eCommerce adoption in developing countries: a model and instrument

Several studies of eCommerce in developing countries have emphasized the influence of contextual impediments related to economic, technological, legal, and financial infrastructure as major determinants of eCommerce adoption. Despite operating under such constraints, some organizations in developing countries are pursuing the eCommerce agenda while others are not. However, our understanding of what drives eCommerce among businesses in developing countries is limited by the absence of rigorous research that covers issues beyond contextual imperatives. This paper discusses a holistic and theoretically constructed model that identifies the relevant contextual and organizational factors that might affect eCommerce adoption in developing countries. It provides a research-ready instrument whose properties were validated in a survey of 150 businesses from South Africa. The instrument can be used as a decision tool to locate, measure, and manage some of the risk of adopting eCommerce. Implications of the study are outlined; they indicate a need to consider eCommerce, micro, meso, and macro issues in understanding the adoption of eCommerce in developing countries.