Influence of Technology Adoption on Customs Performance in Kenya: A Case of Malaba and Busia One-Stop Border Posts

Abstract

Technology has allowed many customs procedures to be digitized such as lodgment of entries, data validation, cargo inventory control, and goods declaration processing, electronic notification of release, revenue accounting, and customs enforcement. Although there has been great improvement on performance of the One Stop Border Posts there still exist challenges on the implementation of the OSBPs. The main objective of this study was to examine the influence of technology adoption on customs performance in Kenya. The study was guided by the following specific objectives, To establish the influence of perceived usefulness of technology, perceived ease of use of technology, behavior intention to use technology and actual use of technology on customs performance in Kenya. The study was based on Technology Acceptance Model, though theories such as Theory of Reasoned Action, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Diffusion of Innovation Theory were employed in the study. The study adopted explanatory research design. The target population of the study constituted 244 staffs in the customs and Border management at Busia and Malaba OSBP’s. The study employed primary data, which was collected using questionnaires. Data is presented in tables and figures while interpretation is done in prose form. Multiple regression model was also used to predict the relationship existing between the independent and dependent variables. The findings indicated that perceived usefulness of technology had a positive and significant influence on customs performance (β1=0.28, p=0.001), perceived ease of use of technology had a positive and significant effect on customs performance (β2=1.838, p=0.000), behavior intention to use technology had a positive and significant influence on customs performance (β3=2.267, p=0.000), and actual use of technology had a positive and significant influence on customs performance (β4=1.101, p=0.000). The study concludes that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, behavior intention to use, actual use of technology has a positive and meaningful influence on customs performance in Malaba and Busia One-Stop Border Posts. From the findings, the study recommends that management of Malaba and Busia One-Stop Border Posts should develop programs that will encourage employees to adopt the use of modern technology in the customs system. This is expected to enhance productivity, effectiveness and overall performance of the One-Stop Border Posts in Kenya.