Antecedents of Electronic Commerce in Developing Economies

Abstract

One of the objectives of this article is to investigate the extent to which several factors that might affect electronic commerce (EC) usage are implemented and EC is used in a developing country. The article also aims to identify the factors that actually influence the use of EC in a developing country context. The author used annual survey data obtained over a 5-year period from 2009 to 2013 to test several hypotheses. This is probably the first article to assess the changes in these factors' effects on firms' usage of EC over several years. Findings suggest that there are major gaps in the implementation of these factors. There were no major changes or developments in technology availability and EC infrastructure over the five-year period. In fact, there was a general deterioration in the other factors that could facilitate EC usage. In addition, there were no changes in the extent to which EC was used over the same period. Implications of these findings for managers and researchers are discussed.