Dac Project Work

UNIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND LAW
DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING
GRATIFICATION AND CONTINUANCE USE OF ELECTRONIC COMMERCE

SERVICES IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY.
BY
DAC GROUP 17
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE BUSINESS AND LAW, UNIVERSITY FOR

DEVELOPMENT STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT
FOR THE AWARD OF A BACHELOR OF COMMERCE DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING.
SEPTEMBER 2022
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DECLARATION
To the best of our knowledge, no portion of this dissertation has been submitted for the award
of a degree at the university or in a different institution, except for the papers cited in it. It is
also our original work, and the conclusions are the outcome of independent research.
Therefore, we take complete ownership of everything in this dissertation.
NAME ID SIGN
ALHASSAN SHAHAYAW BCM/0024/18
OSUMANU KHADIJAH BCM/0025/18
ADU KOFI SETH BCM//0026/18
SANDRA AGGREY BCM/0027/18
DATE…………………………….
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CERTIFICATION
I hereby attest that the supervision of this thesis followed the guidelines established by the
University.
………………………………. ………………..
MR. MUFTAWU DZANG ALHASSAN DATE
(SUPERVISOR)
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DEDICATION
We dedicate this research to the Supreme Allah/God for providing us with the strength,
health, intelligence, and guidance necessary to complete this study, as well as to our families
for their unwavering support and encouragement throughout our studies.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Writing an academic paper is a difficult task. Special support and contributions made by
unique people are needed. We, therefore, want to express our sincere gratitude to everyone
who helped to launch this study in various ways. We are quite grateful for the honor, and we
are sorry in advance that we can't mention them all.
We firstly give Allah/God praise for His favor, love, and protection throughout this work. We
would especially want to express our gratitude to Mr. Muftawu Dzang Alhassan, our
supervisor, for his tireless efforts in supervising this dissertation from the planning stages of
the study proposal to the end. We are very grateful for his guidance on a variety of
professional matters and research approaches to be precisely research software used during
the project.
We owe a special debt of gratitude and admiration to Prof. Ibrahim Osman Adam, the former
leader of the accounting department of the UDS Wa-Campus School of Business and Law,
for his time, assistance, and kindness he showed us from the time we stepped into the
university.
Finally, we wish to thank our families, friends, and fellow students for their unwavering
support during this study period.
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TABLE OF CONTENT
DECLARATION.....................................................................................................................................ii
DEDICATION........................................................................................................................................iv
ACKNOWLDGEMENT.........................................................................................................................v
ABSTRACT...........................................................................................................................................10
CHAPTER ONE....................................................................................................................................11
1.1 Background of the Study.................................................................................................................12
1.2 Problem Statement...........................................................................................................................14
1.3 Research objectives..........................................................................................................................15
1.4 Research Questions..........................................................................................................................15
1.5 Significant of the study....................................................................................................................15
1.6 Scope of the Study...........................................................................................................................16
1.7 Organization of the Study................................................................................................................16
CHAPTER TWO...................................................................................................................................17
2.1 INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................17
2.2 Definition of e-commerce................................................................................................................17
2.3 Evolution of e-commerce.................................................................................................................18
2.4 Benefits of E-Commerce.................................................................................................................19
2.4.1 The main classifications for the benefits of e-commerce.............................................................19
2.4.2 Benefits of E-commerce to the customers....................................................................................19
2.4.2.1 Adequate information................................................................................................................19
2.4.2.2 Buying 24/7 all year long...........................................................................................................20
2.4.2.3 Comparison of prices.................................................................................................................20
2.4.2.4 Cost reduction and Timesaving..................................................................................................20
2.5 Challenges of E-commerce..............................................................................................................21
2.5.1 Inability to test items first-hand before buying.............................................................................21
2.5.2 Delay in delivery...........................................................................................................................21
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2.5.3 Cost of Software development and updates..................................................................................22
2.5.4 Credit card Fraud..........................................................................................................................22
2.5.5 Security issue................................................................................................................................22
2.5.6 Cybercrime....................................................................................................................................22
2.6 Nature of e-commerce in Ghana......................................................................................................23
2.7 Antecedence of electronic commerce..............................................................................................24
2.7.1 Cognitive gratification..................................................................................................................25
2.7.2 Hedonic gratification....................................................................................................................26
2.7.3 Integrative gratification.................................................................................................................26
2.8 Uses and gratification theory (UGT)...............................................................................................28
2.9 Chapter Summary............................................................................................................................29
CHAPTER THREE...............................................................................................................................30
3.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................................30
3.2 Research Methods............................................................................................................................30
3.3.1 Questionnaire Development.........................................................................................................30
3.3.2 Survey Design...............................................................................................................................31
3.3.3 Participants Setting.......................................................................................................................32
3.3.5 Data Collection Process................................................................................................................33
3.4 Method of Data Analysis.................................................................................................................33
3.5 Chapter Summary............................................................................................................................33
CHAPTER FOUR..................................................................................................................................34
4.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................................34
4.2 Demographic Characteristics of Respondents.................................................................................34
4.3 Assessment of Measurement Model................................................................................................36
4.3.1 Indicator Reliability......................................................................................................................36
4.3.2 Internal consistency reliability......................................................................................................38
4.3.3 Convergent Validity......................................................................................................................39
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4.3.4 Discriminant Validity....................................................................................................................39
4.4 Structural Model Assessment...........................................................................................................42
4.4.1 Multicollinearity...........................................................................................................................42
4.6 Chapter Summary............................................................................................................................44
CHAPTER 5..........................................................................................................................................45
5.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................................45
5.2. Summary of the findings.................................................................................................................45
5.3 Contributions to research, practice, and policy................................................................................46
5.3.1 Implication of Research................................................................................................................46
5.3.2 Implication for Practice and Policy...........................................................................................47
5.4. Limitations and Recommendations for Future Research................................................................47
5.5 Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................48
REFERENCES:.....................................................................................................................................49
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 3.1 Research model for the study.................................................................................19

Figure 4.1 Loadings…. ………………………………………………………………………33
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 Demographic distribution of Respondents....................................................................................35

Table 2 Construct Reliability.....................................................................................................................38
Table 3 Convergent Validity.....................................................................................................................39
Table 4 Indicator Item Cross Loading.......................................................................................................40
Table 5 Discriminant Validity (Fornell-Larcker Criterion)........................................................................41
Table 6 Discriminant Validity- Heterotrait-Monotrait Ratio (HTMT).......................................................41
Table 7 Multicollinearity Statistics (Inner VIF).........................................................................................42
Table 8 Direct relationships for Hypothesis Testing..................................................................................43
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LIST OF ACRONYMS
ATM Automated Teller Machine
AVE Average Variance Extracted
VAN Value Added Network
DOI Diffusion of Innovations
GOF Goodness of Fit
UGT Uses and Gratification Theory
EDI Electronic Data Interchange
HTMT Heterotrait-Monotrait
ICT Information and Communication Technology
EFT Electronic Funds Transfer
UNECA United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
PLS-SEM Partial Least Squares - Structural Equation Modelling
SEO Search Engine Optimization
RQ Research Question
SEM Structural Equation Modelling
TAM Technology Acceptance Model
TPB Theory of Planned Behavior

UTAUT Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology
U&G Uses and Gratification

