National Information And Communication Technology Research Articles

Towards Learning Excellence in Universities: A Critical Review of Information and Communication Technology Policies in Education in Kenya

The current reality is that technological advancement has shaped how learning is being conducted in education. Communication technology has been embraced in education by both educators and learners. However, the embracement has been slow, and this was experienced during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, when teaching and learning had to shift and relied heavily on communication technology, but in actuality educational institutions were not ready. The virus continues to linger on and has served as a wake-up call for the education sector. This therefore makes Information and Communication Technology (ICT) an essential component in education today, not only to be implemented during crises, but also due to technological advancement and stakeholders’ needs in the current times. Governments have made efforts to integrate ICT in education, as is the case in Kenya. This paper reviews the National ICT policy in Kenya since its formulation in 2006 and its revision in 2019. These two policies were national, and education was integrated into the policies. However, in 2021, an additional policy on ICT in education and training was formulated and will also be analysed in this study. The paper analyses the strategies and implementation in higher learning institutions and outlines the barriers and challenges experienced in its implementation. Accessibility and equity have been pinpointed as some of the major factors influencing ICT integration. As higher learning institutions focus on blended or hybrid learning, ICT becomes a fundamental tool to facilitate education. The paper makes recommendations based on the policy inadequacies and how to focus on ICT in education for future meaningful impact.

Integrating Learning Management System and Digital Library for Students’ Assessment

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has recently advanced in education sector where teachers and other educational stakeholders use learning management system (LMS) to improve students learning. Tanzania in the meantime, has implementing multiple initiatives aimed at enhancing ICT integration in education. The initiatives includes connection of National ICT broadband backbone, implementing various ICT projects such as Tanzania Education and Research Network (TERNET) and the use LMS and digital library (DL) through Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE). Apart from the government initiatives, a critical gap exists in the knowledge and proficiency of both tutors and students in utilizing LMS and DL skills to enhance creativity. This study seeks to address this issue by exploring the integration of LMS and DL to preserve the talents and skills of educators and students. The research utilized a mixed-method approach that involved questionnaires and interviews from tutors. Data were analyzed both inferentially and descriptively. The study found that 33% of tutors were competent to ICT skills related to LMS and DLs. Furthermore, the study proposed a digital library system (DiLaS) prototype as a blueprint for integrating LMS and DLs to support students in learning and assessment. The paper recommends that the government should draw policy strategies that support innovation in digital systems to preserve exceptional skills.

Do students’ ICT skills pay off in math performance? Examining the moderating role of countries’ ICT promotive environment

Students’ information and communication technology (ICT) skills have been shown to be a valuable resource for their educational performance, although to varying degrees across countries. Our paper adds to existing knowledge to understand how and why country-specific ICT characteristics make a difference to math performance benefits students glean from their ICT skills, thereby adding to a general understanding of how digital divides at different levels are interrelated. We home in specifically on two features that reflect a country’s ICT promotive environment, respectively national ICT access in education and government promotion of ICT. We specifically elaborate on how these country level features augment the learning and signaling function of student ICT skills. Multilevel linear regression analyses were conducted on a sample (PISA 2018) of 248,720 students across 43 countries, enriched with contextual information from the Networked Readiness Index 2016 and World Bank’s data. Congruent with past research our results indicate that student ICT skills serve as an education resource. This, our study reveals, is indeed dependent on the country’s ICT promotive environment, as students’ ICT skills translate to greater math performance gains in countries with higher levels of ICT access in educational environments.

Teachers’ Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Competencies

ICT use in the classroom is vital for allowing students to learn and apply 21st-century skills. Teachers prepare the learning opportunities that help students enhance the learning process and maximize the students abilities in active learning. Hence, this research examined the relationship between a teachers profile and ICT competencies. A quantitative descriptive method was used in this study, and the questionnaire was adopted from the National ICT Competency Standard (NICS) from the Commission on Information and Communication Technology (CICT). The units of analysis of the study were secondary teachers in the West II district of the division of Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. A total of 148 respondents from the sampling frame were selected using a simple random sampling technique. The data were analyzed through Analysis of Variance. Results showed that out of the demographic variables, age is a factor in the teachers Information and Communications Technology (ICT) competencies. Overall, the West II District of Cagayan de Oro teachers are competent in the use of ICT technologies as part of their growing grasp in technological operations and concepts, social and ethical, pedagogical and professional development. It is recommended that the school may provide more ICT training which align with the National ICT Competency Standards (NICS) for teachers.

