Decision Sciences Journal
Volume 30, Number 2
Spring 1999
Are Individual Differences Germane to the Acceptance of New
Information Technologies?
Ritu Agarwal
Florida State University, Information and Management Sciences
Department, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1110, ragarwal@cob.fsu.edu
Jayesh Prasad
University of Dayton, School of Business Administration, Dayton,
OH 45469-2130, prasad@udayton.edu
ABSTRACT
Persuading users to adopt new information technologies persists
as an important problem confronting those responsible for implementing
new information systems. In order to better understand and manage
the process of new technology adoption, several theoretical models
have been proposed, of which the technology acceptance model
(TAM) has gained considerable support. Beliefs and attitudes
represent significant constructs in TAM. A parallel research
stream suggests that individual difference factors are important
in information technology acceptance but does not explicate the
process by which acceptance is influenced. The objective of this
paper is to clarify this process by proposing a theoretical model
wherein the relationship between individual differences and IT
acceptance is hypothesized to be mediated by the constructs of
the technology acceptance model. In essence then, these factors
are viewed as influencing an individual’s beliefs about
an information technology innovation; this relationship is further
supported by drawing upon extensive research in learning. The
theoretical model was tested in an empirical study of 230 users
of an information technology innovation. Results confirm the
basic structure of the model, including the mediating role of
beliefs. Results also identify several individual difference
variables that have significant effects on TAM’s beliefs.
Theoretical contributions and practical implications that follow
are discussed.
Subject Areas: Beliefs about New Technologies, Individual
Differences, Information Technology Innovation, Structural Equation
Modeling, Technology Adoption Models, and Technology Implementation. |