What drives global B2C E-commerce? An analysis of the effect of ICT access, human resource development and regulatory environment

Abstract

This study explores the drivers of Business to Consumer (B2C) electronic commerce (e-commerce) adoption at a global level. The study used a Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) framework to investigate factors that influence B2C e-commerce adoption. The study relied on archival and cross-sectional data from 135 countries and employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Our findings indicate that B2C E-commerce adoption at the national level is positively influenced by ICT access, political and regulatory environment and human resource development. Our findings show that technological, organisational, and environmental factors (ICT access, political, human resource development and political and regulatory environment) altogether explain 70% of the variance in B2C E-Commerce adoption. Our findings provide a fresh insight into the adoption of B2C e-commerce at the national level. Our study provides some implications for research and practice.