Assessing the Readiness of Government and Semi-Government Institutions in Qatar for Inclusive and Sustainable ICT Accessibility: Introducing the MARSAD Tool

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has revolutionized the lives of persons with disabilities globally through opportunities for improved social inclusion. Technology enables persons with disabilities to access information, media, education, employment, and ICT-related assistive technologies. Decision makers must clearly understand the current state of available ICT products and services, their compliance with international accessibility standards, and their usage within the country to propose effective inclusive policies and legislations. This paper presents an e-readiness assessment tool (called MARSAD) created and implemented from 2019 to 2021 to identify factors that influence the adoption of ICT accessibility for people with disabilities in Qatar. It aims to measure the national ICT accessibility adoption rate and develop key recommendations to improve digital access for persons with disabilities to access digital platforms of various Qatari government and semi-government institutions. The tool was administered to 14 institutions in the domains of education and culture. It was found that participating institutions had considerable gaps in their ICT infrastructure to offer an inclusive digital environment, which is in line with the principles of sustainability and SDG 11, to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The participating institutions demonstrated a genuine willingness to invest in implementing the required changes based on the results acquired by conducting MARSAD. As a suggestion, the tool can be used as a foundation to conduct e-readiness assessment studies to offer accessible ICT products and services catering to the needs of persons with disabilities, women, children, and older persons.

Digital-Based Policy and Health Promotion Policy in Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Thailand: A Scoping Review of Policy Paths to Healthy Aging

People are living longer, and our life has become more digital. Hence, the benefits from digital technology, including economic growth, increasing labor productivity, and ensuring health equity in the face of an aging population emerged as a vital topic for countries around the world. Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Singapore, and Thailand are in the top ten rankings in terms of information and communication technology (ICT) development within the Asia Pacific Region and all are facing challenges of population aging. Well-designed national ICT policy and health promotion policies enabled the countries to make significant progress and development in terms of digitalization and healthy aging. This paper aims to answer questions regarding digitization and health promotion: when it started, how it is going, what are the achievements, and what it holds for the future, considering healthy aging and digitalization by reviewing the national ICT policy and health promotion policies of Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Thailand. This paper is expected to help readers build a comprehensive understanding of each country's journey towards building a healthy aging digital society. Furthermore, we hope this paper can be a source for countries to exchange experiences and learn from each other with a joint goal of building a healthy aging digital society.

The Effects of ICT/e-Government on Migrant Workers' Remittance Inflows in Bangladesh: An Empirical Study

This research article has explored and examined the effects of ICT/e-Government measures and some other significant socioeconomic factors on migrant workers’ remittance inflows in Bangladesh; Sustainable development approach is very much related to the economic growth that can be achieved by higher remittance inflows and related factors such as ICT/e-Government measures. So far, the effects of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and e-Government measures on remittance inflows have not been explored adequately in the case of Bangladesh. The literature review shows the effects of ICT/e-Government along with the unemployment rate, the inflation rate, institutional quality, the number of recruiting agencies, the number of banks and financial institutions, financial development, remittance transaction cost, cash incentives as well as the currency exchange rate on the remittance inflows of Bangladesh. The article has been examined using a mixed methods (MM) approach. Secondary data from the World Bank and other institutions were collected for regression analyses using model equations and SPSS. Additionally, a total of 12 people involved in 12 different organizations were interviewed for collecting qualitative data for the thematic analysis; the analysis was conducted using NVIVO. After testing the hypotheses and after triangulation of quantitative and qualitative studies, it has been found that the use of ICT/e-Government measures and some other factors have significant positive effects on the remittance inflows of Bangladesh. Nonetheless, the effects of the number of recruiting agencies and remittance transaction cost on the remittance inflows did not resonate with the research hypotheses. Research findings show that the National ICT Policy and Overseas Employment Policy may also play roles in remittance inflows.

Teachers’ Information and Communication Technology Competencies: The Basis for a Competency-based Training Plan

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education pertains to using information and communication technology to support, enhance, and optimize information delivery. The study sought to ascertain the ICT competencies of elementary teachers in District 2 of the SDO Malolos City. The study employed a descriptive-quantitative method. The standardized questionnaire was adopted from the National ICT Competency Standards for Teachers (NICS), which covered the four domains of the ICT framework in education. Data were analyzed using the mean Kruskal-Wallis Test and the Mann-Whitney U test to determine significant differences between teacher respondents’ profile and their level of National ICT Competency Standards. Results showed that teachers have a high level of competencies in Technology Operations and Concepts, Social and Ethical, and Pedagogical Domains, but an average level in the Professional domain. Likewise, a significant difference was not established in their gender, age, educational attainment, position, number of ICT-related training, and years of using ICT in teaching but found in teachers’ length of service. The findings suggest that teachers must increase their level of competence in the Professional Domain to become more proficient and effective in carrying out their duties and responsibilities. This can be accomplished through seminar workshops on professional growth and development, research, innovation, and collaboration. To maximize their ICT skills, a competency-based training program should be provided in District 2 of SDO City of Malolos schools.

