- Title
- Increasing the digital literacy skills of regional SMEs through high-speed broadband access
- Creator
- Ollerenshaw, Alison; Corbett, Jennifer; Thompson, Helen
- Date
- 2021
- Type
- Text; Journal article
- Identifier
- http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/178824
- Identifier
- vital:15479
- Identifier
-
https://doi.org/10.1080/13215906.2021.1919913
- Identifier
- ISBN:1321-5906
- Abstract
- Universal challenges exist for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) in regional and rural areas to utilize digital technologies for entrepreneurial advancement. Barriers include insufficient understanding of digital technologies and a lack of skills necessary for digital adoption. In Australia, training programs were introduced to enhance the digital uptake for the business and community sectors. Research was conducted to examine the impact on participants’ perceived digital literacy awareness and knowledge of online services, and their skills development. Survey data was collected from program participants (n = 101) comprising SMEs and not-for-profit organizations (NFP), and from program mentors/facilitators (n = 9). The findings show that training supports knowledge transfer, learning and skills development, fostering confidence about digital technologies. It is recommended that ongoing training is delivered regionally so that SMEs and NFPs can exploit digital innovations within their businesses and organizations.
- Relation
- Small Enterprise Research Vol. 28, no. 2 (May 2021), p. 115-133
- Rights
- All metadata describing materials held in, or linked to, the repository is freely available under a CC0 licence
- Rights
- Copyright © 2021 Federation Universtiy Australia. Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
- Subject
- 1502 Banking, Finance and Investment; 1503 Business and Management; 1505 Marketing; Digital literacy; Training; Small-to-medium enterprises; Not-for-profit organisations; Regional
- Reviewed
- Funder
- The DigiBiz project received funding from the Australian Government's Department of Communications and Arts under the Digital Enterprise program.
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