E‐readiness and trust: macro and micro dualities for e‐commerce in a global environment

Purpose – The paper's aim is to create a framework for national readiness and receptivity to e‐commerce at both the business to business (B2B) as well as business to consumer (B2C) levels. Design/methodology/approach – Relevant literature on e‐readiness is discussed in light of research on corruption and national values. A model is formulated at the macro level in which e‐readiness is predicted to be related to national culture values and corruption. Analysis at the micro level rests on existing literature related to trust and web site usability. Findings – At the macro level of analysis, levels of perceived corruption within a country, and overarching national values are identified as significant contributors to e‐readiness especially in the B2B realm. At a more micro level, it is proposed that individual expectations regarding ability to trust an online vendor, and the suitability of usability characteristics of web site design contribute to e‐readiness at the B2C level. Taken together, macro and macro factors jointly contribute to a nation's readiness and receptivity to e‐commerce. Research limitations/implications – The empirical work presented is based on aggregate level data from only one point in time. Results only provide generalized trends that may not be representative of all firms in a country or still applicable in the present time. Practical implications – Practitioners are challenged to think beyond technological readiness and address factors such as corruption, national culture, and web design before entering new markets. Originality/value – This paper identifies aspects of e‐readiness beyond purely technical infrastructure and provides a fresh empirical model. This study uniquely considers both micro and macro level characteristics that contribute to e‐readiness.