Social Media and E-Commerce at the Global Level: Do ICT Access and ICT Skills Matter?

Abstract

The global proliferation of mobile devices coupled with the heightened use of social media has led to increasing levels of social interactions, electronic commerce, and the phenomena of social commerce. Whilst previous information systems literature has sought to examine the benefits and factors that influence e-commerce adoption at both the individual and firm level, studies on e-commerce adoption at the global level have seldom been undertaken. Furthermore, previous studies have failed to examine the mediating role social media use plays in examining the effects of ICT access and ICT skills on e-commerce. Founded on the technology-organization-environment framework, this study seeks to fill this gap by examining the effects of ICT access, ICT skills, and social media use on global e-commerce adoption on one hand and the mediating role of social media use on the other. The study relied on cross-sectional data from 135 countries globally for the year 2016. The data analysis using partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) shows that ICT access, ICT skills, and social media use positively influence e-commerce adoption at the global level. Furthermore, social media use plays a significant role in mediating the influence of ICT access and ICT skills on e-commerce adoption. The results of this study provide fresh insights into the global adoption of e-commerce. The authors indicate some implications of the study for policy and practice.