Assessing factors that influence the success of agriculture mobile information systems: a validation with the DeLone and McLean model

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to assess the factors that influence the success of agriculture mobile information systems in Botswana. Agriculture mobile information systems have been widely adopted in the commercial and subsistence agricultural sector however little research has explored the success of agricultural mobile information systems. Firstly, the factors that influence the success of agricultural mobile information system were identified and adopted from the DeLone and McLean model. The factors are; system quality, information quality, service quality, use, user satisfaction and Net benefits. The model has been widely adopted and used by previous researchers to measure information system success in different contexts. DeLone and Mclean stated that information system success is a multi-dimensional construct and as such the factors identified should be measured or examined and further validated in different contexts. The success factors were then adapted and applied to measure the success of agriculture mobile information systems in Botswana. A quantitative study was conducted using a 5 likert scale questionnaire to collect data from a random sample of 150 commercial and susbsistance farmers across Botswana with experience using the mAgri mobile App using a thirty two item questionnaire adopted from prior validated studies. Statistical analysis was performed using the Smart MPLS program for validating the IS success factors using the measurement model and the structural model. The measurement model was used to test for the reliability and validity of the factors as suitable instruments for measuring IS success in the context of Agriculture. The structural model was used to test the overall fit of the model and the inter-relationships between the factors in the model. The results from the measurement model depicted that all the six factors and their observed variables were valid and reliable measures to be used for assessing agriculture mobile information system success. The results from the structural model show that the seven hypotheses were supported however the relationship between information quality and user satisfaction and information quality and use-were not supported.