Age factor and Technology acceptance Behaviour of Academics in Pakistan

Abstract

To identify the factors that determine academics intention towards internet technology an extension of technology acceptance model (TAM) is presented. In addition to the TAM’s predictors ( i.e. perceived ease of use(PEOU), perceived usefulness(PU) and behavioural intention(BI)) extended model integrated the direct impact of control beliefs (i.e. technology facilitation (TF), resource facilitation (RF) and self-efficacy (SE) ) as determinants of individuals’ acceptance behaviour. Moreover, model attempted to investigate overlooked moderating impact age over the beliefs of acceptance. Using a cross-sectional survey method, data was collected from 504 academics working in 25 public and private higher educational institutions (HEI’s) in Pakistan. The final model was tested with 380 subjects. Hypothetical relationships were examined using structural equation modelling (SEM) based on the partial least squares (PLS). The indirect exploratory effect of the moderators was examined using multi-group analysis (MGA) method. The study findings indicate that the extended model achieved an acceptable fit with the data (i.e., GoF=0.45). Overall model explained 26% variance, and specifically within sample younger in age explained 33% in academics intention towards internet technology. The significant predictors that affected academic’s intention towards internet were PU, TF, and RF s; and towards perceived usefulness of internet was PEOU. Age as moderator only showed significant impact on PEOUPU and RFBI, such that paths were only significant within sample younger in age.