IS Information System
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ABSTRACT
The rapid and widespread adoption of mobile phones in Africa is a result of advancements in
information and communication technology (ICT). Numerous new services are now available to
financial services clients as a result. Therefore, e-commerce has made it possible for people to
conduct transactions on their handheld phones whenever they want, anywhere at any point in
time. However, most of the focus of recent study has been on the early uptake and application of
e-commerce. Studies on e-commerce after adoption are incredibly rare. The functional
advantages of e-commerce and how they affect the acceptance and use of this service were also a
major focus of earlier studies on early adoption. In these studies, e-commerce is a service that
offers its users a functional value as opposed to a non-functional one. To close this gap, this
study uses a quantitative survey technique and the Uses and Gratifications Theory as the basis
for identifying and analyzing the gratifications that are responsible for the attitude toward and
continued usage of e-commerce in Ghana in particular.
Data from SmartPLS was analyzed, and the findings show that integrative and hedonic
gratifications strongly influenced views for continued usage of e-commerce. According to
research, having a good ICT environment will encourage customers to accept and use e-
commerce services. People will be given the tools they need to conduct online business in an
environment that is enabling for ICT, such as ICT access and infrastructure. Like how the user's
financial information is protected and secured, an enabling environment in the form of ICT
legislation and policy will assure this. Finally, the paper suggests more investigation into the
Uses and Gratification Theory to compare other developing nations.
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The adoption of the Internet for commercial purposes by enterprises and individuals has been a
vital instrument for growth in developing countries (Sarfo & Song, 2021). Online business, often
known as electronic commerce (e-commerce), is the use of digital means and technology to
conduct commercial activity (sales, purchases, transfers, or exchanges of products, services, or
information) within businesses, between businesses, and between businesses and consumers
(Strebel, 1989). The term e-commerce was used to describe the process of doing business
transactions over the internet. This was done with technology from the Electronic Data
Interchange (EDI) and the electronic funds transfer (EFT) (Mohammed & Abdulkadir, 2012).
According to Pobee (2021) e-commerce refers to the exchange of value (both buying and selling)
that takes place via the internet using computer networks. A surprising amount of history has
gone into the development of e-commerce, dating back to even before the first web browser. It
has grown in tandem with other Internet-based businesses and has emerged as a significant
player in both online and offline company operations today. The Internet has made it possible for
artists and businesses around the world to sell their work to customers around the world
(Syverson, 2021). E-commerce began a very long time ago in industrialized countries such as the
United States, China, the United Kingdom, and many other locations. A customized domestic
television was connected to a real-time multi-user the transaction-processing computer through a
telephone line in the United Kingdom in the 1970s when inventor Michael Aldrich created the
first e-commerce platform (Pobee, 2021).
However, Dr. John R. Goltz and Jeffrey Wilkins launched the first important eCommerce
company in 1969, they did so using a dial-up connection, which is still in use today. This was the
first-time e-commerce was introduced. The notion of e-commerce was first introduced to
businesses in the 1980s, but it wasn't until 1991, when the Internet became widely accessible,
that the modern era of e-commerce fully began. However, even though the public has only just
been aware of e-commerce, it has been present for more than 30 years, with various online
retailers such as Amazon, Flipkart, Shopify, Myntra, eBay, Quikr, and Olx all serving as
examples of e-commerce websites (Wilkins et al., 1999).
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Amazon was the first company to jump on the bandwagon and start selling things online, but
Jumia, Kiiku, Tonaton, Malcom Online, and other millions of firms quickly followed. Early e-
commerce platforms could only do so much - there were no marketing tools, filtering options, or
Search Engine Optimization (SEO), but they could take orders, accept payments, and then trigger
delivery (Evelien Mulder 2018). At first, e-commerce was coined to describe the activity of
conducting business transactions online using innovations from the Electronic Data Interchange
(EDI) and Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) industries (EFT). These technologies, which were
first developed in the late 1970s, enabled businesses to communicate information and conduct
electronic transactions, such as electronic purchase orders and invoices. EDI and EFT, two
enabling technologies, laid the groundwork for what we now call e-commerce (Mohammed &
Abdulkadir, 2012).
The Boston Computer Exchange, which began in 1982 as a marketplace for outdated computer
equipment, was one of the first known examples of e-commerce. During the 1980s, credit cards,
ATMs, and telephone banking were all developed. E-commerce began to encompass topics like
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), data warehousing, and data mining in the early 1990s. E-
commerce as we know it now didn't truly take off until 1994, when security protocols and high-
speed internet connections like DSL were introduced, allowing for substantially faster
connection rates and online transaction capacity. (Mohammed & Abdulkadir, 2012).
E-commerce-related enterprises are expected to grow at a breakneck pace, according to industry
experts. In response to this expert advice, many enterprises in Western Europe and the United
States constructed their first primitive e-commerce websites between 1998 and 2000 (insert
reference (s) here). The term despite the epic collapse, many of the world’s most established
traditional brick-and-mortar businesses were emboldened with the promise of e-commerce and
the prospect of serving a global customer base electronically. The very next year, business-to-
business transactions online became one of the largest forms of e-commerce with over 700
billion dollars in sales (Mohammed & Abdulkadir, 2012).
In the past decades, e-commerce had been around for quite some time before it reached Ghana's
shores. Though many individuals in Ghana have not fully embraced e-commerce, it is expanding
and changing throughout the country. Even as its popularity grows dramatically around the
world, it is also gaining traction in Ghana. According to Seth Sengretsi (2020), eshopafrica.com
was the first ever e-commerce website in Ghana, founded by a woman named Cordelia Salter-
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Nour in early 1999 and launched in February 2001. Baskets, sculptures, jewelry, kente, textiles,
and collections were among the things sold on the site, which were largely made in Ghana. E-
commerce is increasingly becoming a critical component of company strategy in Ghana's rising
economy, as well as a powerful motivator for economic development in the country. The
ongoing spread of e-commerce could result in downward pressure on inflation because of
increasing competition, cost savings, and shifts in the pricing behavior of sellers, among other
factors (Marilyn B. Clack, 2020).
There are a great variety of firms, ranging from start-ups to small and medium-sized enterprises
to global corporations, that can profit from having their online store, where they can sell their
products or services. As new technology is introduced into the retail environment, consumers of
all ages have come to expect a convenient and connected experience that seamlessly integrates
with their daily routines and lifestyles. (Marilyn B. Clack, 2020.)
1.2 Problem Statement

Numerous elements are considered in theoretical explanations of online shopping intentions.
However, Rogers (1995) proposes that customers reassess their acceptance decisions during the
final confirmation step and decide whether to continue or discontinue. Numerous studies have
been undertaken to examine the numerous aspects impacting the adoption and use of online
stores (Crum, et al., 1996). However, few of these studies have examined the factors influencing
users' continued intention to use or usage (Evans, 1976; Thong and Yap, 1996).
Online shopping entails a wide range of activities, including information retrieval, website
browsing/navigation, ordering, payment, customer service interactions, delivery, post-purchase
problem resolution, and customer satisfaction with purchases. Indeed, it is only when a customer
is satisfied that he or she will desire to make another purchase. Numerous studies have indicated
that many consumers who conduct online shopping searches abandon their buy intentions,
meaning they do not complete the transaction. (Omotayo & Omotope, 2018).
Thus, it is essential to investigate the factors that motivate people to use e-commerce services
indefinitely, that is., the factors that motivate buyers or consumers to make repeated purchases
on online stores. This could aid internet business owners in determining the aspects that
influence consumer loyalty. A continuance may be a subset of acceptable behavior that fluctuates
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in correlation with acceptance (Bhattercherjee, 2001a; Davis, Bagozzi, and Warshaw, 1989;
Karahanna, Straub, and Chervany, 1999).
1.3 Research objectives
As a primary purpose, this research provides a fresh viewpoint for defining overall patterns of e-
commerce that drive customer retention intentions and thus contributes to a better understanding
of the factors influencing online shopping in developing countries, particularly Ghana.
1. To explore the nature of e-commerce services in Ghana.
2. To identify the gratification obtained from the use of e-commerce services.
3. To examine the effects of gratification on attitude and continuance of use of e-commerce
services.
1.4 Research Questions

RQ1. What is the nature of e-commerce services in Ghana?
RQ2. What are the gratifications obtained from the use of e-commerce services?
RQ3. What are the effects of gratification on users continuance use of the e-commerce services?
1.5 Significant of the study

The study focuses on assisting researchers, Ghanaian students, and anyone curious about this
study or challenges in resolving difficulties of this nature to accomplish the specified e-
commerce goal or purpose by offering reference material. Since the internet has become the front
door of change and development, specifically for the information community, which serves as
the messenger and courier of scientific and technological progress. As a result, the satisfaction
and continued use of e-commerce, which has made its mark on the global market and is gaining
in importance as a substitute for traditional trade, plays a significant role in the national economy
(Abdukadir Ozdemir & Hamdan Cam 2016, Abdukadir Ozdemir & Hamdan Cam 2016).
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1.6 Scope of the Study
Ghana is situated in West Africa, between Togo and Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). Burkina Faso
forms the northern boundary, and the Gulf of Guinea forms the southern border. It is made up of
16 regions with Greater Accra being the capital city. The nation is not much bigger than the state
of Oregon. Most of the terrain is made up of low plateaus and plains that are bordered by rain
forests in the west and Lake Volta in the east. This study will geographically cover Ghana. It will
consist of individuals who use e-commerce services in Ghana.
1.7 Organization of the Study

This research would be divided into five chapters, beginning with chapter one, and ending with
chapter five, with each chapter containing the numerous headings examined in the study.
Chapter one provides the study's introduction, which contains a brief history of the study.
Additionally, it sheds insight on the problem statement, research objective, study's significance,
study's scope, and the limitations of the study and concludes with the study's organization.
The second chapter, thus chapter two would focus on the study's literature evaluation, which
contains information on e-commerce continuous usage.
The methods used to conduct the study would be discussed in detail in Chapter 3. It would also
identify the source of the information gathered.
In chapter four, the research would analyze into detailed the research findings that were gathered
during the study.
Chapter five, as the final chapter, is mostly concerned with the study conclusion based on the
findings acquired during the research in the previous chapter, as well as giving some
recommendations based on our findings.
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CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. INTRODUCTION
This area of the study includes all the significant material that will be read about the topic being
examined, including e-commerce satisfaction and its continued use in Ghana. On the integration
of information related to e-commerce in Ghana, it includes both theoretical and empirical
literature. This chapter is divided into four main components, the first of which deals with the
introduction. Following that, some research will be conducted to explain more briefly on e-
commerce. The Internet era's fundamental feature is electronic commerce. Electronic commerce
is a global phenomenon that is becoming more and more prevalent, especially in nations where
marketing operations may take advantage of relatively sophisticated ICT infrastructure, such the
Internet. However, as it becomes more prevalent, electronic commerce is also becoming a
buzzword that permeates every marketing effort in emerging nations like Ghana. Online
shopping, selling, and offering of services are all included in e-commerce. All online shopping
activity, from looking up information to actual purchases, are included (Omotayo & Omotope,
2018).
2.2 Definition of e-commerce

Professor Turban defines e-commerce as "the buying and selling of commodities, services, and
information via computerized internet as a medium" (Ghiasmand et al., 2013). Internet business
has been acknowledged and studied by experts, pupils, and academics since its inception. (Taher,
2021). E-commerce has been defined in a variety of ways by academics, researchers, and
authors. E-commerce is the method of streamlining business interactions and processes through
communication networks, according to Jamsheer (2019). The conduct of trade in goods and
services with the aid of telecommunications and telecommunication-centered tools, on the other
hand, is forcefully asserted by (Bristol, 2001). Furthermore, according to (Rose et al., 2019), e-
commerce includes using telecommunications to conduct operational transactions, exchange
organizational data, and maintain commercial relationships.
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E-commerce is becoming more and more popular in today's booming economy. E-commerce,
which requires the use of digital goods to complete transactions, first appeared in 1995.
(Cookson & Stirk, 2019). The exchange of goods and services across networks and platforms
based on those networks, such as the Internet, is known as electronic commerce (or e-commerce)
(Kabugumila et al., 2016).
2.3 Evolution of e-commerce

