A survey of user satisfaction in corporate information technology the case of the Kenya shell

Abstract

This study work was designed to re-evaluate the strategic realignment of current Information Technology investment and operationally realized objectives within Kenya Shell. Its was geared towards rationalizing investment in Information Communication and Technology (lCT), equipment and maximizing their business value to Kenya Shell, with the help of the Balanced Score card, as developed by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton (Kaplan & Norton 1996). The specific objectives were: • To investigate which factors are considered important in measuring Information Technology user satisfaction within Kenya Shell • To assess the impact, these measures have in furnishing the IT management with the necessary feedback to improve the productivity, quality and competitiveness of the IS department and hence the entire organization. • To demonstrate the use of the balance score cord in Information Technology user satisfaction measurement and management • To understand how the management views the IT and IT services so as to identify areas of potential improvement or areas that need additional research. The research population consists of Shell staff hosted in Kenya and assigned a computer for user. Kenya Shell had 150 employees spread among its offices in Head Office Nairobi, Industrial Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret and Nakuru. The above population was stratified in the following format • East African Hub Management Team • Kenya Shell Line Managers • Kenya Shell Supervisors • Rest of Kenya Shell Staff. The data collected was then analyzed using factor analysis, cluster analysis and descriptive statistics. Emphasis in this analysis was to gather and filter information that was used by the Balanced Score card in the evaluation and integration of strategic management in Information Technology execution and investment. This paper recommends a company specific Balanced Score Card implementation and the need for prudent measurement practice as a prerequisite to Information Technology strategic management within Kenya Shell.