Abstract
This study aims at increasing our knowledge in this area by obtaining and analyzing new data to answer three key questions: 1. What performance and productivity gains are achieved when small businesses and minority- and women-owned enterprises (MWEs) implement information technology? What are the potential economic benefits of improving MWEs’ use of information technology? 2. What are the factors that lead some MWEs to take great advantage of computer technologies and that lead others to utilize computers only in a limited way? What are the barriers to MWEs’ adoption and effective use of technology? In particular, how significant are the impacts of constraints on capital, on knowledge of the technology and its possible role in improving businesses, and on the ability to train workers? 3. Is there a gap in computer use that separates small MWEs and small, white-male-owned enterprises? Are MWEs falling behind in adopting and implementing information technologies for important business functions?