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The purpose of the paper is to investigate the empirical linkages between information and communication technologies (ICTs), digital inclusion and sustainable development. This research aims to address a gap in the existing literature by exploring how ICT policies and digital inclusion efforts contribute to sustainable development outcomes across countries in developed and developing regions. Governments around the globe are increasingly relying on ICT policies to promote development in societies. Specifically, access and use of ICTs have been found to promote sustainable development across countries. Studies further argue the need for countries to bridge the digital divide to reap the full benefits of sustainable development. However, the empirical linkages between ICTs, digital inclusion and sustainable development have seldom been explored. This study is conducted to fill this gap in the literature.

This study relies on the capability approach and archival data for 130 countries from the network readiness index for 2021 to examine the nexus between ICTs, digital inclusion and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), using partial least squares structural equation modelling to validate the study’s hypotheses.

Findings show the positive effects of ICT access and ICT usage on digital inclusion. Digital inclusion was found to be significantly associated with SDGs. Furthermore, mediating effect results show the significant effect of digital inclusion on the nexus between ICT access and SDGs as well as ICT usage and SDGs.

To theory, this study uniquely shows through the capability approach how access and use of ICTs empower individuals to engage in information accessibility, sharing and communication and how it promotes safe and sustainable societies to achieve SDG11. To research, this study’s outcomes provide new insights into the links between ICTs, digital inclusion and SDG11. Unlike past studies investigating the nexus between ICTs in general and SDGs, this study shows how ICT access and use propels digital inclusion and SDG11.

The purpose of this study is to examine linkages between information and communication technology (ICT) use, the ICT regulatory environment and economic development. Businesses and individuals worldwide are increasingly depending on ICTs to facilitate trade and enhance their standard of living. This trend has sparked the argument that ICTs play a crucial role in driving economic development. However, the rise of ICTs has also led to challenges, including cybercrime, intellectual property violations and cyberwarfare, prompting questions about the need for regulation. In spite of these pressing issues, there is a notable lack of empirical research on the relationship between the use of ICTs (by businesses and individuals), their regulation and economic development.

Because of the limited empirical evidence regarding the connections between ICT use, ICT regulations, and economic development, this study aims to explore these relationships. The authors specifically examine the mediating role of ICT regulations in the impact of ICT use on economic development, as well as the direct effects of ICT use on economic development. To achieve this, the authors develop a hypothesised model that is validated using the technology–organisation–environment framework and capability theory. Additionally, the authors analyse secondary data from 130 countries using partial least squares-structural equation modelling.

The findings of this study show that both business and individual use of ICTs positively influences economic development. Furthermore, the authors discovered that ICT regulation plays a positive and partial mediating role in the relationship between ICT use and economic development. To encourage users to continue leveraging ICTs to enhance their livelihoods and foster economic growth, it is essential for governments and policymakers to implement effective ICT regulations that protect users’ information resources from illegal access.

The study’s primary contribution to research is its examination of the relationship between ICT usage by businesses and individuals, ICT regulation, and economic development on a global scale. By using secondary data sources, the study delivers rich, comprehensive, and generalisable findings on how the use of ICTs drives economic development. Additionally, through mediation analysis, the authors demonstrate that the presence of ICT regulations aimed at ensuring online privacy and security enhances both business and individual utilisation of ICTs, thereby promoting economic development.

Globally, information and communication technology (ICT) is regarded as a reliable tool that facilitates economic development and propels sustainable development. However, little empirical work exists on the specific effects of ICT access and usage on economic and sustainable development. This paper aims to investigate the nexus between ICTs, economic and sustainable development at the global level.

This paper presents ICT for Development (ICT4D) value chain empirical evidence on the linkages between ICTs, economic development and sustainable development goals (SDGs). The research model based on the capability approach is validated by using archival data from 130 global countries and partial least squares–structural equation modelling.

The findings reveal that ICT access and usage significantly influence a country’s attainment of the SDGs. Whilst ICT access plays a crucial role in promoting economic development, ICT usage does not. Also, findings show that economic development significantly mediated the nexus between ICT access and SDGs but not between ICT usage and SDGs. This calls for countries to ensure that access to ICTs is accompanied by a low cost of usage to achieve the full benefits of economic and sustainable development.

Using the ICT4D value chain, this paper empirically shows how ICT readiness and availability in the form of ICT access and ICT uptake (individual ICT use) promote economic development and SDGs (impact). Furthermore, with many studies conducted on SDGs at the country level, this study provides a broader understanding of the roles of ICT access and use on SDGs at the global level. This allows for easy generalisability and reproducibility of results.

