Moderating Effect of Innovativeness on Attitudes Toward E-Commerce Adoption by Small and Medium Enterprises in Kuwait

Abstract

Many studies indicated that technological, organizational, and environmental organizational predictors as the key determinants for attitudes toward the adoption of E-commerce. However, a few studies focus on the innovativeness of these relationships. This study focuses on the moderating effect of innovativeness on the relationship between attitude toward the adoption of E-commerce and its determinants. Data were collected from 259 SME owners/managers through a self-administered questionnaire, and structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. The results identified perceived relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, organizational readiness, IT knowledge, competitive pressure, and supplier and customer pressure as important drivers of managers’ attitudes toward E-commerce adoption. Furthermore, the findings indicated a stronger positive relationship between compatibility, competitive pressure, and attitude for managers with high innovativeness as opposed to low levels of innovativeness. These results supported the view that innovativeness can shape managers’ attitudes toward E-commerce adoption. The results will help SME owners/managers to plan and promote E-commerce adoption and grow their businesses. Governments can use the results of this research to develop more focused policies to encourage more favourable E-commerce adoption attitudes among managers of SMEs.