Organisational culture and adoption of electronic commerce: A study of the Saudi Arabian tourism market

Using a qualitative approach, this study examines e-commerce adoption in the Saudi tourism industry. The research concerns organisational factors for tourism firms to consider when moving their sales online. The competing values framework was used to classify the firms´ organisational culture. The study´s findings suggest a relationship between the organisation´s culture and its ability to use electronic commerce. Further, a significant finding is that the firm with a developmental culture had the highest level of adoption or intention to adopt online marketing (e-commerce). The conclusion from this study is not only external factors impact technology adoption but also the organisational culture plays a significant role in the decision to adopt e-commerce.