This study aims to examine the impact of logistics performance and technological innovation on environmental quality in Africa, focusing on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and renewable energy consumption as indicators of environmental quality.

The study employs a panel data analysis of 43 African countries over the period 1990–2021. Data on logistics performance, technological innovation, CO2 emissions, and renewable energy consumption are sourced from the World Development Indicators database of the World Bank. Grounded in the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework, which integrates economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability, the analysis utilises the generalised method of moments (GMM) technique to address the issue of endogeneity.

The regression results reveal significant relationships between logistics performance, technological innovation and environmental quality indicators. Logistics performance demonstrates a negative impact on CO2 emissions, while technological innovation positively influences renewable energy consumption. The interactive effect of logistics performance and technological innovation mitigates CO2 emissions, aligning with the TBL framework’s environmental dimension by promoting sustainability. Furthermore, trade openness exhibits a significant negative effect on both CO2 emissions and renewable energy consumption. The findings highlight the potential synergies between logistics performance and technological innovation in driving environmental sustainability while offering economic benefits and addressing social well-being.

The findings suggest the importance of prioritising investments in enhancing logistics performance and fostering technological innovation to achieve environmental sustainability goals in Africa.

To the best of the researchers’ knowledge, this study presents an initial attempt to examine the nexus between logistics performance and environmental quality in Africa using the logistics performance index. Furthermore, beyond assessing the individual effects of logistics performance and technological innovation on environmental quality, we delve into their interactive dynamics, adding novelty to the study.

This study aims to examine the linkages between digitalisation, public service delivery and corruption in Ghana using survey data from 121 respondents in Ghana. The authors also examine the mediating role public service delivery offers on corruption.

This study relied on the capability theory as its theoretical lens and partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) as the data analysis technique.

Results from the PLS-SEM analysis show that public service delivery significantly reduces corruption, whilst digitalisation does not. However, public service delivery significantly mediated the relationship between digitalisation and corruption.

This study’s limitation is that the data was collected from Ghana only. To enhance the generalisability of findings, future research could collect data from multiple countries. In addition, the study did not factor in the moderating effects of demographic variables such as information and communication technology (ICT) literacy. Future research could consider these variables, given the low ICT literacy level of individuals in developing countries. Finally, future researchers could triangulate results with interviews and focus groups to provide more value to the identified questionnaire-based data.

The findings of this study highlight the need for digitalisation to be included in Ghana’s national policy objectives and service delivery objectives. It is essential for the government to ensure broader public engagement with stakeholders, including citizens, to ensure that digitalisation goals are achieved. The study’s results indicate that digitalisation does not significantly influence corruption. This calls for the government of Ghana to consider raising the level of human capital for the successful planning and deployment of e-services. This includes raising citizen ICT literacy and adopting cutting-edge technology to fully realize the benefits of online services. Developing capabilities, e-government leadership, and public sector employees as enablers of online public services should go hand-in-hand. It is also important to build connected capacities in the country and enhance access to information and technology, along with increasing digital infrastructure.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine and offer a dual perspective on the role of digitalisation on public service delivery and corruption whilst considering the mediating role public service delivery offers on corruption.

In an increasingly digitalised society, digital participation is reliant on information communication technology (ICT) access and the ability to use technologies for everyday tasks. To this end, people risk being digitally excluded if they cannot access and use ICTs. The purpose of this paper is to examine globally the effects of ICT access and ICT use on digital inclusion on one hand and the mediating role of ICT usage on the linkage between ICT access and digital inclusion on the other.

The study used a hypothesized model based on structuration theory and secondary data drawn from multiple archival sources in 121 countries. The authors test the model using partial least squares structural equation modelling.

The results from the PLS analysis shows that while ICT usage significantly influences digital inclusion at the global level, ICT access does not. Furthermore, the mediating role of ICT usage was not supported.

This study to the best of the authors’ knowledge is one of the very few studies to examine the effects of ICT access and ICT use on digital inclusion at the global level. The study contributes to the discourse on digital inclusion in ICT4D research.

This study aims to delve into the intricate dynamics within local government authorities in Ghana, exploring the mediating role of political interest in the relationship between internal control systems and financial management.

Using a hypothesized model grounded on the accountability theory and survey data from 701 respondents across local government authorities in Ghana, this study used Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling as the data analysis approach.

