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Mobile technology has experienced a huge acceptance by many users in the current generation. This is due to the benefits offered through its use by individuals and organisations. Similarly, technology adoption studies have widely been used to uncover factors which determine their adoption in different contexts. Some of the scenarios in technology adoption differ due to the specific technology which is under study. For instance, mobile phone technology differs from other computing technologies in several aspects due to its nature i.e. mobility. These differences come along with some different insights concerning the adoption of mobile phones in a particular context. Highlighting important issues on studying the adoption of mobile technology is necessary, especially in developing countries where SMEs are engaging in the usage of mobile phones to accomplish business processes. Thus, this paper provides set of metrics for measuring adoption of mobile phone technology in SMEs. This qualitative study uses a combination of critical literature reviews and interviews conducted by involving key stakeholders of SMEs in Tanzania. This paper shows that among the existing metrics which are used in measuring adoption of other computing technologies, only value creation metric has more realistic grounds to explain the extent of mobile phones adoption in the context of SMEs.

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The mobility and pervasiveness have created many opportunities of using mobile phones in performing activities of SMEs. This is due to the low ICT readiness especially in SMEs operating in less developed countries compared to large firms. Some of the challenges facing Tanzanian SMEs include but are not limited to poor ICT infrastructures, lack of ICT skills, lack of management support, poor financial capabilities and lack of reliable electrical power supply. While there is a number of studies which explains the factors influencing adoption and usage of mobile phones in SMEs, it is still unclear whether the mandatoriness has an impact on such acceptance. Understanding the voluntary aspects provides informed decision-making for SME managers and potential stakeholders on identifying the issues which needs their attention. This study involved a survey of 459 respondents from Tanzanian SMEs using SEM and AMOS. The results show that the mandated use of mobile phones in the SMEs has a moderating effect on the overall acceptance of mobile phones in performing daily activities. Recommendations and suggestions for future works are also highlighted in this article.