Effect of Computerized Systems on the Organizational Performance: Evidence from Selected Public Organizations from Iringa Municipality

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of computerized systems on public organizations in Iringa Municipality, focusing on the Computerized Accounting System (CAS) and the Government Electronic Payment Gateway (GePG). A mixed research approach and a cross-sectional design were employed, with 100 randomly selected employees from a population of 145 participating through questionnaires and interviews. Data analysis utilized descriptive statistics and multiple regression. The findings revealed that a majority (84.6%) of TRA employees had received training related to computerized systems. Similarly, IRUWASA and TANESCO had a significant portion of trained employees (71.4% and 90.9% respectively). Within IMC and RBWB, 85.7% of employees had attended training, while Mkwawa University and RUWASA showed high training attendance rates at 80%. Concerning network availability, most TRA employees (76.9%) reported inconsistent network availability. This issue was prevalent among IRUWASA and TANESCO employees (63.6% and 90.9% respectively), as well as within IMC and RBWB. The first objective's findings indicated a significant negative impact of system downtime on performance (p-value = 0.000). A one-unit increase in system downtime corresponded to a performance decrease of -0.004. Conversely, training had a positive and significant impact on performance (p-value = 0.013), with a one-unit increase resulting in a performance increase of 0.011. Latency had a significant negative effect (p-value = 0.000), where a one-unit increase in latency led to a performance decrease of -0.039. In light of these findings, it is recommended that public organizations allocate resources for the enhancement and modernization of computerized systems. This should include investments in more robust hardware, software, and network solutions, as well as comprehensive training programs