The Key Factors in Adopting an Electronic Records Management System (ERMS) in the Educational Sector: A UTAUT-Based Framework

Higher education institutions, like nearly all organizations, need to implement information management systems that enable them to handle routine operations easily and, at the same time, generate many types of standardized and ad hoc reports. Higher professional education (HPE) institutions face unique challenges when implementing their computer-based information management systems. Electronic records management systems (ERMSs) help manage the extensive information needed to plan and make well-informed decisions. ERMS is a fairly new addition to organizations, and those organizations are still learning how to use them effectively. Unfortunately, some organizations are still slow to adopt these systems. With this in mind, this paper proposes a framework that identifies the key factors that influence HPEs in adopting their own ERMS. The framework developed in this paper is based on two other models: the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and technology-organization-environment (TOE). The questionnaires we distributed to 364 respondents in the HPE sector to collect the views of as many stakeholders as possible. These survey responses led the study to propose a framework that identifies the critical factors that influence the adoption of ERMSs in HPEs. This framework is expected to guide HPE institutions in understanding the most essential factors (individual, technological, and environmental) that must be addressed to adopt an ERMS.