Determinants of Modern Automobile Technology Adoption among Mechanics in Micro and Small Enterprises in Kenya

Abstract

Motor vehicle ownership has been on a steady and sustained increase in the recent past fuelled by the growth in the economy. However, most mechanics operating in micro and small enterprises in Kenya have not adopted modern automobile technology and thus face the challenge of servicing, diagnosing and repairing modern automobiles due to the dynamic technological innovations in the industry. Technology adoption is acknowledged to play an important role in the growth of enterprises by contributing directly to profitability and providing foundation for the evolution of operations from a micro to a medium level. This study aimed to determine factors that influence automobile technology adoption among mechanics in micro and small enterprises in Kenya. It focused on Nakuru town. The objectives of the study were to establish the role of: relative advantage, compatibility, complexity and Observability in the adoption of technology. The research used a descriptive cross sectional survey design and employed both probability and non-probability sampling techniques to collect quantitative and qualitative data from 132 mechanics sampled from an estimated population of 5,000 mechanics operating in the micro and small enterprises. Self-administered questionnaires along with direct observation were used to collect data. Data was analyzed using two statistical softwares: Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and MiniTab version 16. Quantitative data enabled associational analysis, mainly; binary logistic regression and Chi-square. Qualitative data was used for content analysis. The findings revealed that along with formal education, technical training and experience levels of the mechanics, the conceptualized variables: relative advantage, compatibility, complexity and observability of a particular innovation play a significant role in technology adoption among automobile mechanics in micro and small enterprises. When repair workshops or garages don‟t adopt technology, it means their work cannot be consistently relied upon in terms of efficiency, safety and cost effectiveness. This implies that most work done by these fair to middling garages is pure guesswork, trial-and-error that we normally christen mechanical faults when accidents occur. The study recommended that the government should emphasize and invest in intellectual capital by way of developing relevant training curriculum for the mechanics based on industry and environmental needs. In addition, the government and all stake holders should create and encourage avenues that enable: technology transfer, technology promotion, technology deployment, technology innovation, technology development, technology research, technology assessment, technology information and communication, technology investment, technology collaboration and technology commercialization.