Assessing the Role of Information System in Improving Public Organization Performance in Tanzania: Case Study of Tanzania Port Authority (TPA), Dar es Salaam
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/ijecop.3793Keywords:
Information Systems, Organizational Performance, Tanzania Ports Authority, Cargo Clearance, Operational Efficiency, Trade Logistics, Public OrganizationsAbstract
Purpose: This study sought to examine the role of information systems in improving public organisations performance at the Tanzania Ports Authority in Dar es Salaam over the period 2018 to 2024.
Methodology: The study adopted a mixed-methods research design anchored in the Technology Acceptance Model, the Resource-Based View, and Institutional Theory. Quantitative data were collected using structured questionnaires from 270 respondents and analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with 30 key informants. This approach enabled the study to capture both statistical evidence and practical experiences regarding the use of information systems at the Tanzania Ports Authority.
Findings: The findings indicate that information systems have significantly improved cargo clearance efficiency through systems such as TANCIS, the Terminal Operating System, the Single Window, and SAP by reducing manual errors, shortening processing time, and enhancing inter-departmental coordination. However, the realisation of full financial benefits remains constrained by system downtime, integration gaps between institutions, limited ICT skills, inadequate infrastructure funding, and inter-institutional dependencies, particularly with the Tanzania Revenue Authority.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study contributes to theory by demonstrating the relevance of the Technology Acceptance Model, the Resource-Based View, and Institutional Theory in explaining information system adoption and performance in public organisations. In practice, the study recommends that the Tanzania Ports Authority strengthen uniform deployment of information systems, institutionalise the use of digital audit trails, and invest in continuous ICT capacity building. At policy level, the Government of Tanzania should increase and stabilise funding for information systems infrastructure to improve public organisation performance.
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