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Florence Nzisa Nzwilli Muinde View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by ResearchArchive at Victoria University of Wellington INVESTIGATION OF FACTORS AFFECTING THE ADOPTION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR COMMUNICATION OF RESEARCH OUTPUT IN RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS IN KENYA By Florence Nzisa Nzwilli Muinde Principal supervisor: Prof. Gary Gorman Associate supervisor: Dr. Chern Li Liew A thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Information Systems School of Information Management Victoria University of Wellington Wellington, New Zealand 2009 DECLARATION I certify to the best of my knowledge and belief that the thesis is my own work and does not incorporate without acknowledgement any material previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any university or published or written by another person. Wellington, July 2009 Signature: Name: Florence N. N. Muinde i ABSTRACT Using Rogers’ (2003) and Hofstede’s (2001) technology diffusion theories as lenses, this exploratory and interpretive study was an endeavour to contribute to the understanding of ICT-enabled research communication by and for scholars and researchers working in Kenya. The main purpose of the study was to identify factors affecting ICT-enabled research communication by researchers in research institutions in specific fields within the natural and applied sciences in Kenya, which are viewed as key result areas in socio- economic development. Qualitative techniques were used to collect and analyze the data and present the findings. The researcher sought to identify, understand and explain key factors affecting ICT- mediated scientific research communication with a view to coming up with an ICT- adoption framework that would assist the Kenyan research community in more effectively adopting ICT-enabled research dissemination practices. This in turn should support Kenya’s national development goals and contribute to the existing knowledge base and serve as a useful reference point in research communication debates and policy deliberations. The findings revealed researchers’ priority research communication need was reinforcement of capacity for strategic research through recognising and prioritising research communication in budgetary planning. Thus, the findings call for investment in scientific and technological research and its communication, which includes improving tools and infrastructure, especially ICT-enabled ones like Internet connectivity and other e-resources. The findings affirmed the literature and extant theories guiding the study but also revealed information unique to the Kenyan context. Among emerging factors affecting adoption of ICT for scientific research communication were socio-cultural factors such as appreciation and perception of ICT; attitude of the scientific research community; demographic issues such as age/level of qualification, gender, poverty and literacy levels; communication networks and traditional cultural values such as orature, communalism and education culture. There were also institutional factors which included issues to do with ICT governance such as political and institutional leadership and culture; institutional framework; policy and strategy and legal and regulatory framework; and control over mass media communication channels. Moreover, ii inadequate institutional capacity for ICT-mediated research communication, lack of demand for MIS for research and teaching, lack of recognition and motivation for researchers were found to hinder ICT-mediated research communication. Though ICT had the perceived attributes of relative advantages, compatibility, complexity, observability and reliability, there were relative disadvantages that discouraged adoption. These included the need for hard- & software and virus upgrades; its susceptibility to environmental factors; dependence on other infrastructures that may be unavailable or unreliable; and possibilities for information overload and plagiarism. Other factors affecting ICT adoption that emerged outside the preliminary model included the nature of discipline/type of data; personal/individual institution’s initiative; telephone wire thefts and lack of ICT research. All these contextual perspectives informed the framework for adoption of ICT for scientific research communication by researchers and scholars in research institutions in Kenya. Keywords: Information and Communication Technology (ICT); research communication in Africa; e-research; research institutions/Kenya; research communication needs/Kenya; technology diffusion; Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation; Hofstede’s cultural dimensions perspectives iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I wish to acknowledge the contribution of many organisations and individuals that made this research a success. First, I thank Commonwealth New Zealand for the scholarship that also took care of my family here. I also express my gratitude to the government of Kenya for study leave and great support during the PhD study. I am indebted to the School of Information Management, right from the Head of School, the research coordinator, academic staff, down to the school administrators for support and enabling environment. Special thanks to Jean Grant and her team over the 3 and 1/4 years for their efficient support and being always there for the student. I acknowledge my research institutions and participants in Kenya for their valuable insights which are the hallmark of the thesis. I thank my two supervisors, Prof. Gary Gorman and Dr. Chern Li Liew, for their guidance and great enthusiasm in my work. I also acknowledge Dr. Deborah Laurs of Student Learning Support Service for her fine tooth for details in editing the work. I would like to thank the following organizing committees for accepting papers based on this research for presentation and publishing: 1) The ICT for Africa Doctoral Consortium 18 December 2008, Yaoundé, Cameroon – shared my research experience; 2) The ICT for Africa Conference 19-21 December 2008, Yaoundé, Cameroon: Muinde F. & Gorman, G. (2008). "The Social-Cultural Environment in ICT-Enabled Research Communication in Kenya;” 3) The IFLA World Library and Information Congress Milan, Italy, 23-27 August 2009: Muinde, F & Gorman, G., (2009). “Barriers to Open Access to Scientific Information in Developing Countries: The Example of Kenya." I owe special thanks to my husband, Dr. David Muinde Martin, for his great understanding and enduring support over the years. Moreover, I specially thank my four children – Maria Mbole, Mercy Ngina, Peter Matini and Onesmus Kaloki – for selflessly walking the journey with me and minding themselves as I indulged in the PhD. I express my sincere appreciation to my brother, Onesmus Mutuku Nzwili, and his family for giving me a chance to pursue higher education and for his great iv encouragement throughout. I also acknowledge the support and prayers of other family members. My PhD colleagues also deserve a special mention. Specifically, I would like to thank Lanthom, Vizaad, Silenge and my Commonwealth colleagues – Siamah Kaullychurn (Mauritius) and Abu Conteh (Sierra Leone) – for bracing it along with me. Further, I thank all my friends wherever they are for constant encouragement. I pay special tribute to Constancia Buchike (Mama Luwi) for being a great companion to me and children. Above all, I owe it really to God’s abundant grace and peace, which were indispensable ingredients for my PhD journey. v DEDICATION To my late mother, Maria Benedetta Mbole Nzwili, for her great belief in the liberating power of education, especially for the girl child: Mama, you wondered why I couldn’t be the Dr. or Prof. mentioned in the class song in 1973 while in Grade 1. I have finally made it for you. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION .............................................................................................................. I ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................... II ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................ IV DEDICATION ............................................................................................................... VI TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................ VII LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................... XII LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................... XII CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................ - 1 - 1.0 BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT OF THE RESEARCH .............................. - 1 - 1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ................................................................... - 4 - 1.2 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES ................................................................................. - 6 - 1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ................................................................................... - 6 - 1.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ......................................................................... - 7 - 1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ..................................................................... - 8 - 1.6 LIMITATIONS AND DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY ........................... - 8 - 1.7 DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS .........................................................................
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