Investigating HEMIS pre-implementation factors in Kenyan universities

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Background: A few Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in African countries have successfully implemented the higher education management information system (HEMIS). Aside from technological challenges, studies indicate that other contextual elements (social and economic) play a critical role in influencing implementation.Objectives: This article investigates HEMIS pre-implementation factors in Kenyan HEIs, specifically Universities.Method: The article adopts a qualitative multiple case study approach, focusing on the HEMIS implementation journey of four Universities. Participants from the HEIs cases comprise HEMISs staff who are directly involved in the implementation projects. Data is collected using interviews. Data analysis comprises of reviews of iterations and document analysis.Results: The findings reveal that technological and organisational factors play a key role in motivating implementation. Environmental factors are least significant. Integration, automation, information access, usability, efficiency, cost and scalability are the key influencing factors that influence HEMIS implementation. Other elements include accountability, security, robustness, contractual issues, technological support and need for greater capacity for storage.Conclusion: HEMIS implementation is complex and challenging. Recommendations were offered to incorporate implementation factors and considerations within African or developing countries context to enable the development of more practical solution-oriented perspectives on HEMIS implementation.Contribution: The findings provide an understanding of pre-implementation of HEMIS implementation through its investigation of pre-implementation factors. The findings reveal that technological and organisational factors play a key role in motivating implementation. Environmental factors are least significant. The article recommends adopting a socio-technical approach in the review of pre-implementation in determining HEMIS implementation.