Factors affecting the adoption of technological Innovation in selected organizations in Nairobi, Kenya

A Research Project Report Submitted to the Chandaria School of Business in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Degree of Masters in Business Administration (MBA)This research project focused on factors affecting the adoption of technological innovations in Kenyan organizations. It was based on the realization that a problem exists in Kenyan organizations where the realization of technology benefits is often obstructed by the employees’ unwillingness to adopt the technological innovation. The research questions were based on this problem, and to answer the questions, an empirical study of Kenya’s Top 100 mid-sized companies in Nairobi was conducted. The target population was the middle and senior managers in these organizations. The factors used for the study included top management involvement, infrastructure, organization culture, individual and social factors. The research used in the study includes a detailed statistical research design; data was sampled from the population target for purpose of analysis. The data collection methods used includes questionnaires, surveys, and interviews. The data was analysed using the SPSS software and reported using tables, bar graphs, pie charts and histograms. The study established that there is an effective level of adoption of the various technological innovations in the organizations. The use of technological innovations provides opportunity to involve the various levels of management in the process and ensures that the different units of the organizations work together towards achieving the same objectives. They are cost effective, secure, and visible and boost positive results. The study also found that training and development, leadership mentoring and proper incentives enhances the adoption of technological innovations in the organizations. The managers of these firms should distinguish and control these innovations for them to enhance the operational performance of their firms. The study concludes that technological innovations adopted by the firms include mobile banking innovations, electronic transactions innovations, mobile-GIS based, intelligent security management systems, electronic payment systems, personal computer and automated customer service innovations. There have been various approaches employed by these companies to enhance adoption of technological innovations. They include training and development, leadership mentoring, proper incentives and process restructuring. The study recommends that managers of these firms should recognize and manage these innovations in order to boost their operational performance. The organizations need to focus on ensuring that the leadership styles applied in the organizations support the technological advancement endeavors. The companies should be focused in terms of their needs and using the right technology to achieve the goals. The management should establish the right roles and processes, set clear goals and relevant measures and review progress at every stage