Title: Do ICT blessings outweigh its impediments?: A narrative inquiry on Bangladesh's SMEs

Authors: Nishath Anjum; Md. Saidur Rahaman

Addresses: Department of Business Administration, Metropolitan University, Sylhet, Bangladesh ' Department of Business Administration, Metropolitan University, Sylhet, Bangladesh

Abstract: The key to Bangladesh's economic advancement significantly relies on small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This study explores the blessings of information and communication technology (ICT) on SMEs in Bangladesh and investigates whether the blessings outweigh its impediments. Since the research problem is relatively unexplored in Bangladesh, the researchers used a narrative literature review to gather the relevant information through manual searching of electronic databases. The findings suggest that while there are numerous benefits of ICT, such as increased efficiency, cost reduction, and better access to markets, SMEs in Bangladesh also faces numerous impediments, such as the high cost of ICT infrastructure, lack of skilled human resources, and insufficient ICT policy frameworks. Despite the challenges, the blessings of ICT far outweigh its impediments. The Government of Bangladesh should implement policies to address SMEs' challenges in utilising ICT to its full potential. The implications of this study will enlighten policymakers, business owners, and other stakeholders to stimulate the usage of ICT in Bangladesh's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Keywords: Bangladesh; benefit; ICT; impediments and SME.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTTC.2023.136766

International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation, 2023 Vol.20 No.3, pp.342 - 354

Received: 03 Oct 2022
Received in revised form: 02 Apr 2023
Accepted: 03 Apr 2023
Published online: 21 Feb 2024 *

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