Institutional Effects on API Development and Integration in Developing Countries: Evidence from Ghana
Date
2018-08
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Americas Conference on Information Systems 2018: Digital Disruption, AMCIS 2018
Abstract
Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are perceived as major enablers of digital transformation, as
such they have attracted the attention of both practitioners and researchers. This notwithstanding, past
research on APIs have focused largely on the technical dimensions, neglecting the social and cultural
contexts. The purpose of this study is therefore to understand how regulative, normative and cognitive
institutions affect the development and integration of APIs in Ghana. Drawing on the new institutional
theory as a lens and an interpretive case study methodology, our findings show that normative institutions
such as business strategy, customers need, relationships, and experience of vendors enabled the
development and integration of APIs. However, regulative institutions in the form of regulations and laws
(unwillingness of some institutions to integrate with other applications), security concerns, were regarded
as constraining factors to API integration. Also, Cognitive forces in the form of non-disclosure issues and
carelessness constrained the integration of APIs
Description
Keywords
API, Development, Integration, Institutional forces, Developing country