ISSN #1042-1319 A Publication of the Association of Management A CLASSIFICATION OF E-BUSINESS APPLICATIONS: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Predictions that SMEs would be the primary beneficiaries of e-business have not materialized. One of the main rea-sons is the failure to understand the value of e-business in the SME environment. Researchers have argued that a classifica-tion of the myriad of possible e-business applications is a necessary first step in understanding this value. Some classifica-tions exist, but few are based on established conceptual frameworks, are not comprehensive and do not permit useful com-parisons. We propose a classification scheme based on the value chain model, consisting of 102 applications within nine categories. We apply the model to assess the current state of e-business among SMEs. The classification scheme and knowl-edge of the current state of e-business is expected to be of use to researchers, to SMEs and service providers and government agencies on whom SMEs are dependent, given limited internal resources