Barriers Hindering Ecommerce Adoption: A Case Study of Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Electronic commerce (EC) has the potential to improve efficiency and productivity in many areas and has received significant attention in many countries. However, there has been some doubt about the relevance of ecommerce for developing countries. The absence of adequate basic infrastructural, socio-economic, socio-cultural, and government ICT strategies have created a significant barrier in the adoption and growth of ecommerce in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. In this paper, the author shows that to understand the adoption and diffusion of ecommerce in Kurdistan, socio-cultural issues like transactional trust and social effect of shopping must be considered. The paper presents and discusses these issues hindering ecommerce adoption in Kurdistan. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-2791-8.ch010