Linking economic status with technology adoption in three emerging economies of Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Purpose – In this study, the authors aim to understand the antecedents of technology adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa by investigating the relationship between people's economic status, their positive attitudes, and the adoption of communications technology. Design/methodology/approach – The authors used data obtained from the Gallup World Poll that was conducted in 2008. The Gallup World Poll is a survey of residents in more than 150 countries. Based on a sample of 8,787 in Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria, the authors used SEM to test the hypotheses. Findings – Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that economic status significantly predicts both positive attitudes and technology adoption. Further, the authors found that infrastructure development moderates the relationship between economic status and technology adoption. Originality/value – The study attempts to plug the gaps in established theories of technology adoption which typically do not take into consideration factors that are peculiar to LDC contexts.