Organizational factors that influence the adoption of inter-organizational information systems by universities in Kenya

Abstract

IOS refer to the computer and telecommunications infrastructure developed, operated and/or used by two or more firms for the purpose of exchanging information that support a business application or process. Kenya government, in collaboration with other stakeholders involved in enhancing teaching and research in the learning institutions have constructed a terrestrial fiber-optic network that connects most institutions of higher learning to enable them integrate their facilities for the purpose of sharing resources. Despite these efforts, adoption of Inter-Organization Information Systems (IOIS) by universities in Kenya is far from being realized. This begs the question as to what organizational factors determines IOIS adoption in the universities. This study filled this gap by analyzing organizational factors of IOIS adopting in the universities in Kenya, given the mixed results from empirical evidence on IOIS adoption generally. A broad understanding of these factors is important to the policy makers who can embrace the motivating factors to enhance the adoption of the IOIS and suppress the barriers of its adoption. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was carried out using both qualitative and quantitative methods and a census done on 68 universities in Kenya. Data were collected using both questionnaires and semi-structured interview guide. University managers provided the required data. A logit regression procedure was used to analyze the collected data. The study revealed that the IOIS adoption is low adoption in the universities inKenya, which was attributed to various organizational factors. Organizational factors that were found to influencing IOIS adoption were top management support, number of personnel with IOIS skills and number of satellite campuses. The study recommended that: top management in the universities in Kenya should be educated benefits of IOIS in the universities, skilled personnel on IOIS technology should be engaged by the universities in Kenya and the universities that have satellite campuses should inter-link them using IOIS in order to enhance IOIS adoption in the universities in Kenya.