Influence of Information and Communication Technology on business performance in Kerugoya Town, Kirinyaga County

Abstract

Limited access to ICT due to unavailability especially in rural areas and high costs hamper individuals in exploiting many business opportunities that are available.lt further affects levels of innovation and networking.lt is therefore imperative to create an enabling environment to fully exploit the capabilities of ICT and the capabilities of the people themselves. Universal access to ICT has been identified by the government as one of the key objectives of Vision 2030. lt is worth noting that one of the main obstacles of universal ICT access is high operational costs. Countries that have harnessed the capabilities of ICT have enjoyed tremendous socio-economic growth.ln view of this, Kenya as a country can learn from these countries and adopt this strategy to reduce unemployment rates,make it easier to do business and alleviate poverty,which are key challenges facing the country at the moment. This study sought to identify the distribution on ownership and use of ICT equipmentlgadgets,the frequency of ICT use,how the population used ICT to do business, whether ICT has improved business performance for the respondents and how the respondents made use of ICT in their lives.The purpose of the study was to establish the influence of ICT on business performance among businesses in Kerugoya town.The research design adopted in this study was the cross-sectional survey research design.This means that one or more groups were studied at a specific time.The target population was the licensed businesses within Kerugoya town. A sample was picked using simple random sampling technique. Data used in the study was collected using questionnaires and then analysis carried out with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software.The study found that ICT skills and training had an influence aspects of business performance such as monthly net income and sales.lt also found that the use of ICT tools influenced business performance as well.The study recommends further research on ways of making access to ICT easier and more affordable.