The trade of goods and services over the internet has existed for a long time; it is not a recent
development. E-commerce has roots in the 1950s, a time when the initial electronic computers
were developed (Smith, K.T. 2008). However, e-commerce did not gain widespread acceptance
until the Worldwide Web was developed in the 1990s. At the Pennsylvania State University,
ENIAC, the first digital computer, is built in 1946 (Smith et al (2010). With various cutting-edge
technologies now being used in its operation, electronic commerce has recently gained enormous
popularity across the globe. Business organizations started using Electronic Data Interchange
(EDI) as a mechanism to communicate data with other businesses in the 1960s, which led to the
establishment of e-commerce. It became commonplace for corporations to share papers via
computer networks around 1979. In the 1980s, the use of telecommunications means for
commerce continued to rise, and in the 1990s, the growth of online marketplaces like eBay and
Amazon caused it to explode (Taher, 2021).
The internet has become a commercial medium in recent years, changing the face of numerous
sectors all over the world. In fact, we can have internet access whenever we want and from any
location with just one click. This progress that united the world has made e-commerce
conceivable. Because of how convenient it is, more people are using the internet to
communicate, and marketing strategies have been altered to reflect this.
Using innovations from Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
industries, the process of concluding commercial transactions was referred to as "e-commerce"
(EFT). When these technologies first emerged in the late 1970s, they gave companies the ability
to exchange information and execute electronic transactions, most frequently taking the form of
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computerized purchase orders and invoices. E-commerce as we know it now was made possible
by enabling technologies like EDI and EFT. 2012 (Mohammed & Abdulkadir).
2.4 Benefits of E-Commerce

Ghana had continued to see growth in the e-commerce sector. E-commerce adoption is driven by
its potential to provide corporate value and by participants' awareness of the possible benefits
(Salnoske, 1997). No matter their size, most businesses engage in commerce in part to reap some
rewards. E-commerce is similar. The existing literature divides the advantages of e-commerce
into two primary categories: physical and intangible. The major advantages as outlined in the
literature are shown in Table 3.
The amount of time spent buying has clearly increased recently. This proportion has been rising
over time as more customers have entered the market. E-commerce has a lot to offer consumers,
businesses, and society. Numerous factors contribute to the increase in interest in online buying.
The most prevalent one is that both consumers and retailers like their shopping experiences.
When both parties benefit, it is referred to be a win-win situation. An overview of Franco, et al
classifications of the advantages of e-commerce can be seen below (2016).
2.4.1 The main classifications for the benefits of e-commerce

• Benefit to the consumer
• Benefit for the organization
• Positive effects on society
2.4.2 Benefits of E-commerce to the customers.

2.4.2.1 Sufficient knowledge
E-commerce offers an extensive history of client purchases that is always accessible. A
consumer can quickly access the necessary details and review previous purchases in addition to
seeing the information (Taher, 2021). As a result, it enables customers to research products,
weigh benefits and costs, and ultimately determine whether they are worth buying. Due to the
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difficulty, and occasionally impossibility, of displaying such a massive amount of data to clients,
this is very hard to study in a traditional store. (Anzar, 2016).
2.4.2.2 Buying 24/7 all year long

You can always access online stores. Any day of the year, shoppers are free to go retail at any
time. In this case, customers can visit the website at any time to make any purchase, especially
for those who don't generally can go going to a store. These websites facilitate purchasing
because of their functional design. Customers can place purchases easily, for instance, thanks to
the product categorization into various groupings. They can also benefit from this form of
purchasing if they work long hours and don't have time to visit stores (Aonerank, 2019; Khurana,
2019; Al-Abrrow et al., 2018). Three websites that suit this mold are Target, Walmart, and
Amazon Fresh.
2.4.2.3 Price comparison

Customers have more opportunity to view different prices and features on e-commerce
platforms, enabling them to select less expensive and assistance of a professional (Clarke, 1999).
Because it may be laborious for customers to visit each store and ask about costs, comparing
options in something like a historical or physical marketing strategy can be particularly difficult.
Other consumers prefer it a little uncomfortable to ask about prices, and some even hesitate to do
so. However, when making purchases online, customers have full access to anything and can
clearly see everything in front of them.
2.4.2.4 Cost reduction and Timesaving

Time is cash! E-commerce has accelerated the purchasing and selling processes while offering
the benefit of speed. Because e-commerce improves how quickly and accurately businesspeople
can exchange information, which lowers the price of online purchases in Ghana. Because e-
commerce allows clients to purchase from the convenience of their home, office, or anywhere
else there is internet connectivity, the cost of transportation is decreased (Kuliya, 2015). Saving
time is a major benefit of online shopping. In other words, buyers who shop online wouldn't need
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even more than fifteen minutes to finish their transaction. Providers are also so careful to deliver
the goods to clients' doorsteps in under a week. (Anzar, 2016).
Additionally, the emergence of e-commerce has changed the way that people traditionally
purchase and conduct business. This quick acceptance undoubtedly drew additional e-commerce
company models to Ghana and increased competition. E-commerce has created chances for the
next generation of young, creative people in the nation, and these people will in turn help the
country advance technologically (Okolie & Ojomo, 2020).
2.5 Challenges of E-commerce.

E-commerce has benefits and drawbacks, like any other industry with cyclical ups and downs.
Managing such a business is challenging. But being aware of these obstacles will aid people in
charge of this venture in avoiding the typical consequences. There are two categories of online
purchasing drawbacks: technological and non-technical.
2.5.1 Inability to try products out before buying

It is one of the most frequently occurring problems when making purchases online. This type of
shopping prevents customers from trying an item before buying it (Abdullah et al., 2022). In a
different way, product testing is an essential stage in the purchase decision that e-commerce
eliminates. Even though product promotion videos are sometimes quite well-produced and
persuasive, many consumers are still hesitant to buy anything they haven't personally tested or
seen. This is so because many customers don't see a real guarantee of product quality.
2.5.2 Delay in delivery

One aspect of internet buying that might become problematic if clients are not persistent enough
is waiting. When you shop online, you could have to wait up to a week or even more to receive
your product. When buying online, when buyers do not hold the tangible object in their hands for
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a time after the purchase, the satisfaction that everyone has when performing actual shopping is
constantly delayed (Bhasin, 2019).
2.5.3 Cost of Software development and updates

The development and modification of software are ongoing. Because the business used a
significant portion of its profit to build and maintain its software to keep up with technological
innovation, this places restrictions on internet businesses. For instance, it mandates that
businesses update their software frequently in addition to the technology needed to enable
software development.
2.5.4 Credit card Fraud

Credit card fraud is one of the prevalent issues facing online businesses today. It may result in
the loss of earnings, fines, and a negative reputation. Credit card fraud may easily target both
customers and businesses. Some pessimists even assert that e-commerce would eventually
disappear because of scams (Chahar et al., 2013).
2.5.5 Security issue

Cybersecurity is a problem that needs to be fixed on a global scale. Customers who shop online
eventually have a perilous experience due to the lack of trustworthy security mechanisms.
Recently, the globe has seen a lot of renowned organizations and global companies become the
victims of con artists that steal customer data from their databanks. Legal and financial
allegations can follow from this. Additionally, it undermines the trust that customers and
providers had spent years developing (Anzar, 2016).
2.5.6 Cybercrime
Consumers' top concern in relation to e-commerce is cybercrime. Cybercrime poses a genuine
risk to e-commerce, and no one wants to become a victim of it. E-crime includes cybercrime.
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Computers and networks are used in cybercrime, which is an illegal activity. Cybercrime
encompasses illegal actions that cost e-commerce websites money, like computer infections,
phishing, and denial of service attacks. For businesses engaged in e-commerce, understanding,
and combating cybercrime are essential. (Tearle, 2002).
Due to cybercrime, e-commerce businesses suffer billion-dollar losses in terms of revenue, assets
that are stolen, and reputational harm (Smith et al. 2010). By simply pressing a button, money is
physically stolen. Business activity halts when an e-commerce website goes down. Usually, a
company loses customers to a rival who has a functional website. Businesses that fall prey to
cybercrime suffer reputational harm in addition to lost sales. Customers who believe a
corporation is unable to handle sales transactions correctly and adequately protect sensitive
customer data may start to shop elsewhere. (Tearle, 2002)
2.6 Nature of e-commerce in Ghana