Contextualizing critical thinking about health using digital technology in secondary schools in Kenya: a qualitative analysis

BackgroundGood health decisions depend on one’s ability to think critically about health claims and make informed health choices. Young people can learn these skills through school-based interventions, but learning resources need to be low-cost and built around lessons that can fit into existing curricula. As a first step to developing and evaluating digital learning resources that are feasible to use in Kenyan secondary schools, we conducted a context analysis to explore interest in critical thinking for health, map where critical thinking about health best fits in the curriculum, explore conditions for introducing new learning resources, and describe the information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure available for teaching and learning.MethodsWe employed a qualitative descriptive approach. We interviewed 15 key informants, carried out two focus group discussions, observed ICT conditions in five secondary schools, reviewed seven documents, and conducted an online catalog of ICT infrastructure in all schools (n=250) in Kisumu County. Participants included national curriculum developers, national ICT officers, teachers, and national examiners. We used a framework analysis approach to analyze data and report findings.FindingsAlthough critical thinking is a core competence in the curriculum, critical thinking about health is not currently taught in Kenyan secondary schools. Teachers, health officials, and curriculum developers recognized the importance of teaching critical thinking about health in secondary schools. Stakeholders agreed that Informed Health Choices learning resources could be embedded in nine subjects. The National Institute of Curriculum Development regulates resources for learning; the development of new resources requires collaboration and approval from this body. Most schools do not use ICT for teaching, and for those few that do, the use is limited. Implementation of Kenya’s ICT policy framework for schools faces several challenges which include inadequate ICT infrastructure, poor internet connectivity, and teachers’ lack of training and experience.ConclusionTeaching critical thinking about health is possible within the current Kenyan lower secondary school curriculum, but the learning resources will need to be designed for inclusion in and across existing subjects. The National ICT Plan and Vision for 2030 provides an opportunity for scale-up and integration of technology in teaching and learning environments, which can enable future use of digital resources in schools. However, given the current ICT condition in schools in the country, digital learning resources should be designed to function with limited ICT infrastructure, unstable Internet access, and for use by teachers with low levels of experience using digital technology.

The Potential of Information and Communication Technologies to Generate International Trade in Africa

This article employs the dynamic panel two-step system generalised method of moments (GMM) approach to investigate the effects of information and communication technology (ICT) on trade and economic growth at a multisectoral level in 38 African countries from 1990 to 2019. The study reveals a significant and positive relationship between ICT and the export of agricultural raw materials and services. ICT shows a negative relationship with import in the agricultural sector, and a positive and significant relationship within the manufacturing sector. Additionally, there is no evidence of statistically significant relationships between ICT and service import. In relating ICT to growth, at the sectoral level, significant positive effects on growth were found with a varying magnitude in all sectors. The national ICT recommendation is that governments in African countries should increase investment in the ICT sector of the economy, which will have a remarkable effect on international trade and the economy.

