Effective Use Of ICT Research Articles

EVALUATING THE SAMR MODEL FOR ENHANCING ICT INTEGRATION IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING AT THE TERTIARY LEVEL A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Significantly impacted education, necessitating effective integration into teaching practices. This study examined the application of the Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition (SAMR) model to evaluate ICT integration in English Language Teaching (ELT) at the tertiary level. The research aimed to determine whether the SAMR model could enhance pedagogical practices beyond mere technology substitution and how it compared with the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model. This study addressed the issue of stagnant ICT integration in ELT, hypothesizing that the SAMR model provided a more robust framework for transformative technology use compared to the TPACK model. The study’s purpose was to assess the SAMR model’s effectiveness in advancing ICT integration in university-level ELT. Objectives included comparing SAMR with TPACK and identifying barriers to effective ICT use. A systematic literature review was conducted using six electronic databases covering the past decade (2013-2023). The review followed PRISMA guidelines with defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Preliminary results revealed that while the SAMR model offered the potential for enhancing teaching practices, many educators remained at the substitution stage, mainly replacing traditional methods with technology without significant pedagogical changes. Challenges included insufficient training, institutional resistance, and lack of support. The findings underscored the need for extensive training, supportive policies, and continued research to improve ICT integration in higher education. This study contributes to understanding effective technology integration and provides recommendations for institutions seeking to elevate their teaching practices through meaningful ICT adoption. This research offers insights and practical recommendations for enhancing technology integration in higher education, focusing on overcoming current limitations and advancing teaching methodologies through the SAMR model.

APPLICATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AS A MEANS OF EFFECTIVE DEVELOPMENT OF DESIGN COMPETENCE OF FUTURE SPECIALISTS OF TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION

The article examines in detail the impact of the use of information and communication technologies on the process of forming the design competence of future specialists in the field of technological education. The authors emphasize the importance of an integrated approach to the use of ICT in the educational process, which contributes to the improvement of the quality of education and the development of the necessary competencies in students, relevant for the modern labor market. The article substantiates that the effective use of ICT allows not only to expand the theoretical knowledge and practical skills of students in the field of design, but also contributes to the formation of critical thinking, creativity, the ability to independently search and analyze information. A number of pedagogical conditions have been identified that must be taken into account in order to achieve a high level of design competence among future specialists. Among them: the application of a complex of interdisciplinary professionally-oriented tasks that contribute to the integration of knowledge and the development of project thinking; stimulating the activity and independence of students through the use of participatory learning methods; organization of activities that encourages creative search and use of innovative ideas in design projects. The article also provides examples of the effective use of ICT in the educational process, such as the use of specialized programs for graphic design, 3D modeling, digital resources for creating and presenting projects, which allows students to better understand the essence of design activities and develop the necessary practical skills. The prospects of further research related to the search for new innovative approaches to the use of ICT in education, in particular in the field of design, which will take into account rapid changes in technology and the needs of the modern labor market, are indicated. It is assumed that the further expansion of ICT capabilities and their integration into the educational process will contribute to the formation of universal design competencies that can adapt to the changing conditions of the professional environment.

The Dynamic Impact of Financial Inclusion and ICT Diffusion on Sustainable Economic Development: Evidence from the MENA Region

This study investigates the dynamic relationship between financial inclusion, ICT development, renewable energy, and sustainable economic growth in the MENA region. Recognizing the growing importance of these factors in shaping the trajectory of sustainable economic development. This paper aims to contribute to the existing literature by providing new evidence from the MENA region, on how the interaction between financial inclusion and ICT development can lead to higher economic growth. This Study examines the impact of ICT diffusion and financial inclusion on economic growth by using an economic growth model that incorporates the joint effect of these two factors. The study employs dynamic panel system GMM estimation and focuses on a sample of 15 countries in the MENA region from 2004 to 2021. The findings reveal significant and positive associations between financial inclusion, ICT development, and sustainable growth in the MENA region. The findings reveal that financial inclusion has a positive effect on growth, ICT is expected to enhance growth by improving digital skills and increasing the efficiency of the financial market, particularly in the banking sector. Effective use of ICT, such as branchless banking and mobile banking, can be cost-effective and improve financial accessibility for previously marginalized individuals, thereby fostering financial inclusion. The interaction effects between ICT diffusion and finance are positive, indicating that the combined impact of ICT and financial inclusion can mitigate the negative effects of ICT investments.

