Integration of E-Commerce by SMEs in the Manufacturing Sector: A Data Envelopment Analysis Approach

SMEs (small- to medium-sized enterprises) in the manufacturing industry are impacted by enormous changes in their business processes. E-commerce-related developments have reduced the importance of physical branches and moved it toward more sophisticated and e-commerce-enabled supply chains for products and services. This article analyzes the differences among SMEs in the manufacturing sector in four countries based on empirical data collected via a survey. Best-practice cases of efficient e-commerce performance such as in Denmark or the United States are identified in contrast to firms in France or Germany by using a data envelopment analysis (DEA). Leading SMEs in the sample have implemented a wide range of e-commerce applications, resulting in higher satisfaction rates. The results of this cross-country and multi-dimensional DEA research approach contribute to the literature of e-commerce adoption, usage and impact among SMEs in the manufacturing sector.