Chinese ICT and Smart City Initiatives in Kenya

Chinese ICT and Smart City Initiatives in Kenya Bulelani Jili (bio) There are many threads of discourse in Africa-China relations, inspired by growing flows of investment, trade, and aid. One important consideration in the budding relationships between African states and China is the adoption of digital infrastructure and surveillance technologies.1 Many experts have argued that China's intentions are to garner access to African developing markets while also allowing Beijing a "backdoor" through which to secure access to data. Thus, research and media coverage have focused disproportionately on Chinese reasons and incentives in the proliferation of information and communications technology (ICT) and surveillance technology, but little systematic attention has focused on the multiple uses, properties, and applications of these digital tools in local environments. For this reason, this essay seeks to critically examine some of the more familiar preoccupations about the exportation of Chinese governance and surveillance technologies to Africa in the process of developing countries' ICT infrastructure and smart cities. The essay chiefly brings to the fore the local factors that contribute to the growing use of Chinese digital infrastructure in Kenya. There is limited analytical research on the spread of Chinese digital infrastructure and its consequences for African local environments and actors. Accordingly, the essay seeks to examine the growing use of Chinese-produced digital infrastructure in Kenya and its consequences. It focuses attention on the often-neglected details of Chinese operations and local smart city initiatives. [End Page 40] Precisely, the aim is to expand understanding of how local factors and conditions mediate China's growing geopolitical footprint. This essay is divided into four parts. The first section discusses the Kenyan case as an example of the establishment of Chinese ICT infrastructure in an African context. It explores the corporate and public nexuses that buttress the vision of a digitalized Kenyan society and demonstrates that Chinese engagements are in part a consequence of local factors, which challenges notions of a Chinese strategy to export normative values and surveillance practices. At the same time, this position does not necessarily imply the absence of Chinese state strategy in Africa and threats to civil liberties. Rather, it simply illustrates how local and global factors play into each other and how they determine practical outcomes. The second section looks at the adoption of smart cities in Kenya and the so-called safe city model, which includes digital surveillance technologies. The third section addresses Beijing's "no strings attached" policy and contends that China's proclivity to financially support state actors regardless of their regime type or human rights record renders citizens in these states more vulnerable to government transgressions. The essay concludes by noting that even in the context of a democratic government like Kenya's, bolstering state surveillance capacity without robust checks and balances renders citizens more vulnerable to the misuse of digital tools. Building ICT Infrastructure in Kenya In 1998, the Kenya Communication Act ended the state-run monopoly held by Kenya Posts and Telecommunication Corporation.2 In 2006, the Ministry of Information and Communications ushered in the National ICT Policy, which fully liberalized the telecommunications sector and created a framework for private actors to enter the ICT market.3 By introducing this liberalization strategy, the Kenyan government took a principal role in shaping the country's ICT sector as one focused on privatizing state-owned enterprises and attracting private investment in undersea fiber-optic cables, internet service providers, and mobile network operators. The vision, set in [End Page 41] the 2006 National ICT Policy and again later in the 2020 Policy Gazette, promoted the notion of ICT as a development tool for improving health, employment, and education outcomes. Digital infrastructure is thus a means by which politicians build and plan the future of Kenya's development. Despite these ICT policy changes, the government in 2006 did not have the infrastructure capacity to palpably realize its development ambitions. Kenya relied on satellite technology for international connectivity, which was both limited and prohibitively expensive for most citizens.4 To transition from narrowband, which operates on satellite technology, to fiber-optic-powered broadband, Chinese firms Huawei and ZTE were contracted to build the required infrastructure to close this gap...

Resource-Based Perspective on ICT Use and Firm Performance: A Meta-analysis Investigating the Moderating Role of Cross-Country ICT Development Status

Although there is a stream of literature that considers the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to be an advantage-seeking entrepreneurial activity resulting in superior business performance, the findings regarding the impact of ICT use on business performance are heterogeneous in the existing literature. Consequently, a meta-analysis is required in order to comprehend the direction and scope of this relationship, taking into account the national ICT development status across countries. Hence, with a theoretical grounding in the Resource-Based View (RBV), this meta-analysis combines research studies spanning a twenty-two year period (147 studies) on how a country's national ICT development status impacts the relationship between the use of different ICT tools, categorized as either General Purpose Technology or Enabling Technology, and firm performance by applying both bivariate and meta-regression analyses.

Access to electronic court records in Botswana

Governments all over the world are using information and communication technologies (ICTs) to enable the delivery of their programmes more effectively and efficiently and to increase the participation of the citizens in their governance through their e-government initiatives. The main purpose of this study was to explore issues of access to electronic case files at the Gaborone Magisterial District. Since 2005, the Department of Administration of Justice (AOJ) in Botswana has implemented an electronic Court Records Management System (CRMS) to manage case file records at the high courts and magistrates’ courts of Botswana as one of the government’s public sector reforms to improve service delivery at the courts. This study used both the quantitative and qualitative approaches with data collected through a questionnaire, document review, interviews with respondents and observation of respondents at the Gaborone Magisterial District as well as at justice stakeholders, which are Department of Public Prosecutions and the Department of Prisons and Rehabilitation. The questionnaire was supplemented with interviews. The study used the Records Continuum Model as lens to examine how electronic case files were used and accessed through the CRMS. The findings of the study revealed inadequate legislation on the management of electronic case files in Botswana. Challenges such as network disruptions, shortage of computers, resistance to change, training and a lack of commitment by staff affected access to court records on the CRMS. The study also established that access to electronic case files was limited to court personnel only. The study recommends the adoption of relevant policies and the provision of adequate infrastructure and remote access to electronic court records by the public and other stakeholders in the justice system in Botswana. Failure to provide online access to court records goes against the spirit of the Botswana National ICT policy and the National Vision 2036, which advocates for digital access to information and community access through the use of ICTs.

