Towards an understanding of the behavioral intention to use 3G mobile value-added services

As profit margins gradually decline, and market competition becomes increasingly intensive, 3G telecom operators must provide various mobile value-added services, as well as traditional voice services, to attract new subscribers and retain old ones. However, for many 3G mobile value-added services, whether ARPU (average revenue per user) can be effectively enhanced depends on the consumer behavioral intentions. Therefore, this study uses the Technology Acceptance Model as the foundation and incorporate personal innovativeness and perceived cost to further understand consumer’s behavioral intention to use 3G mobile value-added services. The following conclusions can be reached from the research findings: (1) consumer usage rate of current 3G value-added services remains low; (2) increased personal innovativeness will directly enhance the perceived ease of use of 3G mobile value-added services; (3) the perceived usefulness is enhanced when consumers perceive higher ease of use of value-added services; (4) perceived usefulness has the strongest effect on consumer attitude, followed by perceived ease of use and perceived cost, and (5) the most important factor in increasing consumer’s behavioral intention to use 3G mobile value-added services is attitude, followed by perceived ease of use, perceived cost and perceived usefulness. Results of this study provide a valuable reference for service providers to develop mobile value-added services.     

Determinants of users’ intention to adopt wireless technology: An empirical study by integrating TTF with TAM

This paper reported the results of a survey study and provided evidences of empirically testing a model that integrates both technology acceptance model (TAM) and task-technology fit (TTF) model in understanding the determinants of users’ intention to use wireless technology in organizations. Questionnaires were distributed to organizations that bring mobile commerce into practice through the wireless handheld devices. The results indicated that both technology acceptance model and task-technology fit model are robust models by themselves. First, both perceived usefulness and ease of use significantly influence users’ behavior intention to utilize wireless technology. Perceived ease of use has significant effect on perceived usefulness. Second, characteristics of technology and task significantly predict the fit between these two constructs. Significant effect of characteristics of technology on perceived ease of use and usefulness were observed. Finally, significant relationships between TAM and TTF model were also observed. Task-technology fit is a significant direct predictor of technology adoption intention. Overall, users’ intention to adopt wireless technology in organizations was determined directly by fit between characteristics of task and technology as well as users’ perceived ease of use and usefulness.     

A study on factors that affect users’ behavioral intention to transfer usage from the offline to the online channel

Increasingly more service providers offer both offline and online services simultaneously, but consumers still seem to prefer using offline services rather than online ones. Our research focuses on factors that influence users’ intention to transfer their usage from the offline to the online channel that offer similar services. Drawing on the valence framework and prior research related to habit, innovativeness, and Internet experience, we propose a research model that incorporates motivators and inhibitors of usage transfer from both the offline and online channels. Using banking services in China as the research context, our study reveals that innovativeness in new technology and relative benefit have positive effects on users’ intention to transfer usage. Conversely, habits that consumers form in the offline channel have a negative effect on the intention to transfer usage. Moreover, our findings indicate that Internet experience moderates the relationship between relative benefit and consumers’ intention to transfer usage from offline to online services. These results provide a better understanding of consumers’ usage-transfer behavior and offer suggestions to providers in boosting their consumers’ use of online services.     

Exploring factors influencing consumers’ behavioral intention to adopt broadband in Malaysia

The purpose of this paper is to examine various normative, attitudinal and control factors influencing consumers’ intention to adopt broadband internet in a developing country such as Malaysia. This study is based on empirical data collected using a self-administered questionnaire relating to the normative, attitudinal and control variables. Structural equation modeling analysis is conducted to test the role of numerous variables on consumers’ behavioral intentions to adopt broadband internet in Malaysia. Results revealed that Primary Influences (PI), Relative Advantage (RA), Hedonic Outcomes (HO), Facilitating Conditions Resources (FCR), and Self-Efficacy (SE) are positively associated with consumers’ Behavioral Intention (BI) to adopt broadband in Malaysia. The significance of this research study is twofold. Practically, this research study provide some useful guidelines to industry players, be it the internet service providers (ISPs) or the policy makers, to understand which are the factors (primary influences, self-efficacy, relative advantage, hedonic outcomes and facilitating conditions resources) that can have an influence on consumers’ intention to adopt broadband technology. It was found that primary influences, self-efficacy and relative advantage are the key determinants that influences consumers’ broadband adoption. From here, practitioners could take into consideration our findings when revising and restructuring their marketing strategy. Theoretically, the research framework used in this study is an extension from the past research models used (i.e. TPB, DOI and MATH). With the newly integrated framework, a greater level of comprehension can be attained with regards to the broadband acceptance among the Malaysian consumers.     

