The effect of experience on web procurement : An intersectorial analysis of small firms

Purpose – The main objective of this paper is to analyse how important the previous experience of firms with different information technologies is for their acceptance of web procurement. Design/methodology/approach – To analyse the different types of experience a study was conducted using structural equation modelling techniques. A multi‐sample analysis was also carried out to test whether there are significant differences in behaviour according to the sector of activity to which the organisation belongs. Findings – The findings show that using various precursor information technologies, such as Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) or the internet generates knowledge that both facilitates and encourages subsequent web procurement. Once a firm has acquired this knowledge its impact is the same in all sectors. Practical implications – The work examines the importance of making a continuous investment in IT and shows that previous experience of earlier information systems determines the future technological development of a firm. Thus, firms should be aware that this type of knowledge would help them to obtain competitive advantages and improve their profitability. Originality/value – The main contribution of the study is its analysis of experience from a multiple perspective. First, the use of different applications: EDI, internet, commercial management software and web procurement. Second, to proxy for experience, the paper considers aspects other than intensity of use: perceived ease of use and usefulness. Finally, the relevance of technological experience for any economic activity is empirically tested.