TECHNOLOGICAL PENETRATION AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING IN SMES - THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT

The relative importance of the benefits derived from the adoption of c omputer-based administrative and production applications depends to a large extent on the level of technological penetration attained by a p articular firm. This evolutionary perspective is investigated in an em pirical study carried out in manufacturing firms operating in one spec ific sector of industrial activity. Results suggest that benefits incr ease in both scope and intensity with technological penetration. The b uildup of benefits goes hand-in-hand with the organizational learning that takes place as a result of a firm's experience with technology.