Customers’ perceptions and intention to adopt Internet banking: the moderation effect of computer self-efficacy

In the past, the conventional concentration of Internet banking (IB) research has been on technology development, but this is now shifting to user-focused research. It has been suggested that potential users of IB services in Malaysia may not adopt the system even if they are available, due to their perceptions of this application and their level of confidence in using it to solve their banking needs. This study therefore employs the extended technology acceptance model as the theoretical framework for assessing the influences of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived reliability, and computer self-efficacy on IB adoption in Malaysia. This study scrutinizes the moderation effect of computer self-efficacy on perceptions–intention relationships. Based on data from a sample of 133 Internet-using bank customers collected through a field survey, it was found that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use were strong determinants of behavioral intention to adopt IB, while perceived reliability has no direct relationship with intention. Computer self-efficacy significantly moderates the relationship of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use with intention.     

Modeling the stimulators of the behavioral intention to use mobile entertainment: Does gender really matter?

This research aims to empirically examine the stimulators that influence consumers’ behavioral intention to use (IU) mobile entertainment (ME) in Malaysia. The proposed stimulators are perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), social influence (SI), perceived self-efficacy (PSE) and perceived enjoyment (PE). PU and PEOU were derived from TAM, SI was taken from the TRA, TPB and DOI model, PE was obtained from the extended-TAM model and PSE was taken from Bandura’s theory. This is among the first study that uses a model consisting of integrated constructs from TAM, extended-TAM, TRA, TPB, DOI and Bandura’s theory in predicting acceptance of ME. Empirical data were analyzed by employing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis. Gender moderating effect was examined via multiple group analysis (MGA). The findings revealed that PU, PEOU, SI and PE are positively associated with consumer IU of ME. Surprisingly, there were no significant moderating effects of gender. The control variables (i.e. age, marital status, education level, number of mobile phone and experience) were found to have no confounding effects on the ME adoption. The findings have contributed theoretical and managerial implications to ME providers, mobile phone manufacturers, the music, movie and gaming industry players.     

Determinants of accepting wireless mobile data services in China

Data services via wireless networks and mobile devices have experienced rapid growth worldwide. We investigated the factors influencing adoption of wireless mobile data services (WMDS) in China and tested our model for explaining adoption intentions there. We argued that individuals form their intention to adopt WMDS under the influence of wireless mobile technology, the social environment, personal innovativeness of IT, trust awareness, and the facilitating conditions. We examined the simultaneous effects of these five influences on beliefs in the context of wireless Internet data services via mobile phones. Survey data were collected from 1432 participants in several metro cities across China. The findings suggest that WMDS adoption intention in China is determined by consumers’ perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of WMDS. Theoretical and practical implications are included in our paper.     

Internet use intention and adoption among Chinese older adults: From the expanded technology acceptance model perspective

The purpose of this paper is to discuss how various factors intertwine to affect Chinese older adults’ decisions to adopt the Internet by applying the expanded technology acceptance model (TAM). Perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEU), subjective norm (SN), and facilitating conditions (FC) were four key predictors. Gender and age were included in the proposed model as factors to moderate the effect of two key TAM components (PU and PEU) on adoption behaviors. The results indicate that PU, PEU, and SN were significant predictors of Internet adoption among Chinese older adults, while PU, SN, and FC were significant predictors of Internet use intention. The effect of PEU on Internet use intention was also found to be stronger for older seniors than younger seniors. Implications for future research and practices are discussed.     

An assessment of advanced mobile services acceptance: Contributions from TAM and diffusion theory models

Today, in addition to traditional mobile services, there are new ones already being used, thanks to the advances in 3G-related technologies. Our work contributed to the emerging body of research by integrating TAM and Diffusion Theory. Based on a sample of 542 Dutch consumers, we found that traditional antecedents of behavioral intention, ease of use and perceived usefulness, can be linked to diffusion-related variables, such as social influence and perceived benefits (flexibility and status).     

Modeling users’ acceptance of mobile services

The success of mobile services adoption hinges on their ability to cover user needs and attract consumer interest. The extant literature focuses on understanding the factors that might affect consumers’ actual adoption of such services through their effect on behavioral intention; these studies are mostly based on behavioral intention theories, such as Technology Acceptance Model, Diffusion of Innovation and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. In this work, new theoretical constructs are combined with existing evidence in order to extend the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as it was initially established by Davis and later further enriched by other researchers. The proposed model includes behavioral intention, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, trust, innovativeness, relationship drivers, and functionality. Within this approach, relationship drivers introduce a marketing perspective to the original models of technology adoption by building emotional connections between the users and the mobile services. The hypothesized model is empirically tested using data collected from a survey on m-commerce consumers. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to evaluate the causal model and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was performed to examine the reliability and validity of the measurement model. It is briefly concluded that behavioral intention is directly affected by perceived usefulness, innovativeness and relationship drivers; the findings provide interesting insights and useful hints to practitioners and researchers.     

