Moderating Role Of Entrepreneurial Orientation On The Relationship Between Information Technology Competence And Firm Performance In Kenya

Abstract

This study explored moderating role of entrepreneurial orientation on the relationship between Information Technology Competence and firm performance in Kenya. The impact of IT on FP remains debatable to-date because some results of previous studies have had high variations resulting from diversities in the conceptualization of the key constructs and their interrelationship, coupled with the exclusion of intangible effect of IT on performance. In Kenya, SMEs employ about 85 percent of the workforce. The need to link ITC with FP has become vital for firms striving to achieve superior performance. However, limited attention has been paid to the link and more so to the moderating role of EO on ITC- FP relationship model. To better understand this relationship, this paper adopted a mixed methods research guided by cross-sectional survey design. Quantitative and qualitative techniques were employed to analyze the collected data using SPSS, Ms-Excel, AMOS, SmartPLS, STATA, R-GUI and ATLAS.ti analytical softwares. Analyses were conducted using a two-phase process consisting of CFA and SEM models. The theoretical models and hypotheses were tested based on empirical data gathered from 94 SMEs in the 2013 Top 100 Survey. The study found that ITC had a positive relationship with FP. The results also revealed that EO did not significantly moderate the relationship between ITC and FP in Kenya. However, when run with the interaction term, the Technical (ITC and ISRA)*EO was statistically significant at 10% α-level. This study will enhance the skill set in Kenyan SMEs and produce a more sustainable solution.

The Role of Entrepreneurial Personality Mediation and Technological Competencies Moderation in Determining Entrepreneurial Intentions in Vocational Education

“…It will indirectly affect the intention to enter the entrepreneurship (García-Morales et al, 2014). This is supported by those who reveal that digital technology skills can provide broad views and ways of thinking to run entrepreneurship, so intentions are automatically stimulated (Ndungu et al, 2017). Likewise, research from Deligianni et al (2019) and Nambisan (2017) also proves that students with digital technology competence have more entrepreneurial intentions.…”

Examining the Mediating-Moderating Role of Entrepreneurial Orientation and Digital Competence on Entrepreneurial Intention in Vocational Education

“…This means that social capital (SC) and psychological capital (PC) that is significantly built determines the entrepreneurship orientation (EO) so that it becomes a consequence of the growth of intention. In the same vein, research from Mahfud et al (2020); Ndungu et al (2017) also reveals the crucial role of entrepreneurship orientation (EO) as the construction of self-capital in the form of social and psychological, which ultimately indirectly affects students' intentions. However, research from Baluku et al (2020) provides clarification that psychological capital tends to be an aspect to directly stimulate the growth of entrepreneurial intentions so that orientation is only partially constructed.…”

Inimitable-Based Innovative Entrepreneurship as Mediation Concepts of Information Technology Roles on Organizational Performance

“…With IT infrastructure that provides knowledge creation support, entrepreneurs are able to convert it into unique creative products that are not easily imitated. Entrepreneurs who have fresh ideas are built through the role of entrepreneurs as organizational leaders (Abbas, 2018;Ndungu et al, 2017;Todd & Javalgi, 2007). The existence of an optimal IT has worked to trigger ideas that are always renewable and the solution of bottle-neck problems.…”