External Variables as Antecedents of Users Perception in Virtual Library Usage

Introduction The Technology Acceptance Model developed by Davis (1989) is to provide a basis for tracing the impact of external variables on internal beliefs, attitudes, and intentions. Davis originated technology acceptance model to find out what factors cause people to accept or reject an information technology. Davis suggested that the two most important individual belief constructs towards acceptance of information technology are perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Perceived usefulness is the degree to which a person believes that using a particular system would enhance his or her job performance while perceived ease of use is the degree to which a person believes that using a particular system would be free of effort. The technology acceptance model suggests that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are beliefs about a new technology that influence attitude toward using that technology (Davis, Bagozzi, & Warshaw, 1989). Attitude toward using technology refers to an individual's overall affective reaction to using a system (Venkatesh, Morris, Davis, & Davis, 2003). Generally, the technology acceptance model purports to offer clarification on determinants of computer acceptance and specifically to explain user behaviour across user population that is theory based. The technology acceptance model, therefore, is to make available a basis for outlining the importance of external factors on internal beliefs, attitudes, and intentions. Some extensions of the technology acceptance model examined the antecedents of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Some researchers introduce external variables such as personality traits and demographic characteristics (Gefen & Straub, 1997; Venkatesh, 2000; Venkatesh & Morris, 2000; Venkatesh et al., 2003) as antecedents for perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Theory of Reasoned Action The technology acceptance model originated from theory of reasoned action proposed by Fishbein and Ajzen (1975). The theory of reasoned action proposes that individuals make reasonable choices in decision making by calculating and evaluating relevant beliefs in the process of forming their attitude toward behaviour. A person's attitude toward behaviour is determined by beliefs that the behaviour will lead to favourable or unfavourable outcomes. A personal belief about the behaviour is a person's expectations and evaluation of outcome of performing the behaviour. It is expedient therefore to identify the beliefs that underline the behaviour. Theory reasoned action asserts that any other factors that influence behaviour do so only indirectly by influencing attitude and subjective norms. Subjective norm is the individual's motivation to comply with social convention such as computer. Attitude toward the behaviour predicts intention. Intentions are shaped by one's attitude toward the behaviour as well as subjective norm. A person's intention to act is the immediate determinant of behaviour. The basic assumptions of the theory of reasoned action is that people are rational, thoughtful but not automatic. People's behaviour are based on their beliefs about the consequences of the behaviour and what the other people want them to do; therefore behaviour is rational and social. The theory of reasoned action illustrates the link between attitudes and behaviour which proffers that the theory of reasoned action purportedly results in attitude change. Theory of reasoned action is used to predict behaviour only in a real voluntary situation; moreover behaviour is preceded by behavioural intentions. The Research Model and Hypotheses The technology acceptance model is widely supported; some researchers (Dishaw & Strong, 1999; Venkatesh, 2000; Venkatesh & Brown, 2001) call for other studies to investigate whether the technology acceptance model's belief variables, which are perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, are mediators of the effect of external variables and, if so, which external variables are important. …