Modeling the Determinants Affecting Consumers’ Acceptance and Use of Information and Communications Technology

Introduction

Information and communications technology or information and communication technology (ICT), is often used as an extended synonym for Information Technology (IT), but is a more specific term that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications, computers as well as necessary enterprise software, middleware, storage, and audio-visual systems, which enable users to access, store, transmit, and manipulate information (Wikipedia, 2012). ICT is an interdisciplinary area of research driven and shaped by the fast development of computing, communication, and Internet-related technologies, which have a great impact on our societies and daily lives. Over the last few decades there has been an increase in ICT research, which has changed and shaped the way societies and organizations operate and produce their goods and services. It is not only the generation of new technology but also, and perhaps even to a higher extent, its diffusion throughout the economy which affects productivity growth at the macro-level.

Agarwal (2000) defines technology adoption as the use, or acceptance of a new technology, or new product. Moreover, understanding individual acceptance and use of information technology is one of the most mature streams of information systems research. The Internet and mobile technology, the two most dynamic technological forces in modern information and communication technologies are converging into one ubiquitous mobile Internet service, which will change our way of both doing business and dealing with our daily routine activities. There is no doubt that the mobile Internet service is moving toward the new generation on which enables mobile users to enjoy a variety of new and upgraded multimedia mobile services.

It is not only the generation of new technology but also, and perhaps even to a higher extent, its diffusion throughout the economy which affects productivity growth at the macro-level. Pilat and Lee (2001), showed that to capture the benefits of ICT it is not necessary to dispose of an ICT producing sector. Timely diffusion of new technology or, from the firm’s point of view, its adoption is a key element to securing economic growth.

ICT use has proliferated throughout most sectors of the economies of developed countries. In the recent years, the mobile industry as a whole has been growing at an increasing pace (Liu & Li, 2011). Despite the recent downturn following the global financial crisis, the mobile industry has stayed relatively unscathed. With the so-called smart phone revolution, where advanced mobile devices are starting to see mass-adoption, the demand for more sophisticated mobile services is on the rise. Moreover, the penetration of mobile phone handsets and the diffusion of mobile technologies have been dramatically increasing in recent years. While it is still too early to predict that a mobile phone will become the ultimate converged device, people already carry their mobile handsets anytime and anywhere and use them for different purposes.

According to a recent study by on global mobile data traffic forecast, Smartphones represent only 12 percent of total global handsets in use today, but they represent over 82 percent of total global handset traffic (Cisco, 2012). Moreover, the number of mobile phone subscriptions reached almost 6,000 million at the end of 2011, representing a penetration rate of 86.7 percent worldwide and 78.8 percent in developing countries (ITU, 2012). Hence, during the period from Sep. 2011 to Sep. 2012, on an average around 265,000 applications were registered in the US App Store (148Apps, 2012), and 140,000 application were registered in Android Market during same period (AndroLib, 2012).

Ict Acceptance

As the use of information and communication technology (ICT) expands globally, there is need for further research into cultural aspects and implications of ICT. The acceptance of Information Technology (IT) has become a fundamental part of the research plan for most organizations (Igbaria, 1993). A better understanding of the factors contributing to the acceptance or rejection of information technology is the first step toward the solution of the problem.