Predictors of computer utilization among personnel of the local government units in the province of Antique: Implications to human resource management

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine the predictors of computer utilization among the Local Government Units personnel in the Province of Antique and its implications to human resource management; specifically to determine the LGU personnel’s characteristics, adequacy of trainings and seminars, computer literacy, perceived ease of use and usefulness of computer, attitude towards computer use, behavioural intention to use computer and extent of utilization. The relationship between the variables was also measured. This is a descriptive-relational study utilizing a one-shot survey design. The respondents of this study were 220 administrative heads, 307 support staff, and 100 frontliners of the 18 municipalities of the province of Antique. A validated researcher made questionnaire with reliability coefficient of 0.98 was used as the research instrument. Most of the respondents were 46 years old and above, female, with bachelor’s degree holder, and with a monthly income of Php 10, 001.00 to Php 20, 000.00. They do not have adequate trainings and seminars on ICT. The administrative heads had poor computer literacy in almost all aspects of computer operations, while the frontline and support service providers had high computer literacy. Most of the respondents perceived xiii computers to be useful, but not easy to use. They have unfavorable attitude towards computer use, yet have the intention to use it. The frontline personnel use computers to a great extent but the support staff use computer to a little extent only and the administrative heads had used computer to a little extent. The relational analyses showed that age, educational attainment, trainings and seminars, and computer literacy were factors related to attitude towards computer use; while only trainings and computer literacy were found to be significantly related to perceived ease of use and usefulness of computers. The factors related to behavioral intention of the respondents were computer literacy and income, while personal characteristics, trainings and seminars, and computer literacy contributed to extent of computer utilization. Perceived ease of use and attitude were associated to behavioral intention; while behavioral intention is associated with extent of computer use. The strongest predictors of extent of computer utilization are attitude, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of computers, age and computer literacy.