Ghana is attempting to develop the ICT needed for e-commerce, although the nation currently
lacks several necessary components. Ghana currently lacks a coordinated e-commerce
deployment strategy. This was recognized when a group out from United Nations Economic
Commission for Africa (UNECA) came to Ghana to help with the growth of e-commerce. The
trip was expressly designed to help Ghana develop its e-commerce sector (Manteaw, 2002).
Ghana does not have a national e-commerce policy or regulatory framework, according to
UNECA research."
According to the poll, Ghana does have several established electronic companies, including
companies including Ghana Mall, Shop Africa, Novica, "plus more. E-commerce has proven to
be a very lucrative and effective venture for many enterprises in Ghana and all of Africa. One of
the most advanced e-commerce platforms in the world, Novica.com, does have a local
procurement and direct delivery office in Ghana. Novica is currently the most popular website
for international art on the Internet because of its enormous success. In terms of discovering new
artists and works of art, Ghana currently leads Novica's twelve offices throughout the globe, and
it is sixth in terms of sales volume (Tearle, 2002).
Ghana hasn't embraced any trustworthy e-commerce payment methods, though. Debit and credit
cards are still not commonly used in Ghana. Ghana is still mostly a cash country, and the absence
25
of trustworthy payment credit facilities for online transactions in Ghana creates significant issues
because the availability of a functional credit card system is a crucial enabler for e-commerce.
However, there are currently plans to implement a system of credit cards. Ghana's banking
industry is slowly catching up to modern internet financial activities and payment methods.
Small networks of ATMs are run by Ghana's major banks, but they are all connected to branches
and these banks are running their own VSAT data communications network. Ghana hasn't
adopted any reliable e-commerce payment methods, though. In Ghana, debit and credit cards are
still not widely available. Ghana is still primarily a cash-based economy, and the lack of reliable
payment credit methods for e-commerce transactions in Ghana presents serious problems
because the availability of a good credit card system is a crucial requirement for e-commerce.
However, a credit card system is currently in the works. Ghana's banking sector is making
relatively little progress toward keeping up with contemporary internet financial activity and
payment technologies. Major banks in Ghana operate small networks of ATMs, but they are all
linked to regional branches and a part of the bank's own VSAT data communication systems.
However, several banks have begun to provide electronic banking, allowing customers to
conduct real-time online banking, and supporting services for money transfers using cutting-edge
satellite technology (Bristol, 2001).
2.7 Antecedence of electronic commerce

Electronic commerce was made possible by the 1960s invention of Electronic Data Interchange
(EDI). By enabling digital data transmission from one computer to another, EDI eliminated the
outdated practices of mailing and faxing documents (Vladimir Zwass, 2022). Orders, invoices,
and other business transactions may be transferred between trading partners using a data format
that complied with ANSI ASC X12, the main set of standards in North America for inter-
industry electronic exchange. Once an order is sent, a VAN (Value-Added Network) reviews it
before directing it to the recipient's order processing system. Data may be transferred without
any human involvement thanks to EDI (Sila, 2019).
A conversation between Michael Aldrich and his wife about their monthly trip to the grocery
gave rise to the invention, which required connecting the television to the store to have the food
26
delivered. Shopping at a distance—what Aldrich called "teleshopping"—can be viewed as the
forerunner of contemporary online shopping.
A standard for the exchange of business documents, such as orders or invoices, between
suppliers and their business clients is where e-commerce got its start. Those roots go back to the
airlift and blockade of Berlin in 1948–1949 when a system of ordering products mostly through
telex was in place. Before the first universal standard was issued in 1975, numerous industries
expanded upon that framework during the coming decades. The resulting electronic data
exchange (EDI) standard is adaptable enough to support the most straightforward electronic
business transactions.
Most e-commerce moved online with the widespread adoption of the Internet, the launch of the
World Wide Web in 1991, and the first browser for accessing it in 1993. With the global
adoption of smartphones and the availability of fast broadband more recently,
Technology acceptability is one of the biggest issues in developing nations. (Almajali et al.,
2021b). According to Masa'deh et al. (2019), an organization's fundamental IT structure is
comprised of its capabilities in technology, which includes its software, hardware, external
network systems, and databases. Electronic business technological breakthroughs have led to the
emergence of social commerce, a novel form of online trade.
2.7.1 Cognitive gratification

The capacity of the media to disseminate desired knowledge is a source of cognitive
gratifications or pleasures (Aydin, 2019). The Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) is utilized
in the current study to examine customer motives more thoroughly in online purchasing and e-
commerce (Aydin, 2019). UGT, a consumer-centric strategy that was initially used to understand
consumer motivations and the efficiency of mass-media consumption, embraces the traditional
utilitarian and hedonic value/motive framework from a wider perspective.
According to UGT, "gratifications" are the activities that seem to satisfy a need, such using a
particular media. Because of this, UGT aims to understand the psychological needs that prompt
people to use media as well as the satisfactions associated with using those media to satisfy those
needs (Katz et al., 1974).
According to the uses and gratifications theory, the first needs are cognitive in nature and have to
do with acquiring information, comprehending others' social contexts, engaging in exploration,
27
and satisfying one's curiosity (Ruggiero, 2000). Since the media is recognized for reporting facts,
this need emphasizes that users choose it when they are just looking for information and facts.
An ongoing television program about the life of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH), for instance,
might draw viewers who are interested in learning more about the prophet's background. This is
because the program will likely provide some satisfaction for the user, who is more likely to be
the program's target audience. Nevertheless, the present social media landscape, which is rife
with fake news, may prove otherwise, and if individuals are not vigilant, they may end up eating
false information regarding that same topic (Kasirye, 2021).
However, it should be recognized that everyone has various wants and desires, which affects
why they decide to consume or view the shows that they do. It could be challenging for two
people to have the same desires at the same time because different programs might satisfy
viewers' needs in different ways. Therefore, it is crucial to thoroughly research and comprehend
the uses and gratifications, as well as the cognitive needs that are suggested by them, to
understand how they might be employed in future studies of attitudes and user behaviors.
2.4.7.2 Hedonic gratification

The aesthetically pleasant and pleasurable experiences gained from media consumption are
known as hedonic gratifications (entertainment value) or benefits (Katz, Blumler, & Gurevitch,
1973; Nambisan & Baron, 2007; Verhagen, Swen, Feldberg, & Merikivi, 2015). When
consuming digital content online, consumers search for a variety of sorts of enjoyment,
according to J. H. Song and Zinkhan's (2008) research. Consumers who look for online hedonic
pleasure today, as opposed to 20 years ago when there weren't any social media contacts, look
for what they require under social engagement related to communicating with relatives,
colleagues, and family but instead with technological integration. According to research, people
today use a variety of media platforms to satiate their needs for social connection, the desire to
chat and socialize with their family and friends, and the need to feel linked to the outside world
from a location that is emotionally meaningful and symbolically rewarding (Fu et al., 2022).
2.7.3 Integrative gratification

Personal integrative benefits or satisfaction are related to the media's capacity to boost users'
stature, repute, validity, and self-assurance (Aydin, 2019). Today's desires for social interaction
28
relate less to interacting with relatives, friends, and relatives and more to technological
integration than they did twenty years ago when there were no social networking links. People
today use a variety of media platforms to satisfy their demands for social interaction,
communication, and connection to their family and friends. They also use these platforms to feel
as though they are linked to the external world from wherever they are (Kasirye, 2021).
Cognitive
H1
H2
Continuance
use
Hedonic
H3
Integrative
Figure 3.1 Research model for the study.
29
2.8 Uses and gratification theory (UGT)
The U&G theory was initially created in the field of mass communication research, where it is
now widely applied. The theory contends that there are psychological and sociological factors at
play when people choose one form of media over another, and it seeks to discover these factors
with a specific focus on why people make that decision. The U&G theory contends that people
actively interpret and incorporate media into their own lives, rather than simply consuming it
passively. In other words, they decide on a form of media based on their objectives, which are
driven by their personal needs and motivations for sustainability. The need is the absence of
something necessary or desired at a particular time. Therefore, a requirement, in other words, a
need is a crucial component and the catalyst for the development of consumer behavior (Gogan
et al., 2018)
Uses and gratification theory, unlike other techniques or theories, has enabled greater
comprehension of the demands covered by communication material and the satisfactions
delivered to mass media viewers, making it one of the most significant theories in the study of
mass communication media (Curras-Perez et al., 2014).
Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) is a popular approach to understanding mass
communication. The approach asks, "what people do with media" rather than "what media does
to people," which shifts the emphasis from the message itself to the audience or consumer (Katz,
1959). A method for "understanding why and how people actively seek out specific media to
satisfy specific wants" is called the uses and gratifications theory. Unlike some other theories
that concentrate more on how media impacts people, UGT takes an audience-centered approach
to understand mass communication (Katz et al., 1974).
This theory assumed that members of the audience actively participate in understanding and
incorporating media into their own lives. According to the principle, audiences oversee selecting
30
the media that best suits their requirements. The methodology contends that people utilize the
media to satisfy desires. According to this hypothesis, media outlets compete with other
information sources for viewers' attention. (1974) Katz, Blumler, Gurevitch, and J. G. However,
the idea acknowledges that people have enormous and considerable control over their decisions
regarding the media they choose to consume and the impact that may have. Theorists Katz,
Gurevitch, and Haas (1973) further classified the uses and gratifications hypothesis into several
requirements, such as affective needs, cognitive needs, personal integrative needs, social
integrative needs, and tension-free needs (Kasirye, 2021).
2.9 Chapter Summary

