Obligation-Driven Use and Digital System Success in a Developing-Country Court

Evidence from the Belize Family Court Information System

Abstract

How should information system success be understood in public institutions where technology use is mandated rather than voluntary? In many Global South judicial contexts, digital systems are introduced within resource-constrained organisations where employees must integrate new technologies into established administrative routines. This study examines the factors shaping the success of a judicial information system in Belize, using an extended DeLone and McLean Information Systems Success Model that incorporates Training Adequacy and Workload Fit. Survey data were collected from the full population of 32 employees who use the system in the Belize Family Court, a workforce that is predominantly female, includes many older staff, and reflects the diverse educational backgrounds common in developing-country public sectors.

Reliability and multiple regression analyses were conducted using PSPP*. The results show that Workload Fit predicts System Use, while System Quality and Information Quality predict User Satisfaction. Perceived Net Benefits are driven by User Satisfaction rather than by System Use. Although Net Benefits are rated relatively high, system use is largely obligation-driven and user satisfaction more moderate. The findings highlight how institutional mandates, workforce characteristics, and organisational routines mediate information system success in Global South judicial environments, contributing to ICT4D debates on digital government beyond simple use-based measures of success.