Technology acceptance in modern organisations: The role of past behaviour and perceived behavioural control

Abstract

New information systems will only improve organisational performance if they are accepted and used to their full capacity. It is therefore important to be able to understand, explain and predict the factors affecting technology acceptance. One model which has been successful at this is the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM; Davis, 1986). This study tests an extension of the TAM in a mandatory usage environment. The extended TAM proposed here incorporates two new independent measures; past behaviour and perceived behavioural control. Participants were 285 members of an Australian Government Department who had been using a new information system for approximately 4 months. Usage of the system was mandated in organisational policy and there were no alternative systems or processes available to participants to complete their job requirements. Results indicate that when information system usage is mandatory (or non- volitional) perceived behavioural control significantly increases the ability of the extended TAM to predict system acceptance behaviour. Furthermore, self-reports of system usage were not related to the participants intention to use the system and user satisfaction was the only dependent variable accurately predicted by the model. Past behaviour did not predict either behavioural intention or behaviour in this study. The implications of these findings for technology acceptance in modern organisations and areas for future research are discussed.

Date of Award	2001
Original language	English
Supervisor	Marie Carroll (Supervisor) & Patricia M. Brown (Supervisor)