Open source software adoption by Kenyan counties based on selected local authorities

Abstract

The extensive diffusion of open source software (OSS) is driving discussion among scholars on a set of issues, including its adoption by public administrations. OSS is used the world over, but there is a lot of uncertainty and doubt surrounding decisions to adopt OSS. The objective of this research is to identify the factors that influence OSS adoption by Kenyan local authorities, OSS benefits and inherent risks. This paper determines the adoption factors that are relevant to Kenyan organisations. The analysis is based on four local authorities; Nairobi, Thika, Kiambu and Mavoko and studies the adoption of Open Source Software by local authorities. Exploratory Factor Analysis is used to identify the pertinent factors that influence OSS adoption, the inherent benefits and risks. OSS adoption is influenced by individual and organisational technology adoption factors. The research has found that OSS adoption factors identified in literature are relevant in a Kenyan context. The main factors that were resultant were usability, customizability, reliability and compatibility/synergy with existing information systems. The research concludes with recommendations on OSS adoption decisions when considering the choice between OSS and proprietary software.