Information technology adoption in Jordanian public sector organizations

Based on the relatively scarce data and literature on information technology (IT) utilization as well as a sample survey of 44 Jordanian public agencies, this study examines the adoption and uses of IT in the Jordanian public sector. The findings show that the majority of Jordanian public organizations have access to computers, and most of the agencies have in-house systems. Microcomputers were found to be the most common computer platform, and agency use of IT was consistently intense in the area of financial management. Most public organizations with in-house computers employ on-staff programmers, whose numbers range from one to four or fewer. Software being used in the agencies was primarily commercially produced, but there was evidence of considerable internal development of software as well. The study concludes that current, specific agency use of computing is associated positively with plans to acquire additional microcomputer technology. In addition, an overview of emerging Internet activity in Jordan and the government's role in this still emerging phenomenon is presented. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.