Applying the Technology Acceptance Model to Social Networking Sites (SNS): Impact of Subjective Norm and Social Capital on the Acceptance of SNS

With their heavy traffic and technological capabilities, social networking sites (SNS) introduced a new means of building and maintaining perceived social capital. This study aims to identify underlying factors and causal relationships that affect behavioral intention to use SNS. For this purpose, this research developed an extended technology acceptance model, incorporating subjective norm and perceived social capital for predicting SNS acceptance and usage. Exploratory correlation and path analyses were conducted to identify the relationships between five constructs: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, subjective norm, perceived social capital, and intention to use. The results showed that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use had robust effects on the user's intention to use SNS. The research findings also demonstrated that subjective norm and perceived social capital were significant predictors of both perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use and therefore should be considered as potential variables for extending the technology acceptance model.     

Factors influencing continuance intention to use social network sites: The Facebook case

Social networking sites (SNS) have become one of the most popular means of online social interaction. However, few studies have examined SNS from the context of post-adoption. This study focuses on continuance usage intention toward Facebook, a popular SNS, among university students in the United Arab Emirates. We have extended the expectation–confirmation model by investigating the influence of enjoyment and subjective norms as critical factors that directly influence continuance usage intention, and added habit as a mediator between satisfaction and continuance intention. We used structural equation modeling to validate the proposed model and hypotheses. We find that perceived usefulness, satisfaction, habit, enjoyment, and subjective norms explain 54.8% of the variance in continuance intention. Furthermore, our study shows that the effect of satisfaction on continuance intention is both direct and mediated by habit. Thus, practitioners should focus on all of these factors to encourage continuance usage intention in their site’s users.     

Understanding Chinese users’ continuance intention toward online social networks: an integrative theoretical model

This study explores users’ continuance intention in online social networks by synthesizing Bhattacherjee’s IS continuance theory with flow theory, social capital theory, and the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to consider the special hedonic, social and utilitarian factors in the online social network environment. The integrated model was empirically tested with 320 online social network users in China. The results indicated that continuance intention was explained substantially by all hypothesized antecedents including perceived enjoyment, perceived usefulness, usage satisfaction, effort expectancy, social influence, tie strength, shared norms and trust. Based on the research findings, we offer discussions of both theoretical and practical implications.     

A model of organizational employees’ e-learning systems acceptance

This study examines the factors that influence employees’ adoption and use of e-learning systems and tests the applicability of the technology acceptance model (TAM) in the organizational context. We examined the relationship of employees’ perceptions of their behavioral intention to use e-learning systems in terms of four determinants (individual, organizational, task characteristics, and subjective norm), to further explore the effects of management and organizational support on the subjective norm. Data were 357 valid questionnaires from four industries in Taiwan. The findings indicate that organizational support and management support significantly affected perceived usefulness and intention to use. Individuals’ experience with computers and computer self-efficacy had significantly positive effects on perceived ease of use. Task equivocality significantly influenced perceived usefulness. Organizational and management supports significantly impacted the subjective norm, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and intention to use. Additionally, the results suggest that external variables that affect perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and intention to use, need to be considered as important factors in the process of designing, implementing, and operating e-learning systems. The results provided a more comprehensive insight of individual, organizational, and task characteristics in predicting e-learning acceptance behavior in the organizational contexts, rarely tested in previous studies. By considering these identified factors, practitioners can take corresponding measures to predict or promote organizational employees’ e-learning systems acceptance more effectively and efficiently. Furthermore, by explaining employees’ acceptance behavior, the findings of this research help to develop more user-friendly e-learning systems and provide insight into the best way to promote e-learning systems for employees.     

