Previous research identifies various reasons companies invest in information technology (IT), often as a means to generate value. To add to the discussion of IT value generation, this study investigates investments in enterprise software systems that support business processes. Managers of more than 500 Swiss small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) responded to a survey regarding the levels of their IT investment in enterprise software systems and the perceived utility of those investments. The authors use logistic and ordinary least squares regression to examine whether IT investments in two business processes affect SMEs performance and competitive advantage. Using cluster analysis, they also develop a firm typology with four distinct groups that differ in their investments in enterprise software systems. These findings offer key implications for both research and managerial practice.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	competitive advantage, IT investment, SME, Switzerland
Research Division:	Engineering
Research Group:	Communications engineering
Research Field:	Network engineering
Objective Division:	Information and Communication Services
Objective Group:	Information systems, technologies and services
Objective Field:	Application software packages
UTAS Author:	Jones, C (Dr Colin Jones)
ID Code:	67326
Year Published:	2010
Web of Science® Times Cited:	6
Deposited By:	Australian Innovation Research Centre
Deposited On:	2011-03-02
Last Modified:	2015-02-13
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