Technology Adoption by Elderly People – An Empirical Analysis of Adopters and Non-Adopters of Social Networking Sites

This research paper analyzes the impact of attitudinal, control and normative beliefs on the intention to use social network sites (SNS) by people older than 50. Using the Model of Adoption of Technology in Households (MATH) and the data of 115 social network site adopters and 53 non-adopters it can be shown that the intention of adopters and non-adopters has been influenced by different reasons. Perceived Ease of Use and Normative Beliefs have only a significant impact for adopters. Moreover, this research paper unfolds Fear of Technology as a strong influence factor for non-adopters in regard not to use SNS in their daily routine. The paper concludes with a discussion of an age-sensitive design of SNS in order to address the digital divide

Investigating the use, adoption and diffusion of Online Social Network adoption (Facebook vs Twitter), within the Older Adult Population (50+) in Hertfordshire UK.

This study aims to Identify, understand, examine & explain the adoption, use & diffusion of Online Social Network\u27s (OSNs); namely, Facebook vs Twitter within the older population of UK using a quantitative approach, a combination of hard copy and online questionnaires. This study used a random and non-random sampling, there were 266 completed replies obtained and analysed using structural equation modelling. This analysis revealed that older adults do not use OSNs for entertainment purposes, but more for effective purposes such as, communication or obtaining news information. It also explains how it provides contributions for academia, policy makers and industrial sectors and offers a conclusion to this paper

Social networking sites and older users - a systematic review

Background: Social networking sites can be beneficial for senior citizens to promote social participation and to enhance intergenerational communication. Particularly for older adults with impaired mobility, social networking sites can help them to connect with family members and other active social networking users. The aim of this systematic review is to give an overview of existing scientific literature on social networking in older users. Methods: Computerized databases were searched and 105 articles were identified and screened using exclusion criteria. After exclusion of 87 articles, 18 articles were included, reviewed, classified, and the key findings were extracted. Common findings are identified and critically discussed and possible future research directions are outlined. Results: The main benefit of using social networking sites for older adults is to enter in an intergenerational communication with younger family members (children and grandchildren) that is appreciated by both sides. Identified barriers are privacy concerns, technical difficulties and the fact that current Web design does not take the needs of older users into account. Conclusions: Under the conditions that these problems are carefully addressed, social networking sites have the potential to support today's and tomorrow's communication between older and younger family member

Silver surfers adopting and using Facebook? A quantitative study of Hertfordshire, UK applied to organizational and social change

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of the following article: Jyoti Choudrie, ‘Silver surfers adopting and using Facebook? A quantitative study of Hertfordshire, UK applied organizational and social change’, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Vol. 89, pp. 293-305, November 2014. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ The final, published version is available online at DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2014.08.007 © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.With an ageing population that is on the increase, there are many older adults still in employment well past their retirement age. Currently, technological developments in the form of Online Social Networks (OSN1) are also impacting society and organizations alike, with organizations searching for ways to cope with these changes. The aim of this research study is to investigate the factors affecting the likelihood of adoption and use of OSN within an older population. Using an online questionnaire, empirical data was drawn from Hertfordshire, a vicinity in the United Kingdom, and analysed using the Partial Least Squares method. The findings revealed that — in a household situation — older individuals adopt internet technologies if they have ‘anytime access’ to internet capable devices, a fast reliable internet connection, the support of their family and friends, as well as an apparent provision of privacy. For organizations, these findings indicate that the provision of a technical/trusted support department is essential, as is the provision for broadband and reliable internet connections. For academia, this research identifies factors that have been developed using theoretical concepts that will impact older adults' adoption and use of new technologies, but requires further research into whether these factors will impact a cross generation of workers in the organizationPeer reviewe

Examining the Adoption, Use and Diffusion of Tablet and Mobile Devices by Older Adults in Hertfordshire County, UK

