Title: E-bidding adoption among SMEs: evidence from an African emerging market

Authors: Youssef Chetioui; Tahar Harkat; Fatima Zahra Rais; Hind Lebdaoui; Imane Lebdaoui; Souad Nassir

Addresses: School of Business Administration, Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco ' School of Business Administration, Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco ' Laboratoire d'Innovation en Management and en Ingénierie pour l'Entreprise, Institut Supérieur d'Ingénierie and des Affaires, Fez, Morocco ' School of Business Administration, Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco ' Laboratory of Mathematics, Computing and Applications – Information Security, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco ' School of Business Administration, Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco

Abstract: While digitalisation reforms aiming to enhance the quality of public services were put in place, most stakeholders in developing countries still use paper-based-tendering processes, which are associated with increased costs. To overcome these problems, calls to adopt e-bidding have recently emerged. This study aims to explore the readiness of Moroccan SMEs to adopt e-bidding. To achieve this goal, we proposed an integrated framework combining the TAM and UTAUT models to examine the predictors of SMEs' intention to adopt e-bidding. We empirically tested the conceptual model using a partial least squares (PLS) estimation based on data from 210 SMEs. Our results suggest that effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, and social influence as the key factors influencing SMEs intention to adopt e-bidding. We also suggest firm size as a significant moderator. This will help in improving SMEs' user experience and will also allow a better implementation of e-bidding in Morocco and similar contexts.

Keywords: electronic bidding; UTAUT; TAM; emerging markets; Morocco; digitalisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEF.2024.141707

International Journal of Electronic Finance, 2024 Vol.13 No.4, pp.403 - 421

Received: 26 Oct 2022
Accepted: 03 Jan 2023
Published online: 01 Oct 2024 *

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