Abstract:
Databases can be tracked back to the 1960s. There was a need for databases due to the fact that organisations needed to hire people to manage and index files. Businesses felt it was worthwhile to invest money into more efficient mechanical solutions. There have been numerous models proposed to cater for the unique storage requirements for each organisation. The most successful models were initially the hierarchical model and the network model; however the relational model has been the de facto standard for the last thirty years. Most recently a new model has emerged that is aimed at storing XML files due to their international adoption as a data model. This is known as a native XML model which can retain the structure and constraints imposed on the file. There has been a lack of research into what data small businesses are storing on their databases on how XML is being used in the small business sector in Ireland. This is alarming as these organisations employ 39 percent of Ireland¿s workforce and their value to the economy can not be over emphasised. The focus of XML and database research to date has concentrated on large multinational corporations and their adoption trends are considered to reflect the business community as a whole. For this reason this author felt it necessary to identify how databases were being used in small business and to identify if and how they integrated XML. This author chose to take a holistic approach to databases, in focusing on crucial elements that make up a database and how these are handled by the various models. The current state of database adoption in small businesses was obtained under three research objectives. The overall aim was to assess if small businesses data storage requirements were fulfilled by their existing databases, with the view of identifying if the new native model was being used. From these findings, this researcher aimed to identify the drivers and barriers facing the new native model¿s adoption. These findings are presented in five chapters and the recommendations for further research are identified throughout the thesis and outlined in chapter six.
