Examining a technology acceptance model of internet usage by academics within Thai Business Schools
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Date
2007
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Publisher
Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
Abstract
Information Technology has been a significant research area for some time, but its
nature has changed considerably since the Internet became prominent just over a
decade ago. Many researchers have studied and proposed theories and models of
technology acceptance in order to predict and explain user behaviour with technology
to account for rapid change in both technologies and their environments. Each theory
or model has been proposed with different sets of determinants and moderators and
most of them have been developed in the U.S. It is therefore questioned whether the
theories and models of technology acceptance that have been developed, modified,
and extended in the U.S. can be used in other countries, especially in Thailand. It is
also questioned whether there might be other determinants and moderators that also
play important roles in this specific environment.
This thesis (1) reviewed literature in respect of nine prominent theories and models,
(2) reviewed previous literature about IT acceptance and usage within four contexts
of study, (3) investigated the extent to which academics use and intend to use the
Internet in their work, (4) investigated how to motivate academics to make full use of
the Internet in their work, (5) investigated to what extent using the Internet helps in
improving academics’ professional practice, professional development and quality of
working life, (6) formulated a research model of technology acceptance regarding
Internet usage by Thai academics, and (7) generated and validated the research model
that best describes Thai academics’ Internet usage behaviour and behaviour intention.
These last two objectives represent the main focus of the thesis.
Questionnaire survey method was used to collect primary data from 927 academics
within Business Schools in 20 Public Universities in Thailand. The survey yielded 455
usable questionnaires, with a response rate of 49%. Statistical analysis methods and
Structural Equation Modelling with AMOS version 6.0 were used to analyse data.
The research model was formulated with five core determinants of usage and up to
nine moderators of key relationships. It was then tested and modified, the final
modified model evidenced by goodness of fit of the model to the data, explained
31.6% (Square Multiple Correlation) of the variance in usage behaviour in teaching,
42.6% in usage behaviour in other tasks, 55.7% in behaviour intention in teaching and
59.8% in behaviour intention in other tasks.
From the Findings, three core determinants: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of
use and self-efficacy significantly determined usage behaviour in teaching. Two core
determinants: perceived usefulness and self-efficacy significantly determined usage
behaviour in other tasks. Finally, usage behaviour significantly influenced behaviour
intention. In addition three moderators: age, e-university plan and level of reading and
writing, impacted the influence of key determinants toward usage behaviour. Only
two moderators: age and research university plan, impacted the influence of usage
behaviour toward behaviour intention. The rest including gender, education level,
academic position, experience and Thai language usage did not impact the influence
of the key determinants toward usage behaviour and did not impact the influence of
usage behaviour toward behaviour intention.
Consequently, the final modified research model which is called the “Internet
Acceptance Model” or “1AM” has the power to explain and predict user behaviour in
a Thai Business Schools environment. A thorough understanding of the model may
help practitioners to analyse the reasons for resistance toward the technology and also
help them to take efficient measures to improve user acceptance and usage of the
technology.
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Thesis
Keywords
Thai Business Schools, Internet usage