Determinants of perceived information need for emerging ICT adoption

Abstract

Purpose Most studies in information behaviour have focussed on information behaviour aspects such as environmental uncertainty, scanning behaviour of top management executives, student and women information behaviour, information source and credibility, while little is known about the information behaviour of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) when the need for emerging information and communication technology (EICT) adoption decision-making arises. This paper, therefore, aims to explore the major determinants of perceived information need for EICT adoption by UK small service-oriented businesses. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted qualitative method to explore 13 key determinants of SME managers’ information behaviour for EICT adoption decision-making by using both unstructured and semi-structured interviews at two different stages with 20 participants drawn purposeful from Luton directories. Findings The study developed an extended technology, organisation and environment (TOE) framework by identifying and incorporating the information context which helped to unveil 13 key determinants of perceived information need and their impact on EICT adoption decision-making in SMEs. This further provided insight into understanding SMEs’ information behaviour. While the determinants associated with TOE and information contexts influence SMEs’ perceived information need for EICT adoption, the extent at which these four constructs shape SMEs’ perceived information need for EICT adoption decision-making differs. Research limitations/implications The limitation of this study emerged because of the use of qualitative methodologies in relation to the research design, rigour in the collection and management of the large volume of the raw data, the data analysis and the credibility of the findings. This may lead to unforeseen respondent – and research – bias in the data analysis, which may lead to limited understanding of alternatives and insights into the key determinants of perceived information need for EICT adoption decision. Hence, other measures and approaches such as case study and mix-method could be deployed to further validate the findings. Also, one of the limitations of qualitative study has been the issue of theoretical generalizability of the framework. The generalizability of the formwork needs to be established across a wider range of population. Future studies may apply a confirmatory statistical techniques to test and ascertain the validity and reliability of the framework across a wider population. Such studies may be used as a benchmark for the theoretical constructs and the factors that may lead to success or failure of mobile marketing technology adoption. Originality/value The study has further enriched TOE framework and provided an analytical dimension for exploring key determinants of SMEs’ perceived information need for EICT adoption decision-making. It also demonstrates the capacity to provide a reliable explanation of the determinants and serves as a tool for evaluating the benefits or challenges of SMEs’ information behaviours when the need for EICT adoption arises.

Reurbanization as a Solution of Socio-Environmental and Economic Problems

“…The collection of socioeconomic data was carried out by means of verbal sociopsychological interaction with the respondents, based on unstructured and semi-structured approaches (Bellamy, 2019;Eze, 2019). The great flexibility of the method allows obtaining indepth information on socio-psychological causes of behaviour (for example, on management motivation on the principles of permaculture, migration processes).…”

An Empirical Investigation and Conceptual Model of Perceptions, Support, and Barriers to Marketing in Social Enterprises in Bangladesh

“…Therefore, as a useful systematic framework, TOE has broad applicability and retains experimental power that is beneficial in the research of a wide range of technologies [60]. This model has been considered a standard theoretical framework for forecasting and describing the acceptance of any type of new technology [61,62].…”

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“…However, evidence suggests that the IT adoption process is affected by contextual factors that shape a firm's technology adoption decision-making, grouped into technological, organizational, and environmental contexts. Technical context considers the technology in the firms and those outside the firm; organizational context examines factors associated with the size of the firm, managers' support, and financial readiness; and environmental context considers how environmental variables like competition pressures, business practice, and government interventions shape the firms (Maroufkhani et al 2020, Chen,2019Eze et al, 2019;Grant & Yeo, 2018). Thus, Technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework (Okumus et al, 2017) is the most employed theory in technology adoption studies at the organizational level, and this is because these three contexts represent "both constraints and opportunities for technological innovation" (Kulkarni & Patil, 2020).…”

“…The TOE framework has been criticized for its inadequate theoretical explanation of innovation features of technology adoption (Ali et al, 2020). Currently, many of the studies that consider the advanced technologies adoption at the organization level draw upon either the TOE framework (Kulkarni and Patil, 2020;Eze et al, 2019;Cruz-Jesus, Pinheiro & Oliveira, 2019) or the DOI model (Ajobo, 2016;Lin and Chin, 2012). There is strong empirical support for the two models (Ali et al, 2020;Chen, 2019;Daradkeh, 2019).…”

“…However, these studies are fragmented and do not explain how TOE contexts can help create and enhance a firm's competitive advantage that copes with competition (Narwane et al, 2020;Maroufkhani et al 2020). For example, most of the current studies are concerned about the first-time of IT adoption (e.g., Ezzaouia &Gidumal, 2020, Kulkarni andPatil, 2020;Eze et al, 2019;Daradkeh, 2019, Ajobo, 2016, but addressing the post-adoption of technological innovation is missing in the literature. Meanwhile, some other studies considered the relationship between technology adoption and a firm's competitive advantage (e.g., Chiu and Yang, 2019;Chang et al, 2019) without considering TOE context as determinants of technology adoption.…”