Access to electronic court records in Botswana

Governments all over the world are using information and communication technologies (ICTs) to enable the delivery of their programmes more effectively and efficiently and to increase the participation of the citizens in their governance through their e-government initiatives. The main purpose of this study was to explore issues of access to electronic case files at the Gaborone Magisterial District. Since 2005, the Department of Administration of Justice (AOJ) in Botswana has implemented an electronic Court Records Management System (CRMS) to manage case file records at the high courts and magistrates’ courts of Botswana as one of the government’s public sector reforms to improve service delivery at the courts. This study used both the quantitative and qualitative approaches with data collected through a questionnaire, document review, interviews with respondents and observation of respondents at the Gaborone Magisterial District as well as at justice stakeholders, which are Department of Public Prosecutions and the Department of Prisons and Rehabilitation. The questionnaire was supplemented with interviews. The study used the Records Continuum Model as lens to examine how electronic case files were used and accessed through the CRMS. The findings of the study revealed inadequate legislation on the management of electronic case files in Botswana. Challenges such as network disruptions, shortage of computers, resistance to change, training and a lack of commitment by staff affected access to court records on the CRMS. The study also established that access to electronic case files was limited to court personnel only. The study recommends the adoption of relevant policies and the provision of adequate infrastructure and remote access to electronic court records by the public and other stakeholders in the justice system in Botswana. Failure to provide online access to court records goes against the spirit of the Botswana National ICT policy and the National Vision 2036, which advocates for digital access to information and community access through the use of ICTs.

Information and Communication Technologies in A Postgraduate TESOL Program: A Human Capital Investment

With the global advancements in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the national and international demand for well-developed ICT skills and competencies, academic programs at higher education institutions need to make necessary adjustments to content and processes. This study reports on the current ICT integration practices in a TESOL postgraduate program at a Saudi Arabian university, addressing viewpoints at administrative, faculty, and postgraduate student levels. Three different questionnaires were used to answer the following questions: What are the TESOL postgraduate students’ practices of ICT integration, and how do they perceive their professors’ practices? What ICT integration practices do faculty members use, and how do they perceive the merit and desirability of their practices? And ‘How is ICT integration tackled at the administrative level with respect to policy and procedures, infrastructure, training, and technical support? The findings indicate that ICT integration practices in this program are lagging expectations. This is not a matter of attitude, potential, and challenges in the current situation, but is related to understanding the national ICT policy and developing sustainable strategies at an institutional level to guide and support faculty members’ practices. Since the impact of such changes will go beyond higher education to the broader national education system, much more attention needs to be dedicated to teacher education and professional development programs, including TESOL postgraduate programs.

How influences of external actors affect Information and Communication Technology policy formation in developing countries: case of Malawi

ABSTRACT This paper examines the case of Malawi to argue that external actors’ overt influences during Information and Communication Technology (ICT) policy formulation may result in policies that are hardly implemented. In Malawi, external actors brought templates, provided financial and technical support and developed the policy with minimum involvement of local actors. We employed Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice to examine the effect of the influences. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and document analysis on selected policy documents from Malawi. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Content analysis, applied to policy documents from Botswana, Ghana, Malawi, Rwanda and South Africa, supplemented the investigation. We make two contributions related to national ICT policies in Africa. First, policies developed without involving local stakeholders are hardly implemented. Second, the study extends the application of Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice in the ICT policy domain to show that the influences of external actors during ICT policymaking result in power imbalances in their favor. Through provision of economic, social and cultural capital, external actors dominate local actors during policymaking. The finding offers governments and stakeholders of public policy important insights into how they can effectively manage external actors during policymaking.

