Globalization and E-Commerce: A Cross-Cultural Investigation of User Attitudes

Abstract

Many authors argue that information and communications technology (ICT) in this New Economy is causing a globalized, unified society. Others take the opposite stand, viewing local factors such as national culture as very important to the success of information technology (IT). Research indicates that related factors such as gender may also play important roles in the use and acceptance of IT. This chapter uniquely examined these by using electronic commerce as the common technology. Business students from the U.S., Greece, and England expressed opinions on the important issues of National Control, Privacy Cost, Property Rights, and Consumer Preferences. Using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), sufficient evidence was found to conclude that there are statistically significant differences in attitude about e-commerce among cultural groups, but not with gender groups. This research found support for several studies indicating the importance of culture on attitudes about technology, and postulated that common attitudes about Privacy Cost and Consumerism may be among indicators of a “technology veneer”.