Publication: Individual Attributes as a Determinant in Predicting E-commerce Adoption: A Case of Manufacturing SMEs Industries in Nairobi, Kenya
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2018
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Mount Kenya University
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Abstract
Lately, researchers have been paying attention on e-commerce adoption equally in
the developed and developing countries. The study’s main objective was to evaluate
the individual factors influencing e-commerce adoption among SMEs within
Nairobi Kenya from the perspective of CEOs, management and staff. The researcher
investigated four factors affecting e-commerce adoption with emphasis on individual
determinants versus technological, environmental, external and individual factors.
The problem identified was lack of adequate research in EC adoption among SMES
in the manufacturing industries. The research design used was both exploratory
and descriptive. The underpinning theory used was Technology Acceptance Model
theoretical framework. The researcher conducted the study based on the formulated
research questions which consequently guided the structure of the questionnaires
used. The proposed study area was manufacturing SMEs within Nairobi Kenya,
who are registered with KAM. The data for the study was collected through sets
of questionnaires, administered to respondents, as well as interviews with key
stakeholders in the industry. For this study, stratified random sampling technique
was applied to pick respondents and data collected was analyzed by using SPSS.
A sample population of 78 SMEs was picked out of 243 KAM registered SMEs
within Nairobi. The study concludes that individual attributes have a positive and
highest influence on the adoption of e-commerce in manufacturing SMEs operating
in Kenya. The study therefore recommends that the involved companies should
invest in relevant IT training to create ICT awareness that will facilitate e-commerce
adoption. The study also recommends that the organizations should come up
with IT elaborate ecommerce campaigns to instill online business culture that will
translate in enhancing ecommerce adoption. Hiring of key decision makers on ICT
implementers should be drilled.
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Keywords
E-commerce adoption, ICT awareness, Developing countries, Research design