Factors influencing the continuance intention to the usage of Web 2.0: An empirical study

New business models and applications have been continuously developed and popularized on the Internet. In recent years, a number of applications including blogs, Facebook, iGoogle, Plurk, Twitter, and YouTube known as Web 2.0 have become very popular. These aforementioned applications all have a strong social flavor. However, what social factors exert an influence onto their use is still unclear and remains as a research issue to be further investigated. This research studies four social factors and they are subjective norm, image, critical mass, and electronic word-of-mouth. A causal model of the satisfaction and continuance intention of Web 2.0 users as a function of these four social factors is proposed. Results indicate that user satisfaction with Web 2.0 applications significantly affects electronic word-of-mouth, which in turn significantly influences their continuance intention. In addition, subjective norm, image and critical mass all have a significant impact onto satisfaction, which in turn has an indirect significant influence on electronic word-of-mouth. Finally, all social factors have a significant direct impact on continuance intention. Finally, implications for service providers and researchers are discussed.     

Understanding the Intention of Using Mobile Social Networking Apps Across Cultures

Understanding the user acceptance of mobile social networking apps in different cultures can provide powerful insights for managers and marketers of social networking apps to develop effective globalized and localized strategies to attract users worldwide. Following the theory of planned behavior, this study develops a research model of privacy concern (PC), privacy risk (PR), and perceived enjoyment (PE) as attitudinal beliefs, subjective norm (SN) as normative belief, and smartphone self-efficacy (SE) as control belief to understand users’ intention to use mobile social networking apps. In particular, the impact of culture was investigated, considering the user base of mobile social networking apps is distributed globally and culturally diversified, and cultural values have direct impact on behavior. The research model was validated by survey data collected from 151 participants in the U.S. and 170 participants in South Korea. The data analysis results show that perceived enjoyment and subjective norm are the most important drivers behind users’ intention to use mobile social networking apps for both countries. No significant difference was found for the effects of privacy risk and subjective norm upon users’ intention to use mobile social networking apps across cultures. Implications of the findings upon theory and practice are discussed.     

Predicting electronic service continuance with a decomposed theory of planned behaviour

Previous research suggests that an eventual information technology (IT) success depends on both its initial adoption (acceptance) and subsequent continued usage (continuance). Theory of planned behaviour (TPB) has been successfully used to predict users' acceptance of IT. Yet, this theory has not been applied to the context of continuance of IT. This paper examines post-adoption cognitive beliefs and factors influencing one's intention to continue using (continuance) electronic services (e-services). Decomposed theory of planned behaviour (DTPB) is adapted from social psychology and integrated with theoretical and empirical findings from prior information systems (IS) usage research to theorize a model of e-service continuance. Specifically, the research model decomposes the perceived behavioural control components of TPB into Internet self-efficacy and perceived controllability, the subjective norm component into social influences and interpersonal influence, and the attitude component into perceived usefulness, perceived playfulness, and perceived risk. Nine research hypotheses derived from this model are empirically validated using a field survey of Web-based tax filing service users. The results suggest that users' continuance intention is determined by Internet self-efficacy and satisfaction. Satisfaction, in turn, is jointly determined by interpersonal influence, perceived usefulness, and perceived playfulness.     

Exploring Chinese users’ acceptance of instant messaging using the theory of planned behavior,the technology acceptance model,and the flow theory

Instant messaging (IM) is a popular Internet application around the world. In China, the competition in the IM market is very intense and there are over 10 IM products available. We examine the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations that affect Chinese users’ acceptance of IM based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the technology acceptance model (TAM), and the flow theory. Results demonstrate that users’ perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment significantly influence their attitude towards using IM, which in turn impacts their behavioral intention. Furthermore, perceived usefulness, users’ concentration, and two components of the theory of planned behavior (TPB): subjective norm and perceived behavioral control, also have significant impact on the behavioral intention. Users’ intention determines their actual usage behavior.     

Factors influencing teachers’ intention to use technology: Model development and test

Among the key players in any effective integration of technology in teaching and learning is the teacher. Despite the research that has been conducted to examine the factors that explain teachers’ intention to use technology, few have developed a model to statistically explain the interactions among these factors and how they influence teachers’ intention to use technology. Five variables (perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, subjective norm, facilitating conditions, and attitude towards use) and behavioural intention to use technology were used to build a research model in this study and structural equation modelling was used for parameter estimation and model testing. Self-reported data were gathered from 592 teachers from schools in Singapore. Results revealed a good model fit and of the nine hypotheses formulated in this study, eight were supported. Subjective norm was not found to be a significant influence on teachers’ intention to use technology while the other four variables were.     

