Internet and ITC Use Among Agricultural SMEs: Evidence from Hawaii

Much of the SME research examining adoption and use of Internet and information and communication technologies (ICT) to date has argued that firms adopt and use the Internet and related ICTs to different extents depending on firm size, industry type and CEO education. To understand these issues studies tend to compare firms across industry sectors. The results though are mixed. Moreover, only a small percentage of SME ICT studies target agricultural firms. The study presented here surveyed SME farm operators in a narrow set of grower/producer sectors. Results indicate wide use of computers and the Internet, especially for functions like email, online purchasing, and online business-related research. Website ownership is less widespread. The study also surveyed the firms about their use of emerging social technologies like instant messaging, chat, blogs, etc. Perceptions of ICT benefits and reasons for not investing in them are discussed. Implications for future research and farm operators are also discussed