FACTORS USED IN THE SELECTION OF PACKAGED SOFTWARE IN SMALL BUSINESSES - VIEWS OF OWNERS AND MANAGERS

Due to their limited human, technical, and financial resources, small firms usually purchase packaged software to meet their organizational needs for IS. The selection is usually made either by the owner or a manager. A key question is whether they use the same set of criteria. This study examines the question, and finds that owners and managers of small businesses have different views of the importance of the factors in their selection decision. Owners tend to take a more strategic view of software package selection, weigh technical factors more heavily, take more factors into consideration, and consider those factors in a more serious manner than managers. Therefore, different frameworks may be needed in the software package selection process by owners and managers of small businesses.