The role of ICT in the provision of business information to women traders in the informal sector in Kenya-
Abstract
This study aimed at investigating the role of Information and Communication
Technology (lCT) in the provision of business information to women traders at the
Westlands Maasai Market in Nairobi; guided by two theories: Diffusion of Innovation
and Technology Acceptance Model. ICTs are viewed as sources of information that can
improve trade in the informal sector by increasing profitability and speed of operation,
yet they have not been fully used by many women traders in the informal sector in
Kenya. This sector has more women than men and thus the choice of women for this
study; women have also been marginalized on issues concerning ICT which necessitated
a study limited to them. The study focused on the radio, television, mobile telephone and
the internet as the major ICTs available to the women traders. The objectives of the study
were: to determine the demographic characteristics and business information needs of
women traders in the informal sector; to find out the different ICTs used for providing
business information to women traders in the informal sector in Kenya; and to investigate
the challenges faced by women traders in accessing business information provided by the
available ICTs.
The research adopted a case study of the Westlands Maasai Market which was solely
established for women traders, but has since seen the influx of men. Stratified and simple
random sampling techniques facilitated the choice of 100 women traders from whom data
was collected using self-administered and researcher administered questionnaires. Data
was analyzed and presented using descriptive statistics, cross tabulations, graphs and pie
charts, by the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 12. The study
found out that most of the women traders were between the ages of 18-40 years and had
completed secondary school education. Amongst the most sought after business
information needs by women traders are: customer needs, mobile telephone money
transfer, market, raw materials and ticord keeping. Radio and mobile telephone were the
most used ICTs among the women traders. Inability to identify specific lCTs for business
information, cost, difficult language in lCTs and limited amount of time are some of the
challenges identified by the women traders. The study concluded that it is necessary to
relate the identified business information needs to the appropriate ICTs and further
sensitize the women traders on the importance of lCTs like the internet.
Citation
Masters of arts in communication studiesSponsorhip
University of NairobiPublisher
School of journalism and mass communication