ASSESSMENT OF ICT APPLICATION BY SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES IN THE KENYAN PROFESSIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRY: A CASE OF SMES LOCATED ALONG MPAKA ROAD (WESTLANDS)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/jepm.132Keywords:
ICT application, small and medium sized enterprises, challengesAbstract
Purpose: The study was an assessment of ICT application by small and medium sized enterprises in the Kenyan professional service industry, a case of SMEs located along Mpaka road (Westlands).
Methodology: A descriptive survey design was used as it was appropriate for reporting the way things are. A population of 124 SMEs gave rise to a sample of 25 SMES (20% of population) which were selected on a stratified non random sampling technique. The data collection instrument was a self-report questionnaire and the data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. It was then presented using graphs and charts
Results: Findings in this study indicated that though majority of SMES used various forms of ICT, they did not have faxes and internet connection. In addition, the SMEs did not use a website as an advertising tool since they did not have one and also didn't use faxes for transmitting documents such as quotations and invoices. The challenges facing ICT use by SMEs were financial in nature, infrastructural in nature and capacity (training in nature). Benefits accruing to SMEs were as delineated in literature review though regional expansion was not applicable to SMEs in the study.
Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommended that there should be facilitation of training through workshops and courses on ICT, bridging the financial gap for SMEs, improvement in infrastructure and the internet backbone and a policy frame work on SMEs. Areas of further studies included a relationship analysis between the use of ICT and the financial performance, customer satisfaction, and staff morale in the context of SMEs.
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