Information Sheet
Purpose of the Research: This study aims to investigate how Irish small/medium businesses (SMEs) assess their readiness to adopt artificial intelligence (AI), to better understand what makes some more prepared than others, and to inform the development of more targeted readiness tools and support mechanisms. This research will help inform future support programs, policies and strategies for Irish small businesses. Participation is entirely voluntary, and participants can withdraw from the study at any point without giving a reason.
Invitation: You are being invited to consider taking part in this research study. The study is being conducted as part of a Master's of Business (MBus) in Digital Entrepreneurship at the Institute of Art, Design & Technology (IADT).
If you have any questions about this study, please contact the researcher Anita Ryan (N00243046@iadt.ie) or her supervisor Dr Christine Horn (Christine.Horn@iadt.ie). This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the Department in IADT.
Do I have to take part? You are free to decide whether you wish to take part or not. If you do decide to take part, you will be asked to indicate your consent through completion of a short form. You are free to withdraw from this study at any time and without giving reasons.
If I take part, what do I have to do? You will be given a questionnaire which should take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
What are the benefits of taking part? The research aims to identify what makes some small businesses more prepared than others for AI adoption. This can lead to better support and resources for small businesses in the future, potentially benefiting participants and the wider business community.
How will my information be used, and who will have access to it? Data will be collected through an online survey administered via SurveyMonkey, a GDPR-compliant platform. All responses will be stored securely in password-protected files. Only the researcher and her academic supervisor will have access to this data. Your responses to the questionnaire will be combined with those of all other participants and statistically analysed. No individual’s data will be identifiable in the final report.
The results of this analysis will be reported in the thesis for the Master of Business in Digital Entrepreneurship at the Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology (IADT). This can be requested through the IADT library, or by emailing the researcher or supervisor at N00243046@iadt.ie or Christine.Horn@iadt.ie. This study may also be published in an academic journal article and may be written about for blog posts or media articles, and these can be requested from the researcher.
What if there is a problem? If you have a concern about any aspect of this study, you may wish to speak to the researchers who will do their best to answer your questions. You should contact Anita Ryan or Dr Christine Horn at the above email addresses.