A Community Web Site Initiative: Impacts on Small Businesses

Abstract

This chapter reports on a study investigating a community Web site project operating in a UK village community. The aim of the study is to determine the impacts the online business directory component of this community Web site is having on the small businesses in the village, including consideration of the benefits they are deriving from their participation in the directory, the problems they have encountered through their participation, and the effects their involvement is having on their wider Internet adoption strategy and decisions. The findings highlight the value of community Web sites for small businesses, both for those that have already adopted various Internet applications into their operations, as well as for non-adopters of the Internet. It is suggested that existing discussions of small business approaches to Internet adoption might usefully be extended to incorporate the role of community Web sites.