Exploring SME owners’ motivation to learn and acquire new skills for the adoption of e-commerce

Background: The adoption of e-commerce among Soweto-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is crucial for their growth and competitiveness. Traditional approaches in determining factors that motivate the adoption of e-commerce have been mainly quantitative, not taking into consideration the experiences, motivation and perceptions of SME owners’ willingness to learn and acquire new skills for the adoption of e-commerce. Aim: This article examines the factors that motivate Soweto-based SME owners’ willingness to learn and acquire new skills to adopt e-commerce, despite the perceived complexity of using technology. Setting: The study focussed on Soweto-based SMEs in Johannesburg, South Africa. Methods: A qualitative methodology was deployed by drawing on the theoretical frameworks of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Motivational Model (MM). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight Soweto-based SMEs to examine the factors that motivate Soweto-based SME owners to acquire new skills to adopt e-commerce, notwithstanding the perceived complexities associated with using technology. Results: The analysis of the data revealed that perceived benefits as well as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation played a pivotal role as key moderators in Soweto-based SME owners’ willingness to acquire new skills for the adoption of e-commerce. Conclusion: The study confirmed the multifaceted factors shaping the willingness of Soweto-based SME owners to adopt e-commerce, emphasising the pivotal role of perceived benefits and motivation, aligning with established models like TAM and the MM, to underscore the significance of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, diverse characteristics and organisational readiness in influencing their attitudes towards new skills acquisition and e-commerce adoption. Contribution: By providing nuanced insights into the intricate processes that drive SME owners to embrace new skills and e-commerce technologies in Soweto, the findings add to the body of information already in existence. This report could be used by the government to improve its SMEs’ support initiatives.