Effectiveness Information Communication Technology Systems and Its Impact on Organizational Performance: Case of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia

1. Introduction

Information plays an important role in decision making and this makes information systems an integral part of different types of entities ranging from churches, schools, formal and informal corporates. Large organisations like Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) benefit significantly from well managed communication concerning their activities as they cater for centralization of management, monitoring and evaluation of activities and transactions (Arnold, 2014). Only a few churches use Information Communication Technology (ICT) systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning Systems to manage their activities, control their activities and stream their services live in Africa, with the exception of recently established churches that is those churches that have been established in the last decades. The research to investigated the effectiveness of ICT in traditional churches that is churches that have existed before developed countries obtained their independence like ELCIN and how they have managed to stay afloat despite not using much ICT systems like the Benn Hinn, Criflo Dollar, Kenneth Copland, TD Jakes and Joel Ostin Ministries which seemingly have made strides in harnessing ICT (Thomas, 2015:7). These churches have integrated live streaming of services, online payments or contributions from church members which have not been established by the traditional churches showing the gap between the two church groups. The research aims to point out the types of ICT systems in place at ELCIN, their effectiveness and to make recommendations for the best possible information systems for ELCIN. The research dissertation clearly indicated the envisaged research’s objectives, aim, significance, literature review, methodology and data analysis techniques that were employed by the researcher in order to make conclusions and recommendations for the organization.