An analysis of the policies of Information and Communication Technologies for Agriculture in Mali

To harness the potential of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), developing countries need to develop national ICT policies that will serve as a framework for integrating ICTs at all levels of society. In the absence of that, different actors often engage in various actions for the same beneficiaries and in pursuit of the same objectives. That raises the need to define a national framework for the promotion and application of ICTs in the various production areas, particularly agricultural ones. It is for that reason that this study examined through qualitative methods (policy documents and semi-structured interviews) the national policy of Mali on the use of ICTs in agriculture. Data was analysed using the Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) method with the aid of NVIVO 12 software. The results showed that the country has two policy documents that articulate the country’s strategy towards the use of ICTs in the agricultural sector, that is, the Agricultural Orientation Law and the National Strategy for the Development of the Digital Economy. Further examination revealed that that these two policy documents are neither appropriate nor coherent in today's Malian landscape. This has resulted in an underutilisation of digital tools by agricultural extension officers which led to the low agricultural productivity in the country. This study recommended therefore the recasting of both documents to take into account the reported observations

Technology adoption in Malaysian schools: An analysis of national ICT in education policy initiatives

Educational change, particularly change involving the adoption of educational innovations, is a complex process. In Malaysia, the significant role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in promoting digital education is reflected in the national ICT in education policy. Nevertheless, studies in the Malaysian educational context have shown that the policy implementation resulted in varying degrees of success. Through a discourse analysis approach, this paper aims to examine the evaluation studies on large scale initiatives introduced to digitize the Malaysian education system, from the Smart Schools programme to the incorporation of the Frog Virtual Learning Environment in classroom. The rationale behind these top-down initiatives and how they affected the stakeholders at the micro level, namely, teachers and students, are reviewed and analysed. The analysis informs our understanding of the factors that contribute to the successful and unsuccessful implementation of these initiatives and guide the planning of future policies.

ICT Integration in Secondary School Physics and Teachers’ Attitude Towards Using ICT in Teaching Physics in Mombasa County, Kenya

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) provides an opportunity for Educational Institutions and other organisations to harness and use technology to complement and support the teaching and learning process. However, despite the enormous advocacy for ICT-aided teaching and learning, investment and donation of ICT equipment to schools, there is a challenge on how to transform students learning process to provide students with the skills to function effectively in this information-rich and dynamic environment. Unless ICT is effectively integrated in teaching and learning, the investment for the development of ICT in schools will be wasted. The school curriculum may also fail to achieve its mission to produce learners who are ready for the world of work, which is increasingly reliant on ICT- aided generation and dissemination of knowledge. This study was aimed at finding out the extent of ICT integration in secondary school Physics and the teachers’ attitude towards the using ICT in teaching Physics. Further. The study also assessed the extent to which the National ICT policy on education has been implemented in Mombasa County. It also assessed the teachers attitude towards teaching Physics using ICT. The study was done through administering questionnaires to 148 Physics teachers in public and private secondary schools, and conducting interviews with three (3) ICT champions in the county. The quantitative data based on a Likert Scale was analysed with the aid of the SPSS computer software (version 20) while the qualitative data was analysed using the Bryman’s Four Stage Qualitative Analysis. Keywords : Information and Communication Technology, Attitude. DOI : 10.7176/JEP/10-27-04 Publication date :September 30 th 2019

E-Commerce and Internet Marketing in Yemen: Opportunities and Challenges

Nowadays, information and communication technologies (ICT) are advancing in a fast speed. It is widely acknowledged that businesses can benefit a lot from the process of applying the advanced technology in both B2B and B2C Marketing. For example, both the behaviors of buying and selling can be completed based on Internet and information system, and this is called e-Commerce. Under this situation, the internet marketing has emerged. It is represented by e-Marketplace which is known as a virtual place. The emergence of e-platforms is helpful for businesses to find more customers and finish the business transactions effectively and efficiently. Despite the limitations and obstacles in adopting and implementing e-commerce, SMEs can still enjoy the benefits of e-commerce. Yemen is still developing the basic elements of an e-commerce infrastructure such as networking, electronic payments and IT-related services, including information technology education and training. Yemen has recently gained higher mobile subscriptions and Internet access penetration rates. The increased use and popularity of mobile phones in Yemen has opened the door to large-scale introduction of e-commerce. Due to the high penetration rate and infrastructure construction, Yemen has good potential to apply ICT and e-commerce. However, Yemeni e-commerce must overcome the lack of experience and skills such as ICT and e-commerce, the concentration of ICTs in urban areas, and the shortage of information technology personnel and facilities. The document suggests that effective e-commerce adoption and implementation should be conducted under carefully designed national ICT and e-commerce development plans and guidelines. Keywords: Electronic commerce, information and communication technology, electronic business, mobile commerce, developing countries, technology transfer, emerging economies, digital economy, Middle East, Yemen. DOI : 10.7176/EJBM/11-21-04 Publication date :July 31 st 2019