SMEs' strategic responses toward emerging technologies: An interpretive case study of the farming industry in the UAE and Taiwan

To remain competitive, SMEs and small farming businesses in particular would need to effectively respond to technological trends and leverage their potential through better ICT strategies. However, the extant literature seldom examines why small farming businesses initiate ICT and how ICT can transform their business processes, let alone in a cross-national context. As such, the purpose of this interpretive case study, conducted in the UAE and Taiwan, aims to develop a multi-theoretical understanding of small farming organizations' strategic responses toward RFID. Based on three contrasting theoretical lenses, our analysis shows that institutional forces and governmental involvement in particular strongly influence small farming organizations' strategic decisions. While cost efficiency is also a significant consideration, no apparent evidence can be reflected upon resource-based view. We also find that cross-national differences of technology initiative exist between the UAE and Taiwan. Insights gained suggest that SMEs' technology initiative need to primarily focus on better exploiting institutional forces that may facilitate their strategic responses toward emerging technologies.