This chapter has reviewed the literature on what e-commerce is all about by other scholars and it
also gives a brief about how the online business started and its importance to both customers and
the business and society in general. The chapter also captures theories that support how people
choose one form of media over the other and why people make the form of decision. in Ghana.
The chapter also throws more light on some benefits and challenges electronic commerce
possess to the general population of most developing countries. The antecedents of electronic
commerce and its nature of it in Ghana are reviewed in this chapter.
Furthermore, we assessed the type of benefits and gratifications of the continuance uses of
electronic commerce, thus cognitive, hedonic, and integrative gratification. Moreover, the
chapter also covers more about the uses and gratification theory, as well as the study’s model.
31
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
The Uses and Gratifications hypothesis was discussed in the preceding chapter, which was
primarily concerned with the theory, advantages, and disadvantages of the e-commerce study.
An explanation of how the research was done or studied can be found in this chapter. Research
methodology, per the Becker (2015), is a method for methodically addressing the research
problem. It might be thought of as the study of scientific research methodology. By evaluating
the benefits and continued use of e-commerce in Ghana, it builds on the argument for research
methodology. In-depth discussion of the research methodology, participant environment, data
collection tool, data collection procedure, and data analysis strategy is provided in this chapter.
3.2 Research Methods

The numerous processes, plans, formulas, and other tools used throughout research to gather and
examine data are known as research methodologies (Wray, 2011). According to Gounder, Sam
(2012), there are two main categories of research techniques that scientists frequently employ.
Both qualitative and quantitative approaches are included. In contrast to quantitative approaches,
which are connected to the Positivist paradigm, qualitative approaches are said to be connected
to the Interpretive approach (Mingers, 2004). This research used a quantitative approach, namely
a survey. When conducting a survey, a sample of the population is examined to provide a
quantitative description of the views of the population (Darabont et al., 2018). A quantitative
research strategy based on surveys and the positivist paradigm. In addition, a survey was made of
cross-sectional research that use questionnaires to collect data and generalize results from a
sample to the community (Janes, 1999). Questionnaires are the primary method of data
collection for this cross-sectional study.
32
3.3.1 Questionnaire Development
The study used a quantitative survey approach, as was already mentioned in this chapter. To
collect information from respondents, questionnaires were given out. It was necessary to adhere
to the recommendations of when developing the questionnaire because (Churchill, 1979; Straub,
1989). To guarantee the legitimacy and dependability of the data gathering tool, this was done.
The creation of survey instruments comprises both preliminary instrument development and
instrument improvement, as suggested in Churchill (1979) and Straub (1989).
By studying the literature on the adoption of commerce in developing nations like Ghana, the
survey technique (questionnaire) was created. After analyzing the literature, the theory of Uses
and Gratifications was chosen. Before conducting a pilot test, an instrument pre-test was
conducted following the construction of the questionnaire (Churchill, 1979; Straub, 1989). To
conduct a pre - test of the questionnaire, professional points of view regarding the test items were
sought out. They made helpful suggestions that helped to improve the questionnaire's content. To
ensure the legitimacy of the content, this procedure was used (Straub, Boudreau, and Gefen,
2004). An expert's response was used to modify several elements of the questionnaire before a
pilot test was carried out. Forty (40) participants who engage in e-commerce participated in a
pilot study. When respondents provided favorable feedback, Straub et al. (2004) concluded that
the questionnaire had a high degree of content validity and was hence suitable for use in data
collecting.
3.3.2 Survey Design

There were three sections to the questionnaire that was created for this investigation. The
demographics of the participants were the focus of Part A. Included in this were inquiries about
things like gender, age, marital status, occupation, and monthly income. E-commerce usage was
the emphasis of Part B. This section includes inquiries about the type of online store utilized,
33
how frequently, and how long users had been using it. The third and last section, or Part C,
concentrated on what motivates gratifications from using online commerce. This section
contained six (6) structures for gratifications obtained. That is, cognitive, hedonistic, integrative,
user-friendly, capable, benevolent, honest, and secure. Additionally, this section of the survey
asked about respondents' attitudes toward and continued usage of online shopping. All constructs
and the measurement tools for them were uncovered by the literature study. A 5 Likert scale with
ranges from 1 = Strongly disagree to 5 = Strongly agree was also used to estimate the items
assessing the individual components.
3.3.3 Participants Setting

Ghanaian residents were among the respondents, since the purpose of this study was to discover
and explore the gratifications that drive e-commerce use, hence participants who use or have
previously used any of the e-commerce websites were specifically sampled for this study.
3.3.4 Samples Selection

A decent sample is a representation of the population from which data may be gathered and
analyzed that can yield conclusions that are consistent with those that would have been reached
if data had been gathered on the full population (Fielding et al., 2012). Researchers must
therefore focus their attention to the sample size of their research if consistency and
dependability of results are to be obtained (Hair et al., 2012). Thus, the PLS-SEM principles
were followed to ensure sample adequacy. Using the alternating least squares algorithm from
World, path modeling with partial least squares (PLS) is a multivariate statistical method (1974).
The "10-times rule" method is the one used most frequently in PLS-SEM for estimating the
minimum sample size (Hair, Ringle, and Sarstedt, 2011; Peng and Lai, 2012). According to the
"10-times rule," the minimum sample size for a study should be greater than "10 times" the
greatest number of inner or outer model linkages that connect to any of the model's constructs
(Goodhue, Lewis, Thompson, and Thompson, 2012). That is, according to the research paradigm
for this study, which is provided in Chapter Three, Cognitive Gratification has the most signs (5
indicators). According to the "10-times rule," a minimum sample size of 5*10=50 is therefore
needed for this investigation. As a result, this study needs at least 50 responders. Nevertheless,
this study delivered questionnaires to 88 respondents, exceeding the "10-times" rule's minimal
34
sample size criterion. It was vital to choose a sampling approach that would aid in data collecting
after determining the minimal sample size needed to carry out this investigation. Therefore,
convenience sampling was used as the nonsystematic approach for this study's sampling method.
Convenience sampling was used in the study because it was more time and money efficient
(Schonlau, Fricker, and Elliott, 2002). Additionally, because respondents were distributed across
the nation, it was not possible to survey everyone who engages in online shopping. By using a
convenience sample strategy, the researcher was able to contact some people who were simple to
reach in other parts of the country, primarily through Google Forms.
3.3.5 Data Collection Process

We exclusively used primary data in this investigation. The data for this study was gathered in
three (3) steps. Specifically, creating the survey tool, choosing an appropriate sampling frame,
and distributing the questionnaire to participants. Specifically designed questionnaires for the
research topic were used to gather data. This was carried out to guarantee that the aim of the
investigation was achieved. Information was collected from Ghanaian participants who had used
any of the e-commerce sites or had any prior e-commerce experience. Questionnaires were
distributed through Google forms. Each respondent could only fill out the survey once. Two
weeks were used to collect the data. Some respondents, however, had trouble accessing the
questionnaires because of technical difficulties with their devices, and some chose not to fill out
the form because they thought it was connected to fraud. So, both on campus and at home,
students provided a total of 88 responses.
3.3.5 Data Collection Process