MEASURING ICT PROFICIENCY AND EVALUATING HINDRANCE AMONG RURAL INHABITANTS OF SELECTED RURAL TOURISM (PONG DAM WETLAND) SITES OF HIMACHAL PRADESH

Measuring host community (rural community) proficiency and hindrances in effective use of ICT for promotion and marketing of rural tourism is an important area of research in the current context. The contemporary research is directly indebted to the development goals set by the state government in State Tourism Policy (2019) to bridge socio-economic disparity gap from the state using tourism and ICT as main drivers for change. Envisioning the vision of the government, current research is largely dedicated to evaluate responses from 200 respondents directly or indirectly engaged with tourism in specific areas of Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. Respondents were also participant in training programme conducted by Infrastructure Development and Investment Program for Tourism (IDIPT) in the study area. The results depict local community expression of interest in increasing ICT trainings with tourism as a concept in the rural area for removing digital disparity. Community actively engaged in the training programmes with ICT and rural tourism embraced the basic terminology with ICT for promotion of rural tourism. The suggestive and corrective measure at micro level to create community of learners along with resource indexing and tunnel vision approach for Bottom of Pyramid could lead to achievement of goals to contemplate multidimensional sustainable local tourism enterprises.

Innovation and ICTs in ESL: Exploring the Role of the Podcast as a Learning Enhancing Tool in Innovation Projects

What we know as Information and Communication Technologies, or ICTs, encompasses all electronic devices and network systems that enable society to interact digitally. There is, however, a key difference between ICT and the Information Technology (IT), as can be seen from common definitions of ICTs, which often, if not always, include terms such as interacting, transmitting, or sending, hence: communication is key. This paper aims at presenting a classroom project proposal based on the application of ICTs (a podcast), which allows the objectives set out in the English as a Second or Foreign Language curriculum to be effectively incorporated during the teaching-learning period for students. This paper also aims to serve as a guide for other teachers of the English language who seek to effectively integrate the use of innovative methodologies into their lessons, based on the effective use of ICT in the classroom. Among the methodologies that can be implemented in the classroom with ICTs and innovative methodologies such as the flipped classroom, project-based learning, or game-based learning, which will be discussed in detail.

ORGANIZATIONAL AGILITY AS A DERETMIAN FOR THE EFFECTIVE USE OF ICT

The article is an attempt to present the results of research that analyzes the phenomenon of organizational agility as a determinant of the effective use of ICT. In order to thoroughly investigate the phenomenon, a questionnaire study was quoted on a sample of 745 respondents. The results of the conducted research may contribute to the process of efficient enterprise management, which emphasizes the role of agile personnel in the effective use of ICT tools in various areas of company operations (sales, services, marketing, finance, administration). The presented research has shown that the use of ICT tools is a common phenomenon. ICT tools increase work efficiency, improve task performance and increase the speed of employees’ actions. At the same time, the condition for their efficient use is the development of agile attributes in employees, such as commitment, credibility, dedication, competence, creativity and innovation. It is also extremely important to constantly improve digital competences.

