Potential benefits of the deep web for SMEs

While its size and complexity make it a powerful knowledge source, the Deep Web also has a wide variety of offerings that can be adapted to meet business needs such as: competitive intelligence, cross-enterprise collaboration, techno-elitism and innovative technology solutions. Additionally, elements associated with higher risks in terms of trading and security such as onion routing start finding their place in the current business environment. This paper outlines the potential of the Deep Web as a SME business tool by reviewing a set of benefits and risks associated with its content, tools and technologies. The study gives an account of the academic and practitioner literature on concepts, benefits and risks. Their applicability in the real business world is discussed as an outcome of interviews conducted with various SME representatives. The technology gap is highly visible in this field, with some businesses at the forefront of the Deep Web exploitation for years and others which have no knowledge of it. Data has been gathered from previous academic and practitioner publications, a number of small and medium enterprises and academics with interest in the field in order to provide a brief account of the socio-technical world surrounding the Deep Web. The limitations observed during the primary research stage show that company confidence in the Deep Web is at an early stage. This paper aims to provide an initial review of its potential role within the business world and the risks that companies are vulnerable to both as Deep Web users and sources of Deep Web data.