Ubiquitous or mobile computing is the new trend of this modern era whereby information can be accessed anytime and anywhere. It is anticipated that this form of computing will be more effective than the Internet because of its capability of combining the integral benefits of wireless Internet and interactivity with its own unique characteristics namely, mobility, portability and flexibility. One of the devices that have made this form of computing a reality is the tablet device. It is also a device identified to make a significant impact in encouraging the use of the Internet and ICT generally among the older population. However, there is limited study on the reasons older adults adopt and use tablet devices. Therefore, this research project aims to identify and evaluate the factors that influence the adoption, use and diffusion of tablet devices within the older population (aged 50 and above) in UK. For this purpose, a Framework of Tablet Device Adoption (FTDA), which was based mainly on the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour (DTPB) with the inclusion of an extra construct Trust, was developed. In particular, the hypothesised constructs included nine variables namely: Compatibility, Perceived Ease of Use, Perceived Usefulness, Trust, Attitude, Subjective Norm, Perceived Behavioural Control, Intention to Use and Actual Use. Furthermore, a quantitative approach for data collection was employed to test the FTDA model. The data collection was conducted in three phases including, content validity, pilot phase and the final phase. Data was collated through an online survey, which produced 203 completed responses for the pilot phase and 1,008 completed responses for the final phase. In addition, to validate the result of the quantitative study, qualitative method in the form of telephone interviews was employed. Result showed that attitude has the strongest effect on the intention to use tablets, while perceived usefulness had the strongest impact on attitude. In addition, the impact of attitude on intention was moderated by age and health status while the impact of perceived behavioural control was moderated by age. Findings also revealed that ailments such as anxiety disorder, vision impairments and learning difficulties impacted on adoption and use. In conclusion, this study contributes to a growing body of knowledge on older adults’ adoption and use of tablet and mobile devices. Specifically, it addresses the gap relating to the adoption, use and diffusion of tablets by older adults in Hertfordshire, UK and identifies significant factors that impact on an older adult’s adoption and use of the tablet device. In addition, it also provides information regarding the generational difference existing within the older population of 50 years and over

Social media and mobile money adoption: comparative evidence from South Africa and Zimbabwe

