ICT dimension and indicators towards building a Knowledge Society in Malaysia: A measurement model

This paper outlines the research conducted to test a measurement model of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in an attempt to develop a framework for `Knowledge Society' (KS) in the Malaysian context. In discussing the KS, one of the most important enabling aspects is ICT. ICT is a powerful driver for social change. The content domain for the ICT measure was developed based on the Delphi technique and semi-structured interviews with experts, and previous literature on ICT. It was then empirically tested using a sample of 450 respondents from government, private sector and NGOs. Six factors were extracted from the exploratory factor analysis based on 39 items proposed in the survey questionnaire. 37 items loaded into the six factors, while two items were cross-loaded, therefore deleted. The factors were labeled as Usage, Electronic Government, Application, Content, Provision and Skill, and Adoption. The measurement model was validated using Structural Equation Modeling with AMOS 16.0. The CFA results suggest that holistically, the ICT measurement model provides a reasonably good fit and thus it is necessary to use it as a guideline in the development of ICT towards achieving a KS in the Malaysian context.