E-Commerce Adoption among Small and Medium Enterprises in Ghana

Abstract

This study investigates the adoption of e-commerce among small and medium enterprises in Ghana. The quantitative survey approach was employed for the conduct of this study. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain data from a sample size of 291 representatives of SMEs across four (4) administrative regions in Ghana. This study applied the binary logistic regression model and Friedman test analytical techniques. The study's findings revealed that most SMEs in Ghana had adopted at least one form of e-commerce level. The study further revealed that the decision to adopt and implement e-commerce among SMEs in Ghana is dependent on perceived relative advantage, IT knowledge of owners/managers, perceived risk/ security factor, and perceived Compatibility with existing infrastructure, culture, and values of the firm. Significant challenges hindering e-commerce adoption among SMEs in Ghana as identified in this study include high internet traffic, cost of running and maintaining e-commerce operations reliability of service, internet connection failures, as well as doubts about having the implementation of economies of scale and scope in alliance with strategic networks, the maintenance of unblemished ethical conduct by retail e-commerce firms, and the incorporation of protection and privacy policy statement on electronic platforms of firms