Abstracts in English, Afrikaans and ZuluThe study investigated the effects of social media on mobile money adoption in South Africa and Zimbabwe. The main gap identified in empirical literature is the omission of social media use in technology adoption models and social networking theories. While some theories acknowledge the role of social influences in technology adoption, the social interactions considered therein are not mediated through the internet as is social media. Furthermore, no empirical study has to date focused on how social media influences mobile money technology adoption. Thus, this study deviates from the offline social network analysis approach which is restricted to the neighbourhood effects, physical contact, cell phone calls and text messages where information on mobile money technology is disseminated to an individual’s limited social circle. The secondary data used for the study were obtained from individual responses in the cross-sectional FinScope consumer surveys South Africa 2015 and Zimbabwe 2014 which were conducted and reported by FinMark Trust (2015; 2014). The study employed the binary logistic regression model to estimate the nature of effect. The results of the study indicated that use of social media had a positive and statistically significant impact on mobile money adoption in both South Africa and Zimbabwe. The results also revealed that despite there being a lower internet penetration and social media usage rate in Zimbabwe than South Africa, the use of social media in the former led to a higher rate of mobile money adoption. The study also established that mere use of social media and availability of mobile money technology did not translate to a high adoption rate; instead, availability had to be matched by a demand for the financial services. Additionally, the study found that the interaction of mobile money adoption and use of social media increased the overall mobile money adoption in both countries. The study recommended the implementation of collective policies that increase internet penetration to facilitate increased use of social media platforms and promote mobile money adoption to foster improved financial inclusion in developing countries.Hierdie studie het die gevolge van sosiale media op die ingebruikneming van mobiele geld in Suid-Afrika en Zimbabwe ondersoek. Die belangrikste leemte wat in empiriese literatuur geïdentifiseer is, is die weglating van die gebruik van sosiale media in tegnologieaanvaardingsmodelle en sosialenetwerkvorming-teorieë. Hoewel sommige teorieë (teorie van beredeneerde handeling; teorie van beplande gedrag; diffusie van innovasie) die rol van sosiale invloede op tegnologieaanvaarding erken, word die sosiale interaksies wat daarin oorweeg word nie deur middel van die internet bemiddel nie, soos wel in die geval van sosiale media. Boonop het geen empiriese studie tot op hede gefokus op hoe sosiale media die ingebruikneming van mobielegeld-tegnologie beïnvloed nie. Hierdie studie wyk dus af van die niegekoppelde sosialenetwerkontleding-benadering, wat beperk is tot die omgewingsgevolge, fisieke kontak, selfoonoproepe en teksboodskappe, waar inligting oor mobielegeld-tegnologie aan ʼn individu se beperkte sosiale kring versprei word. Die sekondêre data wat vir die studie gebruik is, is verkry uit afsonderlike response in die deursnee- FinScope-verbruikersopnames (Suid-Afrika 2015 en Zimbabwe 2014), wat onderneem en bekendgemaak is deur FinMark Trust (2015; 2014). Die studie maak gebruik van die binêre logistiese regressiemodel om die aard van effek te skat. Studiebevindings dui daarop dat die gebruik van sosiale media ’n positiewe en statisties beduidende uitwerking op die ingebruikneming van mobiele geld in sowel Suid-Afrika as Zimbabwe het. Die resultate wys ook dat, ondanks ’n laer internetpenetrasie en sosialemedia-gebruikskoers in Zimbabwe, die gebruik van sosiale media in Zimbabwe tot ’n hoër koers van ingebruikneming van mobiele geld in dié land as in Suid-Afrika tot gevolg het. Daar word verder waargeneem dat die blote gebruik van sosiale media en die beskikbaarheid van mobielegeld-tegnologie nie geredelik omgesit kan word in ’n hoë ingebruiknemingskoers nie; beskikbaarheid moet met ’n vraag na die finansiële dienste gepaard gaan. Daarbenewens toon die studie dat die interaksie tussen mobielegeld-ingebruikneming en die gebruik van sosiale media die oorkoepelende ingebruikneming van mobiele geld in albei lande versterk. Die studie beveel die implementering van beleide aan wat internetpenetrasie verhoog om wydverspreide gebruik van sosiale media te fasiliteer, wat op sy beurt die ingebruikneming van mobiele geld sal bevorder, wat finansiële insluiting sal bevorder.Ucwaningo luphenyisise imiphumela ye-social media ekwamukelweni kwe-mobile money eNingizimu Afrika naseZimbabwe. Igebe elikhulu eliphawuliwe kwimibhalo yobufakazi ukweqiwa kokussetshenziswa kwe-social media ekwamukelweni kwama-technology adoption models kanye namathiyori e-social networking. Kodwa amanye amathiyori (i-theory of reasoned action; i-theory of planned behaviour; i-diffusion of innovation) amukela indima yemithelela ye-social influences ekwamukelweni kwetheknoloji, ngokusebenzisana kwama-social interactions abonelelwe lapha, awaxhunyaniswa nge-inthanethi, njenge-social media. Kanti-ke futhi okunye, akukho bufakazi bocwaningo kuze kubemanje obugxile kwindlela i-social media enomthelela ngayo kwi-mobile money technology adoption. Ngakho-ke, lolu cwaningo luyehluka kwizinqubo ze-offline social network analysis approach, enezihibe kwimiphumela esondelene nayo, ukuxhumana ngokubamba, ukushayelana izingcingo nge-cellphone, kanye nemilayezo ebhaliwe, lapho ulwazi kwi-mobile money technology lusatshalaliswa kumuntu ngamunye nalabo asondelene nabo. I-secondary data esetshenzisiwe kucwaningo itholakale kwizimpendulo zabantu ngamunye kwi-cross-sectional FinScope consumer surveys (iNingizimu Afrika 2015 kanye neZimbabwe 2014), olwenziwa nokubikwa nge-FinMark Trust (2015:2014). Ucwaningo lusebenzisa i-binary logistic regression model ukulinganisa inhlobo yomphumela. Imiphumela yocwaningo ikhombisa ukuthi i-social media inomphumela omuhle futhi