The Impact of Information Technology on the Facilities Management and School Performance Nexus: A Study of Public Higher Education Institutions in Ghana

Purpose This study examined the moderating impact of information technology (IT) on the relationship between facilities management (FM) practices and the performance of public higher education institutions in Ghana. Design/Methodology/Approach The study used a survey design, collecting quantitative data through a questionnaire. A sample size of 51 employees involved in FM in public higher education institutions (HEIs) within the Ashanti Region of Ghana was used for the study. The data collected were analysed using inferential and descriptive statistics. Findings FM practices had a positive impact on the performance of public HEIs. Additionally, a positive correlation was found between the integration of IT and the performance of public HIEs. However, there was an insignificant relationship between the moderator (IT integration) and FM practices, and between these and the performance of public HEIs. Consequently, the study revealed that IT integration had no impact on the relationship between FM and the performance of public HEIs in the Ashanti Region. Originality/Value This study provides a critical counterpoint to the dominant narrative that IT integration inherently transforms FM. In the case of public HEIs in a lower-middle-income country, we find measurable evidence for IT and FM as parallel, rather than synergistic, performance drivers. This new result implies that the hypothesized moderating effect of IT may not always exist and is dependent on a higher level of technological and organizational maturity. Limitations/Implications The findings of the study are limited by its focus on HEIs in the Ashanti Region and a relatively small sample size, which restricts generalisability. Future research should use larger samples, incorporate qualitative approaches to better understand IT use in FM, and examine other organisations with more extensive IT adoption.