Factors Influencing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Adoption and Use of Technology in Cote d’Ivoire

Abstract

This paper examines factors hindering and possible solutions available during adoption and use of technology forsustainable development and management of SMEs in Cote d’Ivoire, arising from the fact that technologies havenot been put into the mainstream of management while analyzing the possibilities of mainstreaming SMEs goalsinto Cote d’Ivoire development agenda. This study was anchored on management theory and the technologicaldetermination theory.The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Data was collected from 200 respondents with the aid ofa questionnaire. The respondents of this study included 50 senior executives, 50 middle-level managers and 100workers in Abidjan city, purposively selected from SMEs in service and manufacturing industries. Data collectedwas analyzed by use of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques after which results were presented intables.The findings of the study reveal that there is a high level of awareness of the importance of technology inmanagement of SMEs; ICTs and other technologies can be mainstreamed into SMEs development agenda andthat technology is a veritable tool for sustainable development of SMEs in Cote d’Ivoire. Therefore, this studyrecommends that leaders of SMEs in Cote d’Ivoire formulate and implement policies that would enhance thedevelopment and deployment of technology in SMEs with the aim of bridging the digital divide in a bid toactualize sustainable development in the country.