Table 1 Literature on barriers to ICT adoption in SMEs.

B1

Cultural Barrier

Lack of employee openness to new technologies and lack of company environment culture.

Rauch et al. (2019); Rizos et al. (2016)

B2

Lack of Trained and Skilled Staff

The owners may decide against ICT adoption if there is a lack of skilled, expert, and qualified manpower. There could be difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified personnel, along with integrating new technologies with older employees, due to budgetary constraints.

Abdullah et al. (2018); Branca et al. (2020); Duan et al. (2002); Lawson et al. (2003); Migiro (2006); Neef et al. (2018); Pissarides (1999); Rauch et al. (2019)

B3

Lack of Policies, Standards, and Regulations

The government may not have proper legislation, and incentives, for emerging technologies. The unavailability of technological standards coupled with the legal and regulatory restrictions affect ICT adoption.

Lawson et al. (2003); Pissarides (1999); Rizos et al. (2016); Stockdale and Standing (2004)

B4

Lack of Education and Knowledge of Managers-Owners

ICT adoption requires proper knowledge, education, experience, and technical know-how of owners and managers.

Arendt (2008); Branca et al. (2020); Migiro (2006)

B5

Lack of Capital

There are financial constraints that limit the amount of funds and availability of capital. The financial capacity and availability of financial resources may inhibit ICT adoption.

Abdullah et al. (2018); Kannabiran and Dharmalingam (2012); Migiro (2006); Pissarides (1999); Rizos et al. (2016)

B6

Knowledge management and knowledge transfer

There could be apprehension of knowledge erosion by leaving staff and knowledge transfer from experts

Branca et al. (2020); Rauch et al. (2019)

B7

Lack of Security and Privacy

Owner-managers may not use ICT if they are skeptical of data protection, data security, and privacy of transactions. There could be a fear of failure of technologies that may limit ICT adoption.

Branca et al. (2020); Kumar et al. (2020); Lawson et al. (2003); Neef et al. (2018); Rauch et al. (2019)

B8

Cost of ICT Infrastructure

The cost of implementation of ICT is high along with the cost of consultants which could be one of the inhibitors for the owners.

Lawson et al. (2003); Migiro (2006); Pissarides (1999); Rizos et al. (2016)

B9

Lack of IT-Based Infrastructure

There could be an unavailability of software, hardware vendors, and resources, along with the unavailability of ICT infrastructure. Internet cost and technical compatibility may limit ICT adoption

Abdullah et al. (2018); Kannabiran and Dharmalingam (2012); Migiro (2006); Moktadir et al. (2018); Neef et al. (2018)

B10

Size of SMEs

The size of SMEs could limit the adoption of ICT

Kannabiran and Dharmalingam (2012); Sommer (2015)

B11

Lack of Visionary Leadership

Articulated and visionary leadership, along with management support, resources, and knowledge, is required for ICT adoption, and the absence of these may prevent ICT adoption

Giotopoulos et al. (2017); Kumar (2021);

Stockdale and Standing (2004)