Exploring levels of ICT adoption and sustainability - The case of local governments from Poland

Abstract This study is a part research on the contribution of information and communication technologies (ICT) adoption by local governments to sustainability [1-3]. Its main purpose is to assess the levels of ICT adoption and sustainability in the context of local governments. ICT adoption by local governments is shaped by ICT outlay, information culture, ICT management, and ICT quality, whereas sustainability in local governments is shaped by ecological, economic, sociocultural, and political sustainability. This study employs a quantitative approach and descriptive statistics to evaluate the levels of ICT adoption and sustainability. The survey questionnaire was used and data collected from 118 local government units were analyzed. The research findings revealed that the adoption of electronic delivery boxes and security of back-office systems were at the highest level in local governments, whereas the adoption of EDMS (electronic document management systems), BI (business intelligence) and ERP (enterprise resources planning) systems were at the lowest level. Furthermore, the highest level of ICT adoption was specific for the information and ICT security regulations, and the standard ICT solutions developed for local governments by national governments, whereas the lowest level was specific for the adoption of latest management concepts by local governments and the alignment between information society strategy and ICT adoption. Moreover, employees’ personal mastery, employees’ creativity, and incentives systems used to engage employees in adopting ICT and enhancing their competences were at the very low level.