Age differences in perceptions of online community participation among non-users: An extension of the Technology Acceptance Model

This study examined age differences in perceptions of online communities held by people who were not yet participating in these relatively new social spaces. Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), we investigated the factors that affect future intention to participate in online communities. Our results supported the proposition that perceived usefulness positively affects behavioral intention, yet it was determined that perceived ease of use was not a significant predictor of perceived usefulness. The study also discovered negative relationships between age and Internet self-efficacy and the perceived quality of online community websites. However, the moderating role of age was not found. The findings suggest that the relationships among perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and intention to participate in online communities do not change with age. Theoretical and practical implications and limitations were discussed.     

A theoretical acceptance model for computer-based communication media: Nine field studies

This research study develops and tests a theoretical acceptance model to explain users’ acceptance of computer-based communication media. The model, which is referred to as TAM_CCM, originated from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and conforms to the context of Computer-based Communication Media (CCM). It explains perceived usefulness and actual system use in terms of system characteristics (information process support and facilitating conditions), social influence (subjective norm and rules on media use), and user characteristics (experience and computer self efficacy). The model was tested using empirical data collected at nine organizations (N = 425), of which four had media rules and five had no similar rules. The TAM_CCM model was strongly supported accounting for 74% of the variance in usefulness perceptions and up to 74% of the variance in behavior intention to use. System characteristics (information process support), social influence (subjective norm and rules on media use), and user experience significantly influenced user acceptance of computer-based communication media. These advanced theory findings on computer-based communication media adoption and the research approach contribute to future research aimed at incorporating the TAM into specific contexts.     

Understanding pre-service teachers' computer attitudes: applying and extending the technology acceptance model

Abstract   Computers are increasingly widespread, influencing many aspects of our social and work lives, As we move into a technology-based society, it is important that classroom experiences with computers are made available for all students. The purpose of this study is to examine pre-service teachers' attitudes towards computers. This study extends the technology acceptance model (TAM) framework, with subjective norm and facilitating conditions acting as external variables. Results shows that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and subjective norm were significant determinants of pre-service computer attitudes. Facilitating conditions did not influence computer attitude directly but through perceived ease of use. These findings demonstrate that social norm and facilitating conditions are potential variables that may be used to extend the TAM for research on computer attitudes.     

The role of perceived enjoyment and social norm in the adoption of technology with network externalities

The emergence of highly interactive media and the increased connectivity among people call for an investigation of usage behaviour of those media. People tend to rely heavily on peer-to-peer interaction influencing the adoption of new media formats that enhance this interactivity. The first explorative phase of this research consists of interviews with experts and focus groups and builds the basis of the proposed framework and measurement model. Then, a Structural Equation Modelling approach is used to assess the relative importance and the strength between different constructs, including perceived enjoyment, social norm, usefulness, ease of use and intention to use. The results indicate that perceived enjoyment and social norm are important antecedents for the adoption of technology with network externalities.     

Influencing factors of mobile instant messaging applications between single- and multi- platform use cases

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that influence the usage intention for different instant messaging application platforms. This study targeted the widespread instant messaging software LINE, for which a survey of 485 valid respondents was conducted in Taiwan. Statistical and model structure analyses were applied to validate the hypotheses proposed in this study. We examined the differences between single- and multi-platform use cases in terms of the relationship between consumer value and behavioral intention. The results show that perceived interactivity, perceived playfulness, and perceived usefulness have significant effects on the continued usage and recommendation intentions of users in a single-platform use case. However, perceived interactivity and perceived playfulness did not have significant effects in multi-platform use cases. The findings of this study provide a new perspective for investigating the intention to continue using a multiplatform application. The results will benefit subsequent studies in this area and provide guidance for the development of instant messaging and other social media applications.     

