An Assessment on the Impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on the Performance of Office Management Practices in Public Organisation: A Case Study of High Court Morogoro Registry

The study assessed the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on the performance of office management practices in public organisations, with a case study of the High Court Morogoro Registry. Specific objectives include the effect of ICT on case processing efficiency and records management; how ICT has influenced internal/external communication, transparency, and client service delivery; and ICT-related risks, capacity, and infrastructure challenges affecting office performance. The study adopted the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) proposed by Venkatesh et al. (2003). This study employed an action research design. Also, this study used a qualitative research approach. The sample size was 34 participants. A purposive sampling and interview guide was used. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. The study revealed that ICT has demonstrably improved core office-management tasks at the High Court Morogoro Registry, notably faster filing, indexing, and retrieval, reduced paper-chasing and clearer audit trails, but these gains are conditional on proper use and upkeep of the systems. The study concludes that the material benefits of ICT are undermined by uneven staff adoption and inconsistent data-entry practices; without standard operating practices and consistent data quality, the systems cannot deliver their full potential. System reliability, unstable networks, power outages, faulty scanners, and slow portals remain a major bottleneck. Frequent downtime erodes efficiency gains and makes some digital processes fragile. The study recommends that the organisation should run targeted refresher trainings for all registry staff focused on practical tasks and job aids; set up a simple helpdesk/ticketing channel (email, WhatsApp, and tracking spreadsheet) to reduce downtime; and repair or replace the highest-impact hardware while providing basic power backups (UPS/portable solar).