Abstract

This study examines the adoption of e-procurement technologies and their impact on the performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). E-procurement has increasingly become a critical digital transformation tool for improving operational efficiency, reducing procurement costs, and enhancing transparency in organizational processes. However, despite its potential benefits, adoption among SMEs in developing economies remains uneven and context-dependent. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 123 respondents across 25 SMEs and analyzed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis and covariance-based Structural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM). The study investigates the influence of key UTAUT constructs, including performance expectancy, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, and management support, on SME performance outcomes. The empirical results indicate that effort expectancy has the strongest positive effect on SME performance, followed by performance expectancy and facilitating conditions. This suggests that ease of use and perceived usefulness are more critical drivers of performance outcomes than organizational encouragement alone. Interestingly, management support does not show a statistically significant direct effect on SME performance, indicating that its influence may be indirect or contextually constrained within resource-limited environments. The findings contribute to the information systems literature by extending the UTAUT model into the domain of e-procurement in emerging economies and highlighting the differential roles of technological, organizational, and contextual factors. Practically, the study suggests that SMEs should prioritize user-friendly systems, digital skill development, and supportive infrastructure to maximize the benefits of e-procurement adoption.

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