A study of information technology adoption in Hong Kong

Abstract

As one of the four 'little dragons' of Asia, Hong Kong is one of the fastest growing areas in the world. It is the eleventh largest trading economy in the world and is the world's sec ond busiest container port. Information technology (IT) is considered to have contributed to its success, although there have been no recent studies to date which document or investigate this contribution. This study explores: (i) the extent of IT adoption in Hong Kong; (ii) the perceived benefits of using IT; and (iii) the problems encountered in adopting IT. A postal survey was conducted of 438 companies, with 116 complete and useful returns. Results show that all 116 companies are using IT in accounting and finance, iT is also used, although to a much lesser extent, in other areas such as human resources, sales and production. Most of the software is developed in-house. Standard word-processing and spreadsheet packages are the most popular purchased software. All companies acknowledge the usefulness of IT in helping to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their companies. The major problems encountered are: (1) lack of funds; (ii) lack of top management support; and (iii) end-user resistance.