Electronic commerce for development: a conceptual analysis and future research agenda for Africa

Despite the e-commerce boom worldwide, Africa ranks last on all indicators of e-commerce readiness, indicating that it is not sufficiently benefiting from this practice's economic, social, and human development potential. This paper explores the role of research in promoting knowledge on how e-commerce can contribute to Africa’s development. It uses Jakubik’s knowledge creation theory and the scientometric perspective of knowledge diffusion to identify six main conceptual themes that characterize knowledge creation and diffusion through research on e-commerce in Africa using four different science mapping methods. Results show that knowledge created and disseminated through academic research on e-commerce in Africa is not adapted to what practitioners and policymakers need to better understand how e-commerce can promote development in Africa. We discuss six main points regarding this issue and propose recommendations for addressing them in future research.