User acceptance of YouTube for procedural learning: An extension of the Technology Acceptance Model

The present study was framed using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to identify determinants affecting behavioral intention to use YouTube. Most importantly, this research emphasizes the motives for using YouTube, which is notable given its extrinsic task goal of being used for procedural learning tasks. Our conceptual framework included two proximal antecedents of behavioral intention as proposed by the TAM – perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Additionally, the four first-order constructs of user satisfaction, content richness, vividness, and YouTube self-efficacy, as well as one second-order construct of content richness, were additionally incorporated into the framework by elaborating the theoretical structure. Sample data was collected from 432 respondents who were given the opportunity to engage in procedural learning through YouTube in a lab setting. The results derived from fitting the structural equation model on the sample indicated that behavioral intention was significantly influenced by both perceived usefulness and user satisfaction. Moreover, task-technology fit, content richness, vividness, and YouTube self-efficacy emerged as significant predictors of perceived usefulness. However, perceived ease of use was not significantly predictive of either perceived usefulness or behavioral intention. Our proposed model explained 43.8% of the variance in behavioral intention. Overall findings suggest that YouTube may augment its function as a common channel for procedural learning and instruction.     

e-Learning continuance intention: Moderating effects of user e-learning experience

This study explores the determinants of the e-learning continuance intention of users with different levels of e-learning experience and examines the moderating effects of e-learning experience on the relationships among the determinants. The research hypotheses are empirically validated using the responses received from a survey of 256 users. The results reveal that negative critical incidents and attitude are the main determinants of the users’ intention to continue using the e-learning, irrespective of their level of e-learning experience. In addition, the findings show that the user’s experience of the e-learning service plays a moderating role. The impact of negative critical incidents on perceived ease of use is greater for less experienced users. By contrast, the impact of negative critical incidents on perceived usefulness is greater for more experienced users. Perceived ease of use has a more critical effect on the attitude and continuance intention of less experienced users, whereas perceived usefulness is found to be a stronger determinant of the attitude and behavioral intention of more experienced users. Moreover, the relationship between satisfaction and continuance intention is stronger for less experienced users than for more experienced users. The implications of the present findings for research and managerial practice are analyzed and discussed.     

Understanding the behavior of mobile data services consumers

Due to rapid advances in the Internet and wireless technologies, a ubiquitous computing world is becoming a reality in the form of mobile computing. At the center of this phenomenon is mobile data services which arise from the convergence of advanced mobile communication technologies with data services. Despite the rapid growth in mobile data services, research into consumers’ usage behavior is scarce. This study attempts to identify and empirically assess the factors that drive consumers’ acceptance of mobile data services. A research model based on the decomposed theory of planned behavior and incorporating factors that represent personal needs and motivations in using mobile data services is presented. The model is tested via an online survey of 811 consumers of four categories of mobile data services (i.e., communications, information content, entertainment, and commercial transactions) associated with different usage contexts. We found that attitude, social influence, media influence, perceived mobility, and perceived monetary value influence consumers’ intention to continue usage of mobile data services. In addition, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and perceived enjoyment influence attitude toward continued usage of mobile data services. Finally, separate analysis of the different categories of mobile data services highlights the influence of individual usage context on consumers’ behavior.

User acceptance of wireless technology in organizations: A comparison of alternative models

This paper compared two versions of technology acceptance model (TAM) in understanding the determinants of user intention to use wireless technology in the workplace. The first model is derived from original TAM that includes perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude and behavioral intention, while the alternative model is a parsimonious version in which the attitude was taken out. The results indicated that TAM, either original or parsimonious, is successful in explaining user intention to use wireless technology in organizations. In addition, the parsimonious model showed a better model fit than that of the original model.     

Acceptance of electronic tax filing: A study of taxpayer intentions

Government today has benefited from information technology in many ways. The importance of understanding and influencing citizens’ acceptance of e-government services is critical, given the investment in technology and the potential for cost saving. Using the filing of personal income tax in Taiwan as an example of e-government services, this study integrated two important theories (TAM and TPB), and discussed the factors affecting the taxpayers’ intention to adopt a particular tax-filing method (from manual, two-dimensional barcode, or Internet) based on empirical data gathered from a large-scale nationwide survey. The demographic characteristics and perceptions of the taxpayers were also explored in order to identify potential determinants. Results indicated that taxpayers tend to concentrate on the usefulness of a tax-filing method and may be fairly pragmatic in developing general attitudes towards using the method. Interestingly, the effects of perceived ease of use, subjective norms, and self-efficacy on behavioral intention were different for manual and electronic tax-filers. Understanding these factors can extend our knowledge of taxpayers’ decision making and lead to better planning and implementation of e-government services.     

