Factors Influencing the Adoption of Digital Technologies in South African SMMEs

The increased use of interactive digital technology and the Internet are forcing organisations to have a digital presence. For small, medium and microenterprises (SMMEs), this is an opportunity to expand communications with consumers and improve sales in the digital economy. However, SMMEs in developing countries, including South Africa, are slow to adopt these technologies, thereby impacting their survival. This preliminary study explored five SMME top management’s perceptions of digital technology adoption towards enhancing their digital presence based on the technology-organisation-environment framework. The study used in-depth interviews with managers from five SMMEs in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The study found that SMME owners’ awareness of the relative advantage of the technology for an enhanced digital presence, the perceived SMME’s capabilities, the compatibility of the technology with existing processes, and effort expectancy in time influenced the adoption of technology for digital presence. The adoption of technology is moderated by prior digital technology experiences, perceived pressures from customers and competitors, and external support availability