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WHY DON'T MEN EVER STOP TO ASK FOR DIRECTIONS GENDER, SOCIAL INFLUENCE, AND THEIR ROLE IN TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE AND USAGE BEHAVIOR1
Abstract
Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this research investigated gender differences in the overlooked context of individual adoption and sustained usage of technology in the workplace. User reactions and technology usage behavior were studied over a five-month period among 342 workers being introduced to a new software system. At all three points of measurement, compared to women, men's technology usage deci
sions were more strongly influenced by their perceptions of usefulness. In contrast women were more strongly influenced by perceptions of ease of use and subjective norm, although the effect of subjective norm diminished over time. These findings were robust even after statistically controlling forkey confounding variables identified in prior organizational behavior research (ie., income, occupation, and education levels), and another possible confound from technology research, prior experience with computers in general. Thus, in addition to identifying key boundary conditions in the role of the original TAM constructs (perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use), this research provides the basis for the integration of subjective norm into the model. In light of these findings, implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Keywords: User acceptance, adoption, technology acceptance model, social influences, gender differences
ISRL Categories: AA01, AA07, AC0401, AI0108
Introduction
While advances in hardware and software capabilities continue at an unprecedented pace, the problem of underutilized systems remains (Johansen and Swigart 1996; Moore 1991; Norman 1993; Weiner 1993). Importantly, low usage has been listed as one of the underlying causes behind the so-called "productivity paradox" (Landauer 1995; Sichel 1997). Understanding the conditions under which information systems are or are not accepted and used within organizations continues to be an important issue. Information systems research has examined user acceptance and usage behavior from several different perspectives. Among the different models that have been proposed, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davis 1989; Davis et al. 1989), adapted from the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) (Ajzen and Fishbein 1980; Fishbein and Ajzen 1975), offers a powerful and parsimonious explanation for user acceptance and usage behavior. TAM posits that user acceptance is determined by two key beliefs, namely perceived usefulness and perceived ease...