TECHNOLOGICAL ACCEPTANCE MODEL

One of the most commonly used model reltated to adoption of new technology is proposed by
Fred Davis in 1989 known as the Technology Acceptance Model. It focuses on two key factors
that influence a person's intention to use modern technology: perceived ease of use and perceived
usefulness. According to this model, there is a clear link between one's desire to use technology
and the users’ actual behavior. Perceived usefulness refers to an individual’s perception that
using technology increases their job efficiency, whereasperceived ease of use refers to their
belief that it should not require to put efforts in using technology (Davis,1989). The model
believes that an individuals understanding of how convenient technology plays a key role in
assessing its utility (Davis,1989).
The model suggests that “perceived usefulnesss” and “perceived ease of use” influence their
decisions about whether to opt for new software or not. This theory shows that perceive ease of
use is the strongest predictor of intention to use technology which is influenced by two key
factors including self-efficacy and instrumentality. The concept of self-efficacy was proposed by
(Bandura; 1982) that states that the easier a device is to use; the higher the user's sense of
efficacy should be. Furthermore, the user-friendly feature can give the customer the impression
that he has the power over what he is doing.
The Technological Acceptance Model (TAM) was develped to illustrate how employees use new
technologies in an organizational environment. However, in consumer marketing, most people
who accept emerging technology related to goods or services also consider the cost with
perceived benefits and ease of use. Recent studies on mobile service adoption, for example,
indicate that consumers' perceptions of prices have a substantial impact on adoption intentions
(Kim et al., 2007).
Zeithaml (1988) defines perceived usefuleness in the contexts of consumer behavior that
"consumer's overall estimation of the utility of a good (or service) is determined by the
associated cost of what is obtained and what is supplied.
References:
Davis FD. Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information
technology. MIS Q. 1989:319–40.
Kim, H.W., Chan, H.C. and Gupta, S. (2007), “Value-based adoption of mobile internet: an
empirical investigation”, Decision Support systems, Vol. 43, pp. 111-26.

Thaler, R. (1985), “Mental accounting and consumer choice”, Marketing Science, Vol. 4 No. 3,
pp. 199-214.

Bandura, A. (1982), “Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency”, American Psychologist, Vol.

37 No. 2, pp. 122-47.