The successful use of IT in SMEs on Merseyside

This paper describes a study of the use of IT in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) on Merseyside, a metropolitan area of north-west England around the city of Liverpool. Through a series of structured interviews, the IT selection procedures, plans and achievements of thirty firms were explored. The paper presents a review of the relevant literature and then goes on to discuss the study sample, the interview process and the results obtained. The findings suggest that small firms are more successful with IT than is generally believed and that successful use of IT demands innovative management skills in order that the information generated is used creatively.