Consumer adoption of mobile TV: Examining psychological flow and media content

Mobile TV service, which provides television-like content through a mobile device, holds a limelight as the next killer application of wireless technologies and also as a prospective hedonic information technology. However, in a world where other potential wireless technologies and services speedily emerge, vendors and service providers interested in mobile TV hope that it will be diffused over the gulf between early users to general ones prior to competing sprouts. At this point, an investigation of early consumers’ adoption of mobile TV may offer precious information for its survival. Based on the theoretical assumptions of the technology acceptance model (TAM), this study examines influences of cognitive concentration (or flow experience) and media content on consumers’ acceptance of mobile TV. The results are threefold. First, results suggest that cognitive concentration (or flow experience) and content have a significant role in consumers’ intention to use hedonic information technology. Second, results show that content has a critical impact on cognitive concentration. Finally, results support the use of the extended TAM as an explainer in the context of hedonic information technology.     

Understanding determinants of information systems users’ behaviour: a comparison of two models in the context of integrated accounting and budgeting software

This study examines determinants that affect the behaviour of information systems (IS) users, and influence of the users’ decisions to continue using IS by two models: the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the expectation-confirmation model of IS continuance (ECM-IS). The behaviour of professionals who utilise complex software solutions for performing their working tasks has been in the focus of this research. Based on data gathered from questionnaires filled-out by users of the integrated accounting and budgeting software (IABS), the confirmatory factor analysis has shown that both models demonstrate good factor, convergence and discriminatory validity, respectively. The comparison of the obtained results has been performed, and it shows that ECM-IS has a larger explanatory power (R²) over TAM, explaining 49% of the dependent variable (IS continuance intention) in relation to 29%. The IS continuance intention is determined by the users’ satisfaction and perceived usefulness. The user satisfaction is influenced by perceived usefulness and confirmation. The confirmation of the user's expectations has had a positive influence on perceived usefulness. The perceived ease of use has not exerted a significant influence on the user's intention of IS continuance.     

Dimensions of self-efficacy in the study of smart phone acceptance

This study focuses on smart phone acceptance in a major delivery service company in Taiwan. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was tested in two different forms, the original and with self-efficacy added. A two-dimensional improvement to the theory of self-efficacy was investigated in this research. Only assisted self-efficacy was related to both perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, but Individual Self-efficacy was only a predictor of perceived ease of use. This result offers new evidence to the debate of the role of self-efficacy on TAM constructs. Interesting findings including a strong influence of perceived ease of use on perceived usefulness and behavioral intention were compared to prior studies to add additional insights for future research.     

Explaining physicians’ acceptance of EHCR systems: An extension of TAM with trust and risk factors

This paper explains physicians’ acceptance, in terms of usage intentions, of a central component of health information technology: electronic health care records (EHCR systems). For this purpose, the original version of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), which included perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude towards usage, and usage intentions, is extended with trust and risk-related factors such as physicians’ perceptions of institutional trust, perceived risk, and information integrity. The results stress the special importance of attitudinal factors (attitude towards usage and perceived institutional trust) and cognitive instrumental processes (mainly, usefulness perceptions) in determining physicians’ intention to use EHCR systems. Perceptions of institutional trust exerted strong direct effects on physicians’ perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and attitude towards the use of EHCR systems. In addition, trust fully mediated the influences of perceived risk and information integrity perceptions on physicians’ acceptance of EHCR systems.     

University Instructors' Acceptance of Electronic Courseware: An Application of the Technology Acceptance Model

This study examines the factors that influence instructors' adoption and use of an Internet-based course management system and tests the applicability of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), introduced by Davis (1986) , in the context of e-learning practices in higher education. Using data from an online survey of a university's instructors ( N = 191), a path analysis revealed that perceived ease of use of the system had a significant impact on perceived usefulness as the TAM suggested. In addition, a direct effect of perceived usefulness on behavioral intention to use and an indirect effect of the variable on actual system use, both of which were proposed in the TAM, were also found. Further, motivation to use the system played a significant role in affecting perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, evaluation of functions, current system use, and behavioral intention to keep using the system. This study suggests that integration of the TAM and the uses and gratification approach can be fruitful for future research on the diffusion of Internet-based technological systems.