The findings indicate that internal control systems have a positive influence on financial management. In addition, political interest was found to significantly mediate the relationship between internal control systems and financial management.

The study was, however, limited by the reliance on survey data obtained from the respondents. Although this study used survey data, it was not feasible to cover the entire country because this study was constrained by resources and time. Future studies may therefore explore same linkages by considering the entire country and adding other moderating variables to examine the nexuses. Future research could explore the subcomponents of internal control systems, including the control environment, control activities, risk assessment, monitoring of controls and information and communication in financial management. This would offer a nuanced understanding of how each dimension contributes to effective financial management.

This study offers two crucial contributions from a practical standpoint. This is accomplished by first allowing practitioners and decision-makers to understand the effects of political interest on organisation’s internal control system and financial management. This information can help practitioners and policymakers develop better systems that will reduce the mediating effects of political interest on the linkage between the internal control system and financial management in the local government authorities. In addition, policymakers will be better informed on how to enact legislation, specifically including sections of autonomous operations by these public agencies in the country, which can be undermined by external pressures or the ruling party.

To the best of authors’ knowledge, this research is the first to investigate such a phenomenon in a developing country context, such as Ghana, and it provides insights into why some local government authorities with seemingly robust internal control systems struggle with financial management issues.

This paper aims to identify the critical success factors in improving information security in Ghanaian firms.

Through an exploratory study of both public and private Ghanaian organizations. The study relied on a research model based on the technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework and a survey instrument to collect data from 525 employees. The data was analyzed using partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

The findings confirm the role of the technological, organizational and environmental contexts as significant determinants in the implementation of information security in Ghanaian organizations. Results from PLS-SEM analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between the technology component of information security initiative, organization’s internal efforts toward its acceptance and a successful implementation of information security in Ghanaian firms. Top management support and fund allocation among others will result in positive information security initiatives and positive attitudes toward securing the organization’s information assets.

The authors discussed the implications of the authors’ findings for research, practice and policy.

The results of this study will be useful for both governmental and non-governmental organizations in terms of best practices for increasing information security. Results from this study will aid organizations in developing countries to better understand their information security needs and identify the necessary procedures to address them.

This study contributes to filling the knowledge gap in organizational information security research and the TOE framework. Despite the TOE framework being one of the most influential theories in contemporary research of information system domains in an organizational context, there is not enough research linking the domains of information security and the TOE model.

The purpose of this paper is to understand how higher education institutions (HEIs) in developing countries can migrate their physical administrative work environment to a virtual platform to improve information management.

The paper employs an interpretive case study approach and a combined lens of activity and agency theories to understand how a developing country HEI attempted to improve its information management by migrating from a physical to a virtual administrative work environment.

The findings show how contradictions caused by role conflicts, administrative staff’s fear of elimination and external consultants’ limited understanding of administrative rules and procedures can hamper work environment virtualisation. Such challenges should be resolved in order to achieve a successful virtual work environment that supports timely and accurate information management.

The study is limited by its single case perspective in one developing country. However, future studies can compare the experiences of HEIs from developed and developing countries in order to account for contextual differences.

The study provides practitioners with insight into how to address conflicts between employees (as potential users) and external consultants during virtual system development and implementation. In particular, role conflict, fear of eliminating some administrative staff and consultants’ limited understanding of administrative work procedures should be resolved for successful work environment virtualisation.

The study is the first attempt to offer rich insight into the challenges associated with administrative work environment virtualisation for improved information management in HEIs, through the principal-agent relationship.

This study aims to investigate the influence of information and communication technology (ICT) capabilities on supply chain fraud and sustainability within the context of Ghana’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Additionally, the research explores the mediating role of supply chain fraud in the relationship between ICT capabilities and supply chain sustainability.

Data were collected from 102 respondents within Ghana’s SME sector, and the research employed the dynamic capability theory as the conceptual framework. The study utilized partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to develop and analyze the proposed model.

The results of the study reveal a significant reduction in supply chain fraud attributable to enhanced ICT capabilities within Ghanaian SMEs. Moreover, ICT capabilities exert a significant positive influence on supply chain sustainability. Importantly, supply chain fraud emerges as a mediator, elucidating its role at the nexus of supply chain sustainability and ICT capabilities.

This research contributes to the limited body of evidence on the interconnectedness of ICT capabilities, supply chain fraud and supply chain sustainability, particularly within the context of Ghanaian SMEs. Notably, this study pioneers an examination of the mediating impact of supply chain fraud on the relationship between ICT capabilities and supply chain sustainability.