Perceived derived attributes of online customer reviews

The influence of online customer reviews (OCRs) on customers' purchase intention has recently gained considerable attention, in both academic and business communities. Technology allows customers to freely and easily post their comments and opinions online about any product or service; this type of customer review can have a significant effect on customers' purchase decisions. Previous studies, however, have mainly focused on the influence of the virtual attributes of OCRs such as volume and valence on consumers' intentions, while limited attention has been paid to understanding the effects of the derived attributes. This study, thus, aims to understand the impact of the perceived derived attributes of OCRs on customer trust and intention. This study develops a – Perceived Derived Attributes (PDA) - model, based on the inclusion of perceived control from the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) with the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), in order to investigate the effects of OCRs on customers’ purchasing intention. A total of 489 responses to a survey were collected from users of amazon.com. The findings from this study suggest that customer trust in an e-vendor and their intention to shop online are significantly affected by perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and perceived enjoyment of OCRs. Furthermore, the sense of control derived from OCRs significantly affects customer intention and significantly affects customer trust in e-vendors, particularly for customers who frequently check OCRs before making a purchase. Clearly, those attributes of OCRs are linked to the development of the shopping environment, which consequently can affect sales.     

Factors affecting reposting behaviour using a mobile phone-based user-generated-content online community application among Chinese young adults

Mobile phone-based user-generated-content (UGC) online community applications have gained increasing popularity among young generations. However, factors that may affect usage behaviour regarding the applications are not fully investigated. In this study, we employed the Technology Acceptance Model as the basis to explore factors that are able to predict user reposting behaviour with the applications. University students (N?=?322) completed a self-reported questionnaire for measuring the studied constructs after they experienced a high-fidelity prototype of a mobile UGC online community application. Results from path analysis demonstrated that perceived usefulness and attitude towards usage were significant determinants of user reposting intention, with 23% of its variance explained. Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and information credibility directly predicted attitude towards usage and accounted for 45% of its variance. Perceived ease of use exerted influence on both perceived usefulness and information credibility. The findings can enhance our understanding of factors that contribute to user reposting behaviour and provide insight into design and implementation strategies to increase the likelihood of user intention to repost information using mobile UGC online community applications.     

Exploring sustained participation in firm-hosted communities in China: the effects of social capital and active degree

Firm-hosted online communities are user-centred, and their efficacy depends on the users’ sustained participation. This study investigated the impact of social capital on users’ continued usage intention. Specifically, since very little work has been done to explore the antecedents of social capital, we tested the role of operator-related and individual-related factors in cultivating social capital by proposing an integrated research model to fill this gap. Furthermore, to gain deeper insights into continuance intention, we postulate that active degree moderates the relationship between social capital and users’ continued usage intention. Our model is empirically examined using survey data collected from 373 members of a well-known firm-hosted online community in China. The results reveal that the firm’s reaction, offline activities, interaction support, seeking reputation and perceived enjoyment are the significant antecedents of social capital. Additionally, social tie and shared vision exert a stronger effect on continued usage intention for active users, whereas identification has a higher influence on continued usage intention for inactive users. Finally, this study discusses the theoretical and practical implications of these findings and provides possible directions for future research.     

Cultural Effects on Use of Online Social Media for Health-Related Information Acquisition and Sharing in Taiwan

The aims of this study were to use the technology acceptance model to examine how the cultural characteristics of social media users in Taiwan affect their use of social media for acquiring and sharing health-related information and to examine how their use of online social media benefits their social relationships and health self-efficacy. The research model in this quantitative cross-sectional study was tested with data collected from 321 active Facebook users in Taiwan. All three cultural characteristics/dimensions considered in the research model (masculinity, collectivism, and uncertainty avoidance) significantly affected the perceived usefulness and the perceived ease of using the online social media platform. However, masculinity had a significant positive effect on perceived usefulness but not on perceived ease of use. These results imply that technology tools for people in high masculinity cultures should be designed to maximize the effectiveness of the technology for achieving goals rather than to maximize the ease of using the technology. On the other hand, the use of online social media for acquiring and sharing health-related information significantly affected the social relationships of users but not their health self-efficacy. The results of this study imply that participants in online communities share health-related information not only to enhance their health but also to form strong social connections. This study proposes a new construct of technology acceptance, acquisition, and sharing of health-related information and investigates its effects on social relationships and health self-efficacy.