Why Don't Men Ever Stop to Ask for Directions?

Gender, Social Influence, and

Their Role in Technology Acceptance and Usage Behavior
Viswanath Venkatesh and Michael G. Morris
MIS Quarterly
Vol. 24, No. 1 (Mar., 2000), pp. 115-139
(article consists of 25 pages)
Published by: Management Information Systems Research Center, University of
Minnesota
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3250981

MIS Quarterly © 2000 Management Information Systems Research Center,

University of Minnesota

Abstract

Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this research investigated

gender differences in the overlooked context of individual adoption and
sustained usage of technology in the workplace. User reactions and technology
usage behavior were studied over a five-month period among 342 workers being
introduced to a new software system. At all three points of measurement,
compared to women, men's technology usage decisions were more strongly
influenced by their perceptions of usefulness. In contrast, women were more
strongly influenced by perceptions of ease of use and subjective norm, although
the effect of subjective norm diminished over time. These findings were robust
even after statistically controlling for key confounding variables identified in prior
organizational behavior research (i.e., income, occupation, and education levels),
and another possible confound from technology research, prior experience with
computers in general. Thus, in addition to identifying key boundary conditions in
the role of the original TAM constructs (perceived usefulness and perceived ease
of use), this research provides the basis for the integration of subjective norm
into the model. In light of these findings, implications for theory and practice are
discussed.