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An empirical study of perceived strategic value and adoption constructs: the Ghanaian case

Kojo Saffu (Brock University, St Catharines, Canada)
John H. Walker (Brock University, St Catharines, Canada)
Robert Hinson (University of Ghana Business School, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana)

Management Decision

ISSN: 0025-1747

Article publication date: 7 August 2007

1877

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine empirically the link between the determinants of perceived strategic value (PSV) of e‐commerce and e‐commerce adoption among Ghanaian small and medium size enterprises (SMEs), defined as businesses that employ a maximum of 200 employees.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors randomly sampled SME owners/managers from the membership of the Ghana Club 100 (GC 100) and non‐traditional exporters (NTEs). Established databases are not the norm in Ghana, and GC 100 and NTEs had membership databases that were accessible to the local co‐author. Investigating e‐commerce adoption issues among these companies was warranted. The authors used a structured instrument developed and validated in prior studies to collect the data in a face to face interview. A pilot study was conducted to ascertain the clarity and reliability of the questionnaire. Of the SME owners/managers: 200 were contacted; 112 agreed to participate in the study; 107 responses were obtained – representing a 53.5 per cent response rate. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 14.

Findings

Factor analysis demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity and construct reliability. PSV construct resulted in four factors: Strategic Decision Support (SD), Information Management (IM), Organizational Support (OS) and Decision Aids (DA). This finding is both consistent and inconsistent with prior research. The adoption construct yielded five factors: Perceived Usefulness (PU), Ease of Use (EU), Compatibility (C), Organisational Readiness (OS) and External Pressure (EP). There was more congruence between our results and those of prior research.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations stem from small sample size, the population and locale from which the sample was drawn.

Practical implications

The study has research and practical implications, and these are discussed fully in the paper.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the knowledge of perceived strategic value and adoption of e‐commerce by SMEs in an under‐researched part of the world.

Keywords

Citation

Saffu, K., Walker, J.H. and Hinson, R. (2007), "An empirical study of perceived strategic value and adoption constructs: the Ghanaian case", Management Decision, Vol. 45 No. 7, pp. 1083-1101. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251740710773925

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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