We got responses from the participants. The surveys were afterwards checked for
inconsistencies. Due to the constraints set on their design, there haven't been any surveys that
aren't full, therefore the data was eligible for analysis. After then, the SmartPLS program was
used to evaluate the data.
3.5 Chapter Summary
35
This chapter provided an explanation of the research techniques employed to address the study's
research topics. All the study paradigms, research methodologies, sample approaches,
information collection techniques, and analytical techniques were examined and supported.
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Introduction
36
In this chapter, the PLS-SEM assessment and the testing of the proposed research model are
discussed. It consists of three sections. The first section provides information about the study
participants' demographics. The evaluation of the measurement model's indicator reliability,
internal consistency for reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity by guaranteeing
the implementation of the accepted decision criteria is covered in the second section. The
structural model's evaluation for difficulties with multicollinearity, goodness of fit, and path
coefficient significance were the main topics of the last section.
4.2 Respondent Demographic Information
Information about the respondent's gender, age, education, occupation, and income is provided in
Table 4.1. This survey included 88 respondents in total. According to the data gathered, most
respondents use e-commerce, which includes websites like Malcom Online, Jiji, Tonaton
Amazon, kiiku Jumia, and many others (88 respondents). Players in the business sector, like
Malcom, Amazon, and Jumia, run e-commerce services. In Ghana, most online shoppers must
first register before making a purchase. Most people in the nation, therefore, use e-commerce
sites (Owusu & Abrokwa, 2019). The data gathered and shown in Table 4.1 demonstrate this.
The biggest number (n=61) of occupations are held by students. Students are more
technologically proficient than people who have not received any formal education, making them
considered to be members of the millennial generation. Because of this, they can navigate the
system with a little assistance, as opposed to the ignorant who require more time and experience.
These students also have a higher likelihood of finding employment because most of them fall
into the Diploma (19) and Bachelor's (54) Degree brackets.
With regards to income, GHC000-GHC1000 has 75 respondents out of the 88 total respondents.
This could be explained by the fact that most of these participants were students and so did not
have a source of income. Respondents of such type were instructed to predict their monthly
expenses and check the boxes as necessary. Due to this, most of them have been classified under
GHC 0–GHC 1000.
Table 1 Demographic distribution of Respondents
37
Demographic Characteristics Number Percentage (%)
Gender Male 65 73.9
Female 23 26.1
Total 88 100
Age 15-25years 45 51.1
26-35years 40 45.5
36-45 years 1 1.1
46-55 years 2 2.3
Total 88 100
Education SHS and below 11 12.5
Diploma 19 21.6
Degree 54 61.4
Masters 4 4.5
PhD 0 0
Total 88 100
Occupation Student 61 69.3
Entrepreneur /Self-employed 13 14.8
Private sector 4 4.5
Public sector 8 9.1
Please specify 2 2.3
Total 88 100
Monthly income 0-GHC1000 75 85.2
GHC 1001-GHC2000 9 10.2
GHC 2001-GHC3000 4 4.5
GHC 3001-GHC4000 0 0
Total 88 100
4.3 Evaluation of the Measurement Model
The analysis of the measurement models is a prerequisite for the evaluation of outcomes in PLS-
SEM. Model estimation "delivers empirical measurements of the links between the constructs
38
(structural model) and the indicators (measurement models)" (Hair, Hult, Ringle, and Sarstedt,
2016, p.105). In essence, the evaluation or assessment of the measurement model aids the
researcher in comparing the theory chosen for the study with the actual data actually gathered for
the investigation. The appropriate standards for evaluating the measuring model vary depending
on whether they are reflective or formative constructions (Hair, Risher, Sarstedt, and Ringle,
2019; Urbach and Ahlemann, 2010). Since the study's constructs were all reflecting in nature, it
was necessary to examine the measurement model's validity and reliability before evaluating the
structural model. By making sure that the accepted decision-making guidelines are followed, this
study analyzed the indicator's reliability, internal consistency for reliability, convergent validity,
and discriminatory validity (Hair et al., 2019; Urbach and Ahlemann, 2010).
4.3.1 Indicators Reliability
The degree to which "a variable or group of variables is consistent regarding what it intended to
assess" is how indicator dependability is defined (Urbach and Ahlemann, 2010, p. 18). Reflective
indicator loadings are tracked in order to assess indicator dependability. It is advised to utilize
indicator loadings of 0.708 and above since they demonstrate that the construct or latent variable
accounts for more than 50% of the indicator's variation, guaranteeing the item's adequate
reliability. (Hair and others, 2019) The indicator variable must be removed, though, if the value
is less than 0.5. (Becker et al., 2015). All indicators in this section had a substantial loading on
the relevant latent variables. There was no need to perform the analysis again because it had
already been done and all of the indicators were higher than the minimum necessary level. On
their respective latent variables, all other indicators significantly loaded. This meant that the
indicators met the necessary threshold requirements. This indicates that they were a reliable
gauge of the latent variables. The measurement and structural model were then assessed and
evaluated using the results that had been extracted. The indication loadings are displayed in
Figure 4.1.
39
Figure 4.1 Loadings
40
4.3.2 Internal consistency reliability
The indicator's accuracy is tested first, and then internal consistency quality is examined using
Cronbach's alpha. Internal consistency reliability is also evaluated using Dhillon-Goldstein Rho,
also referred to as the Composite Reliability (). (Becker et al., 2015). When a latent variable's
indicators all have high alpha values, it means that their scores share the same range and
significance (Cronbach, 1951). Cronbach's alpha's minimal cutoff is 0.70. (Nunnally, 1978). As
indicated in Table 2, all latent variables or constructs had an Alpha value of ≥ 0.70 for
Cronbach's. It should be noted that because the items are not weighted, researchers have
criticized Cronbach's alpha for giving lower values and being a less reliable indicator of
reliability (Hair et al., 2019; Urbach and Ahlemann, 2010). As a result, a substitute measurement
for indication dependability was recommended. That is the composite reliability described by
Joreskog (1971). Cronbach's alpha's shortcomings were addressed by the introduction of
Joreskog's Composite Reliability in 1971. (Urbach and Ahlemann, 2010). Composite reliability
is a more accurate measurement of indicator reliability than Cronbach's alpha since it implies that
all indicators have different loadings as opposed to Cronbach's alpha (Henseler, Ringle, and
Sinkovics, 2009). (Chin, 1998). In other words, reliability scores between 0.60 and 0.70 are
"suitable for exploratory research," whereas higher values suggest higher reliability levels.
Additionally, ratings between the ranges of 0.70 and 0.90 suggest "acceptable to good," but
values of 0.95 and above are thought to be troublesome since they demonstrate that the items are
greater than what is necessary, which lowers construct dependability (Diamantopoulos, Sarstedt,
Fuchs, Wilczynski, and Kaiser, 2012). As shown in Table 2, composite dependability scores
from the results range from 0.959 to 0.970, which imply "acceptable" to "good."
Rho A is seen as an alternative to composite reliability to gauge consistent reliability (Dijkstra

and Henseler, 2015). Rho A values around 0.70 are advised. As seen in Table 2, all latent
variables have Rho_ A values greater than 0.70.
Table 2 Construct Reliability
Constructs Cronbach's Rho_A Composite Reliability
41
Alpha
Cognitive 0.946 0.947 0.959
Continuance use 0.946 0.947 0.961
Hedonic 0.955 0.956 0.968
Integrative 0.958 0.959 0.970
4.3.3 Convergent Validity

After analyzing the internal consistency reliability, the inquiry next proceeded on to assess the
convergent validity of each component. Convergent validity is defined as "the extent to which
separate items describing a construct converge in compared to measurement items different
constructs." (P. 19 in Urbach and Ahlemann, 2010). Average Variance Extracted (AVE) serves as
the benchmark for determining convergent validity (Fornell and Larcker, 1981). AVE compares
the variance level collected by a construct to the variance level caused by measurement error.
Each indicator loading on a build must be squared to calculate the AVE, and the mean value must
then be established. The AVE cutoff value is 0.50. (Hair et al., 2019). This indicates that the
latent factor or construct displays significant convergent validity when it accounts for at least
50% of the variability of its items (Hair et al., 2019; Urbach and Ahlemann, 2010). Table 3
displays AVE values above the minimum threshold of 0.50, demonstrating sufficient
convergence validity.
Table 3 Convergent Validity
Constructs Average Variance Extracted (AVE)

Cognitive 0.822
Continuance use 0.861
Hedonic 0.882
Integrative 0.889
42
4.3.4 Discriminant Validity
The fourth phase is an evaluation of discriminant validity. According to Hair et al. (2019, p.9),
discriminant validity is the "degree that a construct is distinctly separate from other constructs in
the structural model." Two metrics are often used by PLS-SEM to evaluate the discriminant
validity. The first calculation is the cross-loading, which involves comparing or combining the
scores for each latent variable with those of all other items. (Chin, 1998). It can be assumed that
the indicators of the latent variable or construct are discriminant of one another when each
indicator loads higher for its construct than for any other construct and each construct or latent
variable loads highest with its assigned items. They cannot be switched out, in other words.
Table 4 demonstrates that the latent variables are discriminant of one another because they load
the assigned constructions more heavily than any other construct (s).
Table 4 Indicator Item Cross Loading
Indicators Cognitive Continuance use Hedonic Integrative

COG1 0.893 0.690 0.789 0.755
COG2 0.932 0.684 0.804 0.705
COG3 0.931 0.728 0.854 0.757
COG4 0.895 0.712 0.790 0.632
COG5 0.881 0.665 0.817 0.699
CU1 0.721 0.928 0.766 0.667
CU2 0.701 0.932 0.720 0.660
CU3 0.692 0.919 0.701 0.681
43
CU4 0.736 0.933 0.762 0.648
HED1 0.832 0.761 0.942 0.707
HED2 0.827 0.699 0.945 0.644
HED3 0.849 0.744 0.939 0.718
HED4 0.849 0.779 0.930 0.797
INT1 0.743 0.650 0.682 0.941
INT2 0.742 0.698 0.741 0.953
INT3 0.721 0.662 0.743 0.940
INT4 0.746 0.684 0.719 0.938
The second standard for determining discriminant validity was put forth by Fornell and Larcker
(1981). According to Fornell and Larcker, a latent variable should have the highest variance-to-
indicator ratio of any latent variable to have discriminatory validity (1981). Simply put, each
latent variable's AVE should be higher than its highest square correlation with any other latent
variable. Table 4.5 shows that compared to other latent variables, the different latent variables
share more variation with their assigned indicators. The numbers in the Table are bolded to
indicate this. Additionally, the bold numbers, which display the greatest values in both rows and
columns, are visible. We can assume that discriminant validity has been satisfied in this
situation.
Table 5 Discriminant Validity (Fornell-Larcker Criterion)
Constructs Cognitive Continuance use Hedonic Integrative

Cognitive 0.907
Continuance 0.768 0.928
use
Hedonic 0.895 0.795 0.939
Integrative 0.783 0.715 0.765 0.943
It has been said that the Fornell and Larcker (1981) assessment is a poor method for assessing
discriminant validity. For instance, it is claimed that the Fornell and Larcker (1981) test does not
work well when the indicator loadings on a latent variable are hardly different (Henseler, Ringle,
and Sarstedt, 2015). (For example, where indicator loads range from 0.65 to 0.85). To assess
44
discriminant validity, Henseler et al. (2015) propose the Heterotrait-Monotrait Ratio (HTMT) of
the correlations (Voorhees, Brady, Calantone, and Ramirez, 2016). Henseler et al. (2015)
proposed the higher performance of HTMT utilizing a Monte Carlo simulation analysis. The
findings demonstrated that, in comparison to cross-loadings and Fornell and Larcker (0.00% and
20.82%, respectively), HTMT can obtain greater sensitivity and specificity rates (i.e., 97%-99%).
HTML is described as "the mean value of the item correlations across constructs" when matched
to the (geometric) mean of the average correlations for items measuring the same concept (Hair
et al., 2019, p.9).
Table 6 Discriminant Validity- Heterotrait-Monotrait Ratio (HTMT)

Cognitive
Continuance 0.811
use
Hedonic 0.941 0.834
Integrative 0.822 0.751 0.797
When HTMT readings are higher, discriminating validity issues appear. It is advised to use
a necessary threshold of 0.90. (Gold, Malhotra, and Segars, 2001; Henseler et al., 2015). When
HTMT readings are higher than the cutoff point of 0.90, discriminant validity is not present. As
shown in Table 5, all HTMT values fell below the cutoff of 0.90, indicating that discriminating
validity has been attained (Gold et al., 2001; Hair et al., 2019).
4.4 Structural Model Assessment

