Traditional, Web-based or Internet-enabled ERP systems adoption for SMEs in Developing Countries

SMEs are the growth engine of a developing country's economy. It is actively contributing to GDP and employment. In consequence, SMEs financing support, ICT adoption promotion and SME's favorable evolution environment creation by policy makers, help reduce the digital divide in this era of the knowledge economy. High penetration and lower costs of Internet connectivity, Web technologies standardization, more ERP systems offerings targeted to SMEs, commodity hardware and Free/Libre & Open Source Software (FLOSS) large adoption. Makes Web-based and Internet-enabled ERP systems to be taken into consideration by SMEs, international aid agencies and local policy makers, to increase the productivity of SMEs and ease their daily living and evolution. Internet, the commonly called "network of networks" is the infrastructure that connects networks of computers across the world. While the Web is just one from many ways for transmitting data over the Internet. However, when talking about Web-based and Internet-enabled ERP systems, both academicians and professionals tend to use the two terms interchangeably. This exacerbates the confusion between the two system types for SMEs. Although the two technologies are related, they are not the same. This paper aims to draw lines and explain what are the big differences between those types of ERP systems, help understand the adoption motives and barriers for each, so SME's managers and directors in Developing Countries, can better select services and products that will benefit the enterprise.