Adoption of Electronic Resources Among Academic Staff in Public Universities in Tanzania: An Examination of Influencing Factors

Abstract

This paper examines factors that influence the adoption of electronic resources for the provision of academic activities by faculty members in public universities in Tanzania. A quantitative research design based on a cross-sectional survey of academic staff members in four public universities was used. A sample of 292 academic staff members was obtained through a combination of stratified and proportionate random sampling. Factors found to increase the probability of adopting e-resources include: awareness of e-resources through the availability of ICT policies in universities; coercive pressure on the use of ICT for teaching and research; and perceived adequacy in infrastructural support and capacity built in the use of ICT and e-learning system. The findings show that predisposing factors—age, experience, academic rank and educational level—and triggering factors—like expectation for promotion and increased income—do not have statistically significant influence on adoption. The main implications of the findings are that the use of e-resources in academic institutions can be enhanced through effective communication of ICT policies; creation of awareness on ICT policies and regulations; proper training and other capacity building initiatives to academic staff on the use of ICTs, infrastructure and systems; and applying some form of institutional coercive pressure in terms of enforcing the use of e-resources to spur the adoption of e-resources.