Information technologies in the development of small rural business sector

Making the SME sector a leading element of the structure of the modern, i.e. highly innovative, rural economy is possible under some conditions. Enterprises situated in rural areas have to, above all, function in as wide-ranging services sector as possible, they have to introduce networking to different dimensions of their activity and, most of all, they have to create conditions for continuous enhancement of knowledge and skills of their employees. Each of the aforementioned conditions requires extensive use of information technologies. Unfortunately, according to research, only a small share of rural entrepreneurs in Europe seems to be sufficiently aware of the fact. Their rather widespread belief that a mobile phone and a computer with Internet access are absolutely necessary to run a rural business, goes hand in hand with a lack of awareness of the link between innovativeness and the use of the online education system (e-learning), which guarantees universal and affordable access to knowledge both to the entrepreneurs and to their employees