Testing the structural model comes next when the measurement model has been validated
successfully (Hair et al., 2019; Urbach and Ahlemann, 2010). The structural model was
evaluated in accordance with the five fundamental procedures recommended by (Hair et al.,
2019; Urbach and Ahlemann, 2010). The subsections below address these actions:
4.4.1 Multicollinearity
Examining multicollinearity is the first step in the evaluation of the structural model. Whenever
there is a combination of predictors in a multivariate regression analysis, multicollinearity arises
45
(O'Brien, 2007). The variance inflation factor (VIF) for each independent concept was examined
to determine multicollinearity. To prevent problems with collinearity, a minimum threshold of 5
or less is required (Hair, Ringle, and Sarstedt, 2011). If this condition is satisfied, the construct
being considered is almost a perfect linear combination of the independent variables already
included in the equation (Hair et al., 2011; Hair et al., 2016; Mansfield et al., 1982). Table 6's
VIF values all go below 5, demonstrating that the study's collinearity is unaffected.
Table 7 Multicollinearity Statistics (Inner VIF)

Cognitive 2.664
Continuance use
Hedonic 2.293
Integrative 2.731
4.4.2 Assessing Structural Model for the Significance of Path Coefficient

It is crucial to assess the relevance of the path coefficient in between the model's latent variables
after looking at collinearity (Urbach and Ahlemann, 2010). To achieve this, we use a 0.1(10%)
two-tailed distribution using the SmartPLS bootstrapping procedure with numerous 5000
subsamples. Bootstrapping is a "non-parametric resampling process that examines the variability
of the sample data rather than utilizing parametric assumptions to determine the precision of the
estimates to measure the variability of a statistic" (Streukens and LeroiWerelds, 2016, p. 2).
PLS-SEM cannot demonstrate that data is normally distributed, hence a non-parametric test
using SmartPLS must be conducted (Hair et al., 2016). T-statistics are generated using the
bootstrapping method for the examination of the direct and indirect effects (Hair et al., 2016).
The results are displayed in Table 4.7. A minimum critical value of 1.65 is ideal for a
significance level of 10% (two-tailed), when a 95% confidence interval is considered (Hair et al.,
2011). Two of the three hypotheses in Table 4.7 are supported, meaning that their crucial t-
values are 1.65 or higher. The same outcomes are depicted in Figure 4.4 as well.
46
Table 8 Direct relationships for Hypothesis Testing
Relationship Path T Values P Values 95% 95.0% Decision

coefficient CI LL CU UL
Cognitive -> 0.178 0.889 0.374 -0.151 0.494 Not
Continuance supported
use
Hedonic -> 0.472 2.483 0.013 0.174 0.804 Supported
Continuance
use
Integrative -> 0.214 1.758 0.079 0.014 0.417 Supported
Continuance
use
4.4.3 Assessing the Goodness of Fit

The structural model's significance of the path coefficient was evaluated, and after that, the
model's goodness of fit was evaluated (GOF). This assessment demonstrates how well or how
poorly the model fits the data (Henseler et al., 2015). The GOF test also helps the researcher to
spot measurement and structural model changes in the underlying (Dijkstra and Henseler, 2015).
R square determination coefficient is the most common benchmark (R 2). 2019 (Hair et al.). R 2
measures the model's capacity for explanation. It demonstrates the relationship between the
endogenous latent variable and the exogenous latent variables (Hair, Sarstedt, Hopkins, and
Kuppelwieser, 2014). R 2 ranges from 0 to 1 for higher explanatory power values. Weak,
moderate, and significant R2 values, respectively, are 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 (Hair et al., 2011;
Henseler et al., 2009). Chin (1998) asserts that R2 values of 0.190 and below are weak, values
around 0.333 are average, and estimates of 0.670 or more are significant in IS research. The
47
model's R2 is 0.649, which is considered as just a significant 86 in IS research, as shown in Table
5.9. This suggests that the exogenous latent variable sum accounts for 67% of the variations in
the endogenous factors. as well as Urbach and Ahlemann, 2010. Hair et al., 2019, and
4.6 Chapter Summary

The data on the use of e-commerce that was gathered in Ghana were examined in this chapter.
The objectives of this study's research were met in part thanks to the analysis of the gathered
data. The study outlined the characteristics of e-commerce in Ghana, the pleasures attained
through e-commerce use, and the impact of those pleasures on attitudes toward use. The effect of
use attitude on continued use intention was made clear. The effects of moderators, such as
income and education, on the relationship between independent constructs and the dependent
construct, were also discussed in this chapter.
CHAPTER 5
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Introduction
The preceding chapter dealt with the research questions regarding the literature review and
focused on describing the analysis of empirical findings. As a result, the conclusion of the study
is the primary goal of this chapter, which also discusses the significance of the research findings
for future research, policy, and practice.
5.2. Summary of the findings

The goal of the study is to pinpoint and investigate the satisfactions that motivate e-commerce
usage in developing nations, particularly Ghana. The study also looked at how satisfaction and
attitudes toward utilizing e-commerce services are mediated by factors like income and
48
education. Research to date has largely disregarded this element. To close this gap, our study
used information gathered from 88 users of e-commerce services in Ghana to experimentally test
the Uses and Gratification model. Two (2) of the three (3) hypotheses put forth for this study
were supported, whereas one (1) was not. Hedonic and integrative factors were found to have a
substantial impact on the continued use of e-commerce. Table 8 shows the results of the
supported hypothesis.
After analyzing the data, it became clear that the claim that cognitive gratification is positively
correlated with continuance use was not supported. This suggests that customers of e-commerce
are not given the appropriate quantity of information they require to complete their transactions.
Users do not believe that e-commerce is less expensive than other conventional forms of
payment. Users' desire for cognitive pleasure has a detrimental impact on their attitude toward
using electronic commerce because of the high transaction costs associated with it.
Additionally, the analysis of the results showed that the integrated pleasure hypothesis, which
was favorably connected with the attitude toward usage, was supported. This shows that
consumers feel like members of a certain group of people when they utilize e-commerce. As a
result, they can easily interact with those who use or have used e-commerce. As stated by
Nambisan and Baron (2007) Integrative fulfillment is the satisfaction that comes from forging or
building one's identity, elevating one's ideals, and developing a sense of belonging via the use of
a certain medium (Nambisan and Baron, 2007). The impact of the integrative construct on users'
continuance use of e-commerce has largely been disregarded in existing research on e-
commerce. However, results from studies in other are areas have shown that integrative
gratification has a favorable impact on continuance use . This includes the 2015 study conducted
by Ha, Kim, Libaque-Saenz, Chang, and Park to determine the rewards motivating the usage of
smartphone social networking sites (SNS) in Korea. Their research's conclusions showed that
integrated satisfaction has a favorable impact on consumers' perceptions regarding SNS use.
Finally, Hedonic gratification, which is positively correlated with the attitude toward use, was
supported as part of the hypothesis. This proves that those who utilize e-commerce services do so
in some way that they find enjoyable. As a result, it has a favorable effect on how they see using
e-commerce.
5.3 Contributions to research, practice, and policy
49
5.3.1 Implication of Research
Previous research on the uptake and application of e-commerce characterized this area as
promising. As a result, they have urged further study to be conducted to glean fresh insights that
can enrich literature, particularly theories. With this objective in mind, a study was conducted to
discover and analyze the satisfactions motivating Ghanaians' attitude toward and ongoing use of
e-commerce. The previous study has mainly neglected this. It may be said that this is the first
study to examine rewards and ongoing e-commerce use. As a result, this study contributes to the
body of knowledge already available in this field of e-commerce research.
The analysis of the gratifications that motivate the continuous usage of e-commerce in this study
also drew on the theoretical underpinnings of the theory of Uses and Gratifications. This study
may be the first in the field of e-commerce research to apply the Uses and Gratifications theory.
Research from the past has mostly incorporated ideas like TAM, UTAUT, and DOI. By
providing a new viewpoint on user behavior using the Uses and Gratifications Theory, this study
contributes to the body of knowledge. Additionally, the existing research mostly concentrated on
the practical advantages of using e-commerce. This study concentrated on the functional and
non-functional benefits influencing e-commerce adoption and attitude.
5.3.2 Implication for Practice and Policy

This study discovered and looked at the pleasures associated with using e-commerce services.
The study also looked at how users' views toward us were affected by the gratifications they
received. The study also looked at how attitudes regarding use affect whether people in Ghana
continue to utilize e-commerce’s. It is crucial to highlight how the findings of this study will
affect the e-commerce industry. Results showed that users' opinions toward using e-commerce
are highly influenced by integrative satisfaction, ease of use gratification, and usefulness
gratification. Therefore, e-commerce service providers must make sure that the services they
offer enable consumers to consistently enjoy these forms of satisfaction (that is, Integrative
gratification, Ease of use gratification, and Usefulness gratification). In other words, they plan to
use e-commerce services more frequently after they experience these satisfactions. The findings
50
also showed that hedonic, convenient, and cognitive gratifications had little effect on users'
attitudes toward using e-commerce. For people to enjoy these gratifications, this study advises e-
commerce service providers to integrate e-commerce with their features.
In terms of policy, fostering a positive Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT)

environment will encourage users to adopt and utilize e-commerce services. The infrastructure
and access provided by an enabling ICT environment will give people the means to perform
online business. Like this, an enabling environment in the form of ICT laws and rules would
guarantee that the user's financial information is safeguarded.
5.4. Limitations and Recommendations for Future Research

