Policy

Reports of Islamic Republic of Iran.

Saaty, T. (1980). The Analytic Hierarchy Process. McGraw- Hill, New York.

Santhanam, R. and Kyparisis, G. (1995). A multiple criteria decision model for information

system project selection. Computers & Operations Research 22 (8), 807–818.

Santhanam, R. and Kyparisis, G. (1996). A decision model for interdependent information

system project selection. European Journal of Operation.

Schniederjans, M. and Wilson, R. (1991). Using the analytic hierarchy process and goal

programming for information system project selection. Information & Management 20, 333–342.

Schulze, W., Lubatkin, M. and Dino, R. (2003a). Toward a theory of agency and altruism in

family firms. Journal of Business Venturing, 18(4), 473-490.

Schulze, W., Lubatkin, M. and Dino, R. (2003b). Exploring the agency consequences of

ownership dispersion among inside directors at family firms. Academy of Management Journal,

46(2), 179-194.

Schulze, W., Lubatkin, M., Dino, R. and Buchholtz, A. (2001). Agency relationship in family

firms: Theory and evidence. Organization Science, 12(9), 99-116.

Sharma, P., Chrisman, J. and Chua, J. (1996). A Review and Annotated Bibliography of Family

Business Studies. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston.

Singer, J. and Donohu, C. (1992). Strategic management planning for the successful family

business. Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship 4 (3), 39–51.

Steier, L. (2001a). Family firms, plural forms of governance, and the evolving role of trust.

Family Business Review. 14, 353-367.

http://findarticles.com/p/search/?qa=Phapruke%20Ussahawanitchakit

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_6766/

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

Steier, L. (2001b). Next-generation entrepreneurs and succession: An exploratory study of modes

and means of managing social capital. Family Business Review. 14, 259-276.

Steier, L. (2003). Variants of agency contracts in family financed ventures as a continuum of

familial altruistic and market rationalities. Journal of Business Venturing.

Stewart, A. (2003). Help one another, use one another: Toward an anthropology of family

business. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice.

Stider (2000). ‘Familjen & Firman’. EFI: Stockholm.

succession, change, and failure in family business. Journal of Business Venturing.

Thong, J. (1999). An integrated model for information systems adoption in small businesses.

Journal of Management Information Systems 15 (4), 187–214.

UNIDO (2003). Strategy document to enhance the contribution of an Efficient and Competitive

Small and Medium sized Enterprises Sector to Industrial and Economic Development in the

Islamic Republic of Iran. Vienna: United Nations Industrial Development Organizations.

Vienna (2008). ‘Overview of family business relevant issues’, KMU Forschung Austria, (p. 1)

Vilaseca, A. (2002). The shareholder role in the family business: conflict of interests and

objectives between nonemployed shareholders and top management team. Family Business

Review 15 (4), 299–320.

Walton, R. and Whitener, M. (2010). Vista Law International LLC, compliance insider:

Corporate Governance in the Middle East: A Changing Landscape.

Watson, R., Akselsen, and Pitt, L. (1998). Building Mountains in the flat landscape of the World

Wide Web. California Management Review, 40(2), 36-56.

Wigand, R. (1997). "Electronic Commerce: Definition, Theory, and Context." The Information

Society: An International Journal Volume 13, Number 1: 1-17.

Zohoori, M., Mohseni, S., & Samadi, B. (2013). The Relationship between Knowledge Sharing

and Innovation in Electronic Industry of Iran. Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Development, 1(June), 26–33.

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

7. Appendixes

7.1. Integrated Tables

Table5. Integrated Table

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2



ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2



ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2


ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

7.2. Normalized Tables

Table11. Normalized Table


ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2



ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2



ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

7.3. Priority Vectors Tables

Table17. Priority Vectors Tables

Table18. Priority Vectors Table

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2




ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2


ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

7.4. Questionnaires

7.4.1. Questionnaire A

Dear Respondent Name: Email:

Based on the previous investigations E-mail, Internet/Website, Intranet, Extranet, Electronic Data

Interchange (EDI), Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), and Barcode are the relevant EC

technologies with small and medium size enterprises (SMEs).

The five items categorized in the below table are important criteria realized to select the most

relevant EC technology with Iranian family SMEs among E-mail, Internet/Website, Intranet,

Extranet, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), and Barcode.

Please rank the range of their importance from 1 to 10.

Best regards

Seyed Kaveh Jamali

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

7.4.2. Questionnaire B

Dear Respondent

As you know E-mail, Internet/Website, Intranet, Extranet, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI),

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), and Barcode are the relevant EC technologies with small and

medium size enterprises (SMEs).

Due to the results these 5 items included; Minimization of family conflicts, ‘Preservation of

family independence’, ‘Increasing of market share’, ‘Maximization of profit’, and ‘Growth of

sales’, realized as criteria to select the most relevant EC technology with Iranian family SMEs

among E-mail, Internet/Website, Intranet, Extranet, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI),

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), and Barcode. Please do paired comparisons of these

alternatives on each criterion and also do the inter attributes (criteria) paired importance

comparisons with regard to following table.

Best regards

Seyed Kaveh Jamali

ijcrb.webs.com



JUNE 2014

VOL 6, NO 2

Documents

PRIORITIZING ELECTRONIC COMMERCE TECHNOLOGIES IN …journal-archieves37.webs.com/147-180jun14.pdf · PRIORITIZING ELECTRONIC COMMERCE TECHNOLOGIES IN IRANIAN ... research to prioritizing