ICT awareness as a moderator in enhancing performance through information quality, innovation, attitude, and trust in Malaysian SMEs

Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) is crucial to economic and social development in both developed and emerging economies like Malaysia. However, research on SME’s performance in Malaysia, particularly regarding the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), remains limited. This study seeks to address this gap by examining the factors influencing SME’s performance in Malaysia, with a focus on the role of ICT. The primary objective of this study is to examine on ICT awareness in moderating the relationship between SME’s performance and its key determinants, including information quality, innovation, attitude, and trust. To achieve this goal, a structured survey methodology was used to collect data from a diverse group of SME’s owners and IT managers across various regions of Peninsular Malaysia, including the Northern, Central (Klang Valley), Southern, and East Coast regions. Respondents were selected using a non-proportional stratified random sampling method, ensuring representative data collection. This study tested five hypotheses on SME’s performance and used a survey to measure the impact of six variables; information quality, innovation, attitude, trust, ICT awareness, and SME’s performance. A total of 538 questionnaires were distributed using a self-administered method, yielding 384 complete responses and a 71% response rate. The findings reveal significant relationships between the variables (information quality, innovation, attitude, trust, ICT awareness) and SME’s performance in Malaysia. Additionally, the research highlights the crucial role of ICT awareness as a moderator in the relationship between these variables and SME’s performance. In summary, this study enhances our understanding of the factors influencing SME’s performance in Malaysia, emphasising the crucial role of ICT awareness as a moderator. Its implications benefit both theory and practice, providing valuable insights for policymakers, SME’s owners, and IT managers.