There are several restrictions on this study. First, respondents to the research were primarily
based in the northern part of Ghana. Future studies should be conducted across the nation to
provide a comprehensive picture of the gratifications received and how they affect attitudes
toward use.
Another constraint of this study is that the information gathered from clients using questioners
developed using google forms. This means that the research findings are based only on the
perspectives of customers, with no input or information from e-commerce enterprises.
Finally, the findings cannot be extrapolated to other regions of the world because the study was
only conducted in Ghana, however, they do have some similarities to other countries in the
African Sub-regions.
5.5 Conclusion
This study examined how the use of electronic commerce services in a developing nation was
appreciated and continued (i.e., Ghana). The study drew on the Uses and Gratifications theory's
theoretical underpinnings to discover both functional and non-functional benefits/gratifications
derived from e-commerce use to satisfy the study's objectives in Section 1.3. In addition, the
study looked at how these rewards affect people's attitudes toward using, which in turn affects
how long they use. This was done in Ghana. The Uses and Gratifications theory was selected
above other theories like TAM and UTAUT because it allowed the researcher to comprehend
why and how people actively seek out e-commerce to meet their requirements. The study used a
questionnaire to get information from respondents or people in Ghana. Indicator loadings were
51
utilized to monitor the validity of the study's constructs, and the significance of the path
coefficient was used to evaluate the hypothesis (Hair et al., 2019). (Hair et al., 2019; Urbach and
Ahlemann, 2010).
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Curras-Perez, R., Ruiz-Mafe, C., & Sanz-Blas, S. (2014). Determinants of user behaviour and
recommendation in social networks: An integrative approach from the uses and
gratifications perspective. Industrial Management and Data Systems, 114(9), 1477–1498.
56
https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-07-2014-0219
Darabont, D. C., Antonov, A. E., Bejinariu, C., ‫ ح‬.‫ و‬.‫ س‬.‫ ع‬.‫ ن‬.‫ س‬,‫بارانی‬., James T Croasmun, Lee
Ostrom, Assistant, M. S., Khan, E. Y., Hassan, R., Hieminga, G., Patterson, W., Pakistan
Bureau of Statistics, Budget, O. of M. and, Marshall, E., Karadimitriou, S. M., Probability,
I., Probability, C. C., Distributions, D., Ellitan, L., … Shadrokh sikari, S. (2018). Iso 45001
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www.sheffield.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.53
Fielding, N., Lee, R., & Blank, G. (2012). The SAGE Handbook of Online Research Methods.
The SAGE Handbook of Online Research Methods, 195–216.
https://doi.org/10.4135/9780857020055
Fu, Q., Rodríguez-Ardura, I., Meseguer-Artola, A., & Wu, P. (2022). Self-disclosure during the
COVID-19 emergency: Effects of narcissism traits, time perspective, virtual presence, and
hedonic gratification. Computers in Human Behavior, 130(December 2021), 107154.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.107154
Ghiasmand, M., Manochehri, M., Majlesi, L., Saber, F., Hariri, A., & Pourkhaef, M. (2013).
INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN BUSINESS
E-Commerce : a Theoretical Approachan Overview of the Research Conducted in Iran.
Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 4(1), 525–529.
Gogan, I. C. W., Zhang, Z., & Matemba, E. D. (2018). Impacts of gratifications on consumers’
emotions and continuance use intention: An empirical study of Weibo in China.
Sustainability (Switzerland), 10(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/su10093162
Hair, J. F., Sarstedt, M., Ringle, C. M., & Mena, J. A. (2012). An assessment of the use of partial
least squares structural equation modeling in marketing research. Journal of the Academy of
Marketing Science, 40(3), 414–433. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-011-0261-6
Janes, J. (1999). Survey construction. Library Hi Tech, 17(3), 321–325.
57
https://doi.org/10.1108/07378839910289376
Kabugumila, M. S., Lushakuzi, S. P. D., & Mtui, J. E. (2016). E-Commerce : An Overview of

Adoption and Its Effective Implementation. International Journal of Business and Social
Science, 7(4), 243–252.
Kasirye, F. (2021). The Importance of Needs in Uses and Gratification Theory. Advance, June.
/articles/preprint/The_Importance_of_Needs_in_Uses_and_Gratification_Theory/
14681667/1
Katz, E., Blumler, J. G., & Gurevitch, M. (1974). Uses & Gratification Theory.
Manteaw, S. O. (2002). Entering the Digital Marketplace : E-Commerce and Jurisdiction in

Ghana. 16(2).
Mohammed, L., & Abdulkadir, K. (2012). An Overview of E-Commerce Implementation in

Developed and Developing Country ; A Case Study of United State and Nigeria.
International Journal of Modern Engineering Research (IJMER), 2(5), 3068–3080.
Okolie, U. C., & Ojomo, A. H. (2020). E-Commerce in Nigeria: Benefits and Challenges.
Humanities and Social Sciences: Latvia, 28(2), 69–90. https://doi.org/10.22364/hssl.28.2.05
Omotayo, F. O., & Omotope, A. R. (2018). Determinants of continuance intention to use online
shops in Nigeria. Journal of Internet Banking and Commerce, 23(2), 1–44.
Owusu, P. K., & Abrokwa, M. K. (2019). The Impact of E-Commerce on SMEs in Ghana: Case
Study of SMEs in the Greater Accra Region. 2019 International Conference on
Communications, Signal Processing and Networks, ICCSPN 2019.
https://doi.org/10.1109/ICCSPN46366.2019.9150193
Pobee, F. (2021). Modeling e-commerce adoption factors among Gen-Z in a developing country:
the case of Ghana. Marketing & Menedzsment, 55(1), 81–94.
https://doi.org/10.15170/mm.2021.55.01.07
Sarfo, C. A., & Song, H. (2021). E-commerce adoption within SME’s in Ghana, a tool for
growth? International Journal of Electronic Business, 16(1), 32–51.
https://doi.org/10.1504/IJEB.2021.112764
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UNIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND LAW

GRATIFICATION AND CONTINUANCE USE OF ELECTRONIC COMMERCE

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE BUSINESS AND LAW, UNIVERSITY FOR

MR. MUFTAWU DZANG ALHASSAN DATE

1.1 Background of the Study.................................................................................................................12

1.2 Problem Statement...........................................................................................................................14

1.3 Research objectives..........................................................................................................................15

1.4 Research Questions..........................................................................................................................15

1.5 Significant of the study....................................................................................................................15

1.6 Scope of the Study...........................................................................................................................16

1.7 Organization of the Study................................................................................................................16

2.2 Definition of e-commerce................................................................................................................17

2.3 Evolution of e-commerce.................................................................................................................18

2.4 Benefits of E-Commerce.................................................................................................................19

2.4.1 The main classifications for the benefits of e-commerce.............................................................19

2.4.2 Benefits of E-commerce to the customers....................................................................................19

2.4.2.1 Adequate information................................................................................................................19

2.4.2.2 Buying 24/7 all year long...........................................................................................................20

2.4.2.3 Comparison of prices.................................................................................................................20

2.4.2.4 Cost reduction and Timesaving..................................................................................................20

2.5 Challenges of E-commerce..............................................................................................................21

2.5.1 Inability to test items first-hand before buying.............................................................................21

2.5.2 Delay in delivery...........................................................................................................................21

2.5.4 Credit card Fraud..........................................................................................................................22

2.5.5 Security issue................................................................................................................................22

2.6 Nature of e-commerce in Ghana......................................................................................................23

2.7 Antecedence of electronic commerce..............................................................................................24

2.7.1 Cognitive gratification..................................................................................................................25

2.7.2 Hedonic gratification....................................................................................................................26

2.7.3 Integrative gratification.................................................................................................................26

2.8 Uses and gratification theory (UGT)...............................................................................................28

2.9 Chapter Summary............................................................................................................................29

3.2 Research Methods............................................................................................................................30

3.3.1 Questionnaire Development.........................................................................................................30

3.3.2 Survey Design...............................................................................................................................31

3.3.3 Participants Setting.......................................................................................................................32

3.3.5 Data Collection Process................................................................................................................33

3.4 Method of Data Analysis.................................................................................................................33

3.5 Chapter Summary............................................................................................................................33

4.2 Demographic Characteristics of Respondents.................................................................................34

4.3 Assessment of Measurement Model................................................................................................36

4.3.1 Indicator Reliability......................................................................................................................36

4.3.2 Internal consistency reliability......................................................................................................38

4.3.3 Convergent Validity......................................................................................................................39

4.4 Structural Model Assessment...........................................................................................................42

4.6 Chapter Summary............................................................................................................................44

5.2. Summary of the findings.................................................................................................................45

5.3 Contributions to research, practice, and policy................................................................................46

5.3.1 Implication of Research................................................................................................................46

5.3.2 Implication for Practice and Policy...........................................................................................47

5.4. Limitations and Recommendations for Future Research................................................................47

Figure 3.1 Research model for the study.................................................................................19

Table 1 Demographic distribution of Respondents....................................................................................35

ATM Automated Teller Machine

AVE Average Variance Extracted

VAN Value Added Network

DOI Diffusion of Innovations

GOF Goodness of Fit

UGT Uses and Gratification Theory

EDI Electronic Data Interchange

ICT Information and Communication Technology