The Adoption of Teleworking as an innovative work practice by Small Business Enterprises in South Wales Iheanyi Chuku Egbuta A submission presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of South Wales/Prifysgol De Cymru for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy February 2014 This research programme was carried out with the support of the Telework Association TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................. - 4 - LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................... - 5 - ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................... - 6 - ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................... - 8 - CHAPTER 1 ........................................................................................................................... - 10 - INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. - 5 - 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. - 5 - CHAPTER 2 ........................................................................................................................... - 15 - WALES .............................................................................................................................. - 16 - 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... - 16 - 2.2 The Welsh state ..................................................................................................... - 16 - 2.3 20th Century Wales ................................................................................................. - 22 - 2.4 21st Century Wales ................................................................................................. - 23 - 2.5 Geography .............................................................................................................. - 25 - 2.6 Population .............................................................................................................. - 25 - 2.7 The Welsh Gross Value Added Data ...................................................................... - 26 - 2.8 Welsh Employment ................................................................................................ - 33 - 2.9 Welsh Economic Expansion ................................................................................... - 37 - 2.10 Welsh Innovation Initiatives ................................................................................ - 40 - 2.11 Performance driven innovation in Wales ............................................................ - 48 - 2.12 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ - 50 - CHAPTER 3 ........................................................................................................................... - 52 - SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISES........................................................................................ - 53 - 3.0 Small business enterprises ..................................................................................... - 53 - 3.1. Definitions of small business enterprises ............................................................. - 54 - 3.2 Characteristics of small business enterprises ........................................................ - 58 - 3.3. Small business enterprises aims and strategies .................................................... - 63 - 3.4 Reasons for the digital divide with SBEs ................................................................ - 70 - 3.5. Summary ............................................................................................................... - 75 - CHAPTER 4 ........................................................................................................................... - 77 - TELEWORKING ................................................................................................................. - 77 - 4.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... - 77 - 4.2. Literature Methodology style ............................................................................... - 78 - - 1 - 4.3 Teleworking definitions.......................................................................................... - 79 - 4.4 Working Definition ................................................................................................. - 81 - 4.5 Benefits of Teleworking ......................................................................................... - 81 - 4.6. Barriers of Teleworking ......................................................................................... - 86 - CHAPTER 5 ........................................................................................................................... - 93 - INNOVATION .................................................................................................................... - 95 - 5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... - 95 - 5.2 Definition of Innovation ......................................................................................... - 95 - 5.3 Innovation models ................................................................................................. - 99 - 5.3.1. Introduction to models ...................................................................................... - 99 - 5.3.2. Innovation models ............................................................................................. - 99 - CHAPTER 6 ......................................................................................................................... - 102 - RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................... - 104 - 6.0 Research Design and Methodology ..................................................................... - 104 - 6.1 Overview of research context .............................................................................. - 104 - 6.2 Overview of research approach and perspective ................................................ - 105 - 6.3 Interpretivism....................................................................................................... - 105 - 6.4 Positivism and Post Positivism ............................................................................. - 106 - 6.5 Research Methods ............................................................................................... - 107 - 6.6 Data Collection Techniques ................................................................................. - 113 - 6.7 Analysing the data ................................................................................................ - 122 - 6.8 Summary of the research methodology .............................................................. - 125 - 6.9 Validity and generalisability ................................................................................. - 126 - 6.10 Cross-location research ...................................................................................... - 129 - 6.11 Summary ............................................................................................................ - 134 - CHAPTER 7 ......................................................................................................................... - 135 - RESEARCH FINDINGS - PHASE ONE/EXPERT PANEL ....................................................... - 136 - 7.0 Phase One/Expert Panel ...................................................................................... - 136 - 7.1 Section One: The process of gathering experts ................................................... - 136 - 7.2 Section Two: Expert Panel ................................................................................... - 140 - 7.3 Expert discussion.................................................................................................. - 149 - 7.4 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ - 187 - CHAPTER 8 ......................................................................................................................... - 188 - PHASE TWO/IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS ............................................................................. - 189 - 8.0 Phase two/in-depth interviews ............................................................................ - 189 - 8.1 Cross-cultural/national Research ................................................................... - 189 - - 2 - 8.2 Selection of the cities ..................................................................................... - 190 - 8.3 The selection of small business enterprises .................................................. - 201 - 8.4 The summary ................................................................................................. - 211 - CHAPTER 9 ........................................................................................................................