AN IMPACT EVALUATION OF THE SMALL ENTERPRISE COMPUTERIZATION PROGRAM IN SINGAPORE

The Small Enterprise Computerisation Programme (SECP) was introduced b y the Singapore government in 1986 to encourage and aid computerisatio n in small businesses. The programme incentives include educational in formation technology (IT) seminars, provision of technical expertise i n the forms of advisors and consultants, and various financial subsidi es and loans. This paper describes the results of a formal evaluation of the impact of the SECP based on the views of various participants i n the programme. The main finding is that the government programme has helped small businesses to computerise successfully. However, more ef forts need to be expended in promoting this programme to small busines ses that have not computerised. There is a lack of knowledge of the ex istence of the computerisation programme and lack of appreciation of t he programme.