Power Dynamics in E-commerce Adoption in Least Developing Countries: The Case of Dar-es-Salaam SMEs, Tanzania

This paper examines power structures that make E-Commerce adoption amongst Small and Medium Enterprises in least developing countries a daunting task. The study adopts structuration theory as a lens, focusing specifically on structures of domination. The results indicate that at organizational level, lack of management support was the reason. However this was caused by government’s reluctance to adopt E-Commerce. By not adopting E-Commerce, government creates structures of domination by drawing on both of its allocative and authoritative resources. Further results show education institutions possessing authoritative power they design the curriculum by determining what to teach and how to teach it; and whilst doing it, fail to take into account the industries and specifically SMEs needs. However with the rapid adoption of mobile technologies, E-Commerce is becoming a reality through the development of mobile enabled trade websites, which gives SMEs numerous ways to diffuse and rejuvenate themselves in the global economy.