Examining Internet and E-commerce Adoption in the Music Records Business in Ghana

Abstract: Context: Information Communication Technologies (ICT) and its related applications are increasingly penetrating all spheres of individual, organizational, and societal aspects of everyday life in the developing economies and Africa as well. The Internet is emerging as an important technology for commerce and business. The employment of Internet based technologies and applications in music service both in online sales and marketing of music records and digital music service is significantly altering the approach that traditional commerce is done. It eliminates all geographical bottlenecks, allowing the establishment of virtual outlets and presence throughout the world, and permits direct and instant foreign market entry to less known artistes and music records businesses. Objectives: In this study, I investigate the state of internet and e-commerce adoption in the music record business in Ghana. I seek to find out the reasons for the adoption of e-commerce platform within the music industry and to assess the challenges confronting the adoption of e-commerce. Methods: We conducted a Literature Review to get an overview of the music industry as a whole, and also to describe the diffusion of e-commerce technologies in music services. We use qualitative research approach to collect data and to identify reasons for the adoption of e-commerce platforms primarily among consumers and retailers of the music services. We conducted interviews with musicians and managers of record companies were conducted to ascertain their reasons for using or non using e-commerce technologies, and identify prospects and challenges confronting its adoption within the industry. Conclusion: The evaluation from musicians, consumers and other key players indicated their willingness to go for the e-commerce platforms in music service delivery. However, they are challenged by poor infrastructures, unsettled issues of monetization of music contents coupled with high digital gap among the citizenry. Prevailing government efforts contribute nevertheless in closing the digital disparity among the populace, and Telecom and ISPs improvement in service delivery give an outlook of full realization of the goal of e-commerce adoption in the music industry in Ghana.