Influence of Information and Communication Technology (Ict) Usage on Performance of Office Management Practices

Abstract

This study aims to assess the influence of information and communication technology (ICT) usage on the performance of office management practices at the Tanzania Automotive Technology Centre (TATC). Specifically, the study addresses the influence of ICT usage on internal administration, planning and decision-making, and service delivery. The study adopted a positivist research philosophy, a quantitative research approach, and a descriptive research design. Data were collected from 134 Automotive Technology Centre staff respondents using structured questionnaires. The sample was obtained through purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in data analysis using a statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The findings indicate that ICT usage significantly improves office management practices in several ways. For internal administration, ICT improves internal communication, simplifies administrative processes, enhances data management, and supports interdepartmental collaboration. Also, for planning and decision-making purposes, ICT tools increase efficiency, accuracy, and speed by providing timely access to data, better forecasting capabilities, and improved transparency. In service delivery, ICT has led to increased accessibility, speed, customization, and improved feedback mechanisms, resulting in higher levels of customer and stakeholder satisfaction. Inferential statistical analysis using multiple linear regression also showed a strong positive relationship between ICT use and office management performance, explaining 50.2% of the variance. The results highlight the importance of ICT in improving internal administrative processes, strategic planning, and service delivery, with positive associations xvi confirmed by regression coefficients and correlation analysis. The study recommends the implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, investment in modern ICT infrastructure, and using data analytics for evidence-based decision-making.