Ecommerce Implementations in the SMEs Sector of Lagos, Nigeria

by

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my thanks to my advisor, for his suggestions, comments, patience and understanding. Very special thanks to my parents, my father, my mother, my brother and my sister who were continuously supporting me throughout my life and leaving me free in all my decisions. I would also like to thank my colleagues for his technical support whenever I needed. I would like to thank to Department, all the university managers, teachers and students with whom I have worked.

I certify that the work presented in the dissertation is my own unless referenced

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DECLARATION

I declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. I further declare that this work has not previously been presented in whole or part, for any other award, or published in whole or in part elsewhere, including this university. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

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ABSTRACT

Even today, some considerable time after the so called 'dot com/Internet revolution', electronic commerce (Ecommerce) remains a relatively new, emerging and constantly changing area of business management and information technology. There has been and continues to be much publicity and discussion about Ecommerce. Library catalogues and shelves are filled with books and articles on the subject.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

ABSTRACTIV

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION6

Background of the Study6

Ecommerce9

Evaluation of Ecommerce Investment in SMEs11

Research Aims and Objectives13

Significance of the Study13

Purpose of the Study14

Scope of the Research16

Gantt chart17

Ethical Concerns17

Limitations and Suggestion for Future Research19

Summary of the chapter20

REFERENCES22

APPENDIX26

Gantt chart26

List of Table27

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Use of the Internet for commerce or E-business is a popular topic of research efforts and mass-media press reports. Just as the Internet has changed the way people communicate and share information, shopping activities have also been dramatically affected (Bharadwaj 2000, p.169). Online shopping has been touted by some researchers and the press as the replacement for traditional retailers that sell via physical storefronts (Bharadwaj 2000, p.169). The promise of a new, preferred retail commerce channel is juxtaposed to the reality that in the second decade of use, electronic commerce has been able to achieve less than four percent of total retail sales (Bharadwaj 2000, p.169). This paradox between promise and reality has created a fertile ground for investigation into the motivations and concerns of online shoppers and how E-businesses can allay the fears and concerns of consumers (Bharadwaj 2000, p.169).

In less than two decades Internet has been used as a shopping medium, attitudes, assumptions, and perceptions concerning the viability of online-only storefronts and mixed-channel operations that offer a combination of offline and online capabilities have evolved (Bharadwaj 2000, p.169). Central to the changing landscape of retailing via the Internet is a growing understanding of consumer motivations and concerns, especially online shoppers (Bharadwaj 2000, p.169). Research into the psyche, motivations, and concerns of people who use the Internet for commerce and other purposes is a popular topic of ...