| dc.description.abstract | Today, the Kenyan government is investing and has endeavored to embrace electronic government (e-government) in almost all ministries to pave way for speedy service delivery, enhance transparency and accountability. However, some county governments in Kenya seem not to have embraced e-government and there has been little information, if any, about contextualization of structuration theory. The general objective of this study sought to contextualize structuration theory in e-government in Trans Nzoia and Kisumu county governments of Kenya. To achieve this objective, the following research questions framed this study: What Information Communication Technology (ICT) adoption levels have been achieved in County Governments? What are the ICT Training needs in County Governments? What ICT challenges do the County Governments face? How have emerging innovative applications ofICT been adopted in county governments? What are the new dimensions contributing to the contextualized Structuration theory in County governments? Contextualizing structuration theory may yield the exercise of power and domination in governance to the case county governments in the study. The study was underpinned by Structuration theory, which was contextualized by highlighting three new modalities: Knowledge Management (KM), Information Systems (IS) and ICT normative pressures. The theory was used to elucidate meanings, norms and power issues experienced during ICT adoption in county governments of Kenya. The theory's elements of structure and interaction were expounded in context to ICT. A Constructivist paradigm approach and Qualitative case study was employed in the study. Methods of data collection were; face-to¬face Interviews and Observations, which were employed to collect primary data; and Documentary reviews, were used to collect secondary data. Purposive sampling technique was used in the study. The study targeted fourteen participants in the two county governments. The study picked participants who were categorized as Top management and Middle level management staffs from the population. To ensure Validity and 'Trustworthiness', piloting was done in Uasin Gishu County and was not part of the data collected for the study. Thematic Analysis's procedures and processes were adopted during data analysis, while employing Miles and Huberman (1994) model. The findings of this study were that despite the infancy age of the county governments, there is evidence of progress in adoption and diffusion of ICT in government agencies. There was considerable evidence that ICT has enabled fast and convenient service delivery to the citizens. However, lack of awareness of these services by the citizens was revealed and the government needs to propagate established and upcoming services to them. Infrastructure, training and capacity building issues also came into the fore during this study and recommendations clearly stated. The findings also showed that in Kenyan County governments, the ICT normative pressures (as a modality) under contextualized Structuration theory was effective than the other modalities of KM and ISs in efforts to apply e-government. This implied that professionals, citizens and other stakeholders interacting with government consider ICT services as a norm/tradition. The findings also showed evidence of KM and IS modalities in county governments of Kenya. The study recommended that quick interventions on ICT infrastructure, ICT training and capacity building must be emphasized by both county and national governments. The citizens of Kenya are urged to embrace ICT as the government makes strides to embrace e-government. This study is significant to the functioning between the government, citizens, private sector and various institutions who are stakeholders of good governance in Kenya. | en_US |