ICT and Learning of Mathematics in Nigeria

This study empirically reviews ICT and mathematics learning in Nigeria through a systematic literature review. Relevant articles and journals were identified to examine international students' teaching and learning experiences. Research shows that even if teachers believe that students need to understand mathematics or that the use of ICT improves students' development, students still need to solve problems. It may indicate that They do not incorporate her ICT into math classes or use it in traditional ways to impart knowledge. Her effective use of ICT in mathematics education may lead to more learner-centered classroom practices. These changes are widely believed to impact mathematics teaching and to learn positively. For example, ICT can enrich students' mathematics learning experience, increase their interest in mathematics, and change their attitudes toward mathematics. With the proliferation of online e-teaching, flipped classrooms are becoming a new trend in digital learning. The study recommends that ICT tools be made available by all parties to teachers and students with appropriate Internet access to achieve solid academic performance in mathematics. Governments at all levels need to increase their budgets for education and ensure that the money allocated for education is entirely spent.

Constraints Faced by Farmers and Suggestions for Effective Utilization of ICTs in Mitigating Climate Change Effect in Agriculture: A Study of Eastern Dry Zone of the Karnataka, India

The study was conducted to reveal the constraints faced by the farmers of Bengaluru rural and Chikkaballapura districts of Karnataka to access various ICTs for mitigating the effect of climate change in agriculture. Purposively selected two rural districts (Bengaluru Rural and Chikkaballapura) based on the desirable criteria that one district (Bengaluru Rural) was very close to the urban area (Bengaluru) and another district (Chikkaballapura) was a bit far away from the urban area. To know about the problems the farmers faced during access and use of ICTs in mitigating climate change it is necessary to understand the profile characteristics of the respondents because of this reason the 18 independent variables as selected to know about their conditions. The farmers of both districts felt that the main constraints which hamper the effective use of icts tools to mitigate climate change in agriculture, are Cautious about new technologies as the main constraint in the category of social constraints followed by High call rates in mobile calling as their main constraint in the category of economic constraints, lack of adequate skills to use ICTs as the main constraint in the category of technical constraints. To overcome these barriers and effective use of ICTs in mitigating climate change effects in agriculture farmers suggested that there was a need for training for the proper use of ICTs followed by the Government should initiate awareness programs about available new ICTs tools and their applications in climate change the main suggestions as given by the farmers of Bengaluru Rural and Chikkaballapura district.

Effect of E-Learning on Academic Performance of Undergraduate Students at Nankai University, China

The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of e-learning on the academic performance of undergraduate students at Nankai University in China. The study adopted the descriptive research design. Descriptive research design is a type of research design that aims to systematically obtain information to describe a phenomenon, situation, or population. The sample size was 361 students and they were purposively picked. The collection of the data was done using questionnaires. Descriptive and inferential were used to analyze the data. It was found that e-learning is positively and significantly related to academic performance. E-learning is among the expanding areas, particularly in tertiary education. Educational institutions are different in growing nations than in developed nations, like poor quality of education and low chances of attending learning institutions in the local areas because of long distances. E-Learning enhances accessibility to effective learning and therefore boosts the performance of learners. It is easy since learners watch a video documentary in the lecture room. In an E-learning system, learners can interact anytime and from anywhere with various educational materials like messages, audio, pictures, video and more via the internet. The study concluded that e-learning is positively and significantly related to academic performance. The study recommended that both the lecturers and the learners are required to develop a personal interest in the usage of ICT. The use of ICT in schools needs to be made mandatory in tertiary institutions and the lecturers should be provided with good training on the effective use of ICT. There is a need to have a steady power supply to use ICT effectively. It is also recommended that tertiary institutions' management make a consorted initiative to give e-learning environments that will improve learner performances in tertiary institutions and facilitate their self-development initiatives. Keywords: E-Learning, academic performance, Undergraduate Students, Nankai University, China

ONLINE LANGUAGE TEACHING AND EVALUATION OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS

The research aimed to point out the effective use of ICT in foreign language teaching and learning by engineers. The problem with the evaluation of students during their studies or at the end of the academic year arose when the Technical University of Košice was forced to switch to a distance form of education. The experiment took place in the winter semester of 2021/2022 within the compulsory English Language in Technical Practice course. Mixed methods were used to compare the results of e-tests within the four study programmes - Automotive Production Technologies, Computer-Aided Manufacturing Technologies, Industrial Management and Intelligent Technologies in Industry. The research employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The research design involved collecting data using online tests completed by students and sent to the teacher. A quantitative method was conducted to evaluate the students’ online tests. The qualitative research method allowed for the analysis and interpretation of data from the experimental testing. Based on the results of the study, it was concluded that different types of Moodle tasks can be successfully applied to e-testing as part of English course assessment at the university level. The study aimed to determine the level of language skills of the 80 first-year engineering students at the Faculty of Manufacturing Technologies in Prešov Technical University of Košice who participated in the experiment. The university-wide learning management system, the Moodle platform, was used during the study and in the final online tests. The results of the e-tests revealed the level of language skills, and teachers were able to identify the weaknesses and strengths in teaching professional study material. The hypothesis concerning language skills was confirmed. The best evaluation was achieved by 43 students (53.8%) in reading professional texts with understanding, and only 21 students (26.3%) were successful in grammar. It was emphasized that reading comprehension is an integral and inseparable part of the teaching process at the Technical University. The correct understanding of the professional text has a huge benefit and significance in their practice and future professions.

The Influence of School Administrators Attitude on effective use of ICT in Management of Public Secondary Schools in Uasin-Gishu County in Kenya

The Influence of School Administrators Attitude on effective use of ICT in Management of Public Secondary Schools in Uasin-Gishu County in Kenya

Constraints Faced by the Coffee Planters in Using ICT Technologies in Dindigul District of Tamil Nadu

Aims: ICT is crucial in bringing cutting-edge technologies to farmers and increasing farm income. However, this is not the case in practice, as farmers confront a number of obstacles when it comes to ICT adoption. Recognizing this issue, a study was conducted to learn about the constraints farmers’ confront when utilising ICT.
 Study Design: A descriptive research design was employed to identify particular constrains faced by coffee growers while employing ICT tools and the data was analysed using specific statistical tools.
 Place and Duration of Study: This study was undertaken on purpose in four coffee board liaison zones of Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu between May 2022 and July 2022. 
 Methodology: In each zone, a sample of 40 farmers was chosen at random, for a total of 160 sample farmers for the study. To examine the objectives, a well-structured and pre-tested interview schedule was employed, and data were obtained through survey in the study region. The data obtained through survey was analysed using garrett’s ranking technique.
 Results: The study discovered that Lack of faith in using ICTs, lack of knowledge about ICTs' advantages, inconsistent power source, inadequate network connections, low proficiency with ICT, inadequate ICT handling abilities, negative perception of ICTs, lack of experience with ICTs in the real world and training, non-availability of multilingual ICT services, not affordable to implement ICT, non-availability of ICT service centres, and High cost of servicing ICTs were the major constraints faced by farmers in the effective use of ICTs.
 Conclusion: Farmers in the study area now have greater access to and availability of ICTs, but in order for the farming community to benefit the most from better access to information services through the use of ICTs for agriculture and other developmental purposes, it is important to make sure that the problems of the farmers are addressed.

The Effect of Smart Government on Governance in Covid-19 Era

The research work looked at the relationship between various dimensions of smart government which are citizen centricity, efficiency, effectiveness and the dimensions of smart governance being strategic dimension, networking and collaboration between institutions. This study made use of a quantitative analytical cross-sectional design. The study made use of the Stakeholder theory. It also made use of the purposive, convenience and simple random sampling technique. A survey was designed for the respondents which was inclusive of one hundred and thirty (130) postgraduate students of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun state and the Statistical package for social sciences was used in running the analysis. According to the findings of this study, smart government could be regarded a foundation for establishing governance by utilizing advanced information and technology for good governance, which is characterized by multiple interrelationships between individuals, government and other decision makers. The sample size and analyses focused majorly on the Postgraduate students of Covenant University. From the findings, the students assert that the governments use of ICT platforms has been able to enhance the resilience of the government and organisations as they have been able to develop a means to cope, adapt and adjust to this global change. The efficient and effective use of ICT, allowed for networking and collaborative interaction between government and other state and the governments and organizations. This implies that governments ability to take smart and strategic actions in the face of unforeseen and unpredictable challenges through the use of ICT has proven a candid means for the government to efficiently and effectively run any nation state. The findings focus on examining the effect of smart government on governance. The paper is significant in giving insightful directives on the realities of running government in a continuous dynamic environment which factors are unpredictable and gives a guide on how government should be run in the face of untold challenges.

ASSESSMENT OF PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ PERCEIVED USEFULNESS, EASE OF USE AND BEHAVIOURAL INTENTION TO USE ICTs FOR MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION: A CASE STUDY

The need to enhance mathematics instruction through the use ICTs for improving the performance of students in the subject in Nigeria can no longer be paid lip service. ICTs have proven to be a veritable instrument that can actively engage and improve students’ mathematical learning experience. This study examined preservice teachers’ perceived usefulness, ease of use and behavioural intention to use ICTs for mathematics instruction in Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive research design of a survey type and 315 students who enrolled in a college of education to become mathematics teachers were selected through a multi-stage sampling technique. Data was collected through a self-designed questionnaire and the generated data were analysed using frequency counts, simple percentages, mean and standard deviation. Results reveal among others that preservice teachers’ perception of the usefulness of ICTs to enhance mathematics instruction is very high. Equally, their perceived ease of use of ICTs for mathematics instruction is high. Power supply, lack of fast internet connection and high fees for internet access were perceived by the preservice teacher as the greatest challenge to the effective use of ICTs for mathematic instruction. The conclusion of the study was therefore drawn based on the results of the study.

The role of ICT for school leadership and management activities: an international comparison

PurposeInformation and communication technologies (ICT) has an increasing impact on schools. School leaders play a key role in this context as drivers of innovation including those related to ICT. Against this background, the study presented in this article focuses on school leadership and management activities with ICT and related challenges. It sought to analyze how frequently German school principals use ICT compared to principals in other countries, what distinct clusters of German principals could be identified in terms of ICT usage and how principals viewed ICT in schools and related challenges.Design/methodology/approachA mixed-methods approach was chosen, using quantitative data from both the international comparative large-scale assessment study ICILS 2018 and the explorative qualitative data from Germany. For the international comparison, the school principal data sets of the 12 international participants of the International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) 2018 were taken into account: Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, Portugal, Uruguay and the United States. To look beyond averaged frequencies, a latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted to identify possible clusters of school leaders with distinct usage patterns of ICT for leadership and management activities.FindingsThe results indicate that, in general, German principals use ICT for leadership and management activities on a similar level as their international colleagues. However, they seem to communicate with education authorities significantly more often than their international colleagues, whereas representative activities (presentations, home page) are rather infrequent. The qualitative data point to significant barriers to fully harnessing the potential of using ICT for leadership, management and school improvement such as lack of competencies and lack of adequate support.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that focuses on school leadership and management activities using ICT with such a data set. The results provide insights into how German principals use ICT to lead and manage their schools compared to their international counterparts. The qualitative data offers additional insights into possible reasons hindering a more effective use of ICT.

USE OF ICT AND MEDIA RESOURCES BY STUDENTS OF PHILOLOGY IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS OF HIGH SCHOOL: MODELS AND STRATEGIES.

Thearticledealswiththeeffectivenessoftheuseof ICTandmediaresourcesbyphilologystudentsintheeducational process of higher education. The authors set the goal of investigating the features of the effective use of ICT and, in particular, media resources by philology students in the educational process of higher education. The tasks consist in the analysis of modern studies of the outlined problems, in the search for effective media resources and models of the implementation of information technologies in order to improve the quality of the educational process. It is assumed that thanks to the use of computer networks, online learning tools, personal offices, Telegram-channels and chat-bots, teachers have been given the opportunity to provide new information in such a way as to satisfy the individual requests of each student, because today in a short period of time it is necessary to teach each child to assimilate, understand, transform, analyze and use large volumes of information in practical activities. The main directions in which the active search and selection of effective models of information technology implementation are carried out in order to improve the educational process are characterized: development of the educational environment; use of innovative teaching aids; introduction of the latest learning technologies in the educational process; modernization of organizational forms of educational activity. Attention is focused on the fact that currently it is necessary to focus on one’s own professional development, the peculiarities of the educational e-environment and improving the quality of providing educational services with the help of ICT and media resources, increasing the interest and activity of education seekers, etc. It is noted that the survey of the participants of the educational process remains one of the most successful and widespread methods of evaluating the optimization of language and literature learning with the help of media resources

APPLICATION OF IGS GEOGEBRA IN THE STUDY OF HIGHER MATHEMATICS BY STUDENTS OF TECHNICAL INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Introduction. Recently, the use of various packages of computer mathematics systems to improve the efficiency of the educational process has become relevant, especially during distance learning. One of the most promising areas in the technology of higher mathematics is the introduction and development of interactive geometric environments, and, as a consequence, to identify effective ways to use them in the educational process. The use of software is especially relevant in higher mathematics classes. The above software packages help to perform calculations in a short time, allow you to build graphs of functions and three-dimensional bodies and more. Purpose. Possibilities of application of the interactive geometric environment GeoGebra for the purpose of the organization of research activity of students of technical specialties during employment in higher mathematics are considered Methods. The article substantiates the relevance of using the cognitive-visual approach in the process of teaching students of technical specialties of higher mathematics in institution of higher education, considers the essence of this approach, as well as its implementation in teaching higher mathematics using educational software products using interactive geometric environment GeoGebra Results. Possibilities of separate software products of professional and educational purpose are considered, advantages of the interactive geometrical environment GeoGebra are listed, the example of its use in the course of training of higher mathematics of students of technical institution of higher education is given, namely: possibilities of application for the purpose of organization of research activity of students. in particular, remote, and the use of second-order image curves, which allows the visualization of geometric objects under study. Also, the stages of the process of preparation for the application of the interactive geometric environment GeoGebra were identified. Originality. For the first time with students majoring in 151 Automation and Computer-Integrated Technologies, we used distance learning to study one of the problems of solving problems using the interactive geometric environment GeoGebra. Conclusion. Solving our geometric problems, performed using the interactive geometric environment GeoGebra, allows students to see not only the visual construction of geometric objects, but also to form elements of the algorithm for solving practical problems in analytical geometry and lay the foundation for calculation the length of the arc, the area of the figure, the volumes of bodies in parallel section and the body of rotation, the surface area of the body of rotation, which is discussed in the next section "Application of the definite integral". The dynamic capabilities of GeoGebra to study the change in the shape of the projections of the spatial curve when changing the parameters in the equations of surfaces. The use of GeoGebra to solve problems in the course of higher mathematics in technical free economic education increases the motivation and interest of students, creates conditions for the formation of research skills, prepares students for the effective use of ICT in their future careers.

DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF TUTORS ON THE INTEGRATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING IN THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION

The purpose of the study was to examine demographic characteristics of tutors on the integration of information and communication technology in teaching and learning in the Colleges of Education in Ghana. The descriptive survey design was used to conduct the study. The purposive sampling technique was used in the selection process. The sample size was 120 tutors. Independent sample t-test and One-way ANOVA were used to analyze the data. The findings showed that there is a significant difference between male and female tutors in their use of ICTs in teaching and learning in the public Colleges of Education in Ghana. The findings revealed that there is no significant difference between tutors with different age and their integration of ICT in teaching and learning. The findings again, indicated that there is no significant difference between the level of academic qualification and the use of ICTs among tutors. The results revealed that there is a significant difference between the use of ICTs among tutors based on their teaching experience. The study recommended that female tutors who could not effectively integrate ICT into the teaching and learning should be identified and supported to integrate ICT into the teaching of the subject. The study recommended that appropriate pedagogical models suitable for the integration of ICTs in teaching and learning should be developed by curriculum designers to assist tutors in their urge to employ them in the teaching and learning process. The study again, recommended that management of the public Colleges of Education in Ghana should seek sponsorship from internet service providers in Ghana to provide free or affordable and reliable internet connectivity in the colleges to facilitate effective use of ICTs in the teaching and learning in the Colleges of Education. 
 
 <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0896/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

The Influence of Data Management on Market Access by SMEs in Trans Nzoia County, Kenya

Accessing a sustainable market should be a priority for SMEs. It helps to expand their business horizons and get new opportunities and clients. New opportunities promote the urge of SMEs to employ all legally possible means to offer their products and services to the identified markets. As SMEs strive to ensure their products and services reach out to people both locally and internationally, the effective use of ICT, especially handling business data, was a major concern to SMEs in Trans Nzoia County, Kenya. This study aimed to establish the influence of data management on market access by SMEs in Trans Nzoia County. A descriptive research design was used in the study. The target population was 37 SMEs whose respondents were 92 ICT officers, 81 compliance officers, and 77 marketing officers. Data collection was done using interview guides and closed-ended questionnaires. To ensure validity and reliability, pilot-testing of questionnaires was done at Kenya Cooperative Creameries in Elgeiyo Marakwet County. Coded data in SPSS was analyzed quantitatively using descriptive statistics such as mean, percentage, and standard deviation. The qualitative data were analyzed using the thematic technique. Linear regression was used to test the hypothesis of the study. The study established that the decisions made by the SME management did not originate from reliable sources such as business intelligence systems but rather on personal experiences, emotions, and cheap and available options. Through the authorization of their boards, SMEs should employ staff who have adequate skills and experience in managing and analyzing data to provide direction on why certain decisions should be made.

Effective ICT use for Digital Innovation: An Actualized Affordance Perspective through ICT enabled Design Thinking

Les technologies de l’information (TIC) disponibles dans les organisations peuvent être utilisées pour créer des solutions innovantes d’une manière rapide, efficace et économique. Malgré la nécessité de mieux comprendre les modalités permettant d’utiliser les TIC dans les organisations pour favoriser l’innovation, la littérature sur l’innovation numérique/digitale se concentre principalement sur l’étude de la mise en œuvre de TIC existantes dans de nouveaux contextes ou sur la conception et le développement de nouvelles technologies de l’information. Cet article enrichit ces travaux de recherche en étudiant un mécanisme créatif alternatif mobilisant les technologies digitales existantes pour l’innovation. En ancrant nos arguments dans la littérature sur l’usage efficace des SI et « l’affordance de la technologie », nous conceptualisons les caractéristiques des agents d’innovation et l’affordance actualisée de l’innovation basée sur l’utilisation des TIC, comme les deux principaux facilitateurs de l’innovation digitale. Les caractéristiques des agents d’innovation sont opérationnalisées par le biais de caractéristiques génériques et spécifiques au domaine de « l’auto-efficacité créative » et de « l’affect envers l’utilisation des TIC ». L’affordance de l’innovation actualisée est opérationnalisée comme l’utilisation efficace des technologies disponibles grâce à une approche de conception basée sur les TIC ou encore « ICT enabled design-thinking » (ICT-DT). Le modèle proposé est testé empiriquement via une méthode quasi-expérimentale comprenant des données provenant d’une enquête en deux temps de collecte. Les résultats montrent une influence significative à la fois des caractéristiques de l’agent d’innovation et de l’affordance actualisée de l’innovation pour faciliter l’innovation digitale. Cependant, l’affordance actualisée de l’innovation, opérationnalisée par l’approche ICT-DT, a une relation plus forte avec l’innovation digitale par rapport aux caractéristiques de l’agent d’innovation. Cela souligne la nécessité pour les organisations d’intégrer l’utilisation des TIC pour permettre des approches de créativité structurées (telles que le DT) et encourager les productions innovantes. L’étude offre également plusieurs implications pour la recherche et pour la pratique.