Variables affecting the adoption of information and communication technologies in the government from the perspectives of public administrators in Kuwait

This research examines some of the attitudes that have impacts on the adoption of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) by public administrators in Kuwait. Kuwait ranks among the highest countries in the region in terms of e-government readiness, which is based on strong ICT infrastructure. However, public administrators in Kuwait were found to be slow in adopting new ICT, which represents a barrier that weakens the efforts to transform traditional services to e-government services. The diffusion of innovation theory (DOI) is the theoretical framework used to shed light on some of these barriers by examining the impact of the attributes of innovation on the adoption of new ICT by public administrators. This study found a significant positive impact of relative advantage and compatibility on the adoption of ICT in government. The findings would enhance the capability of the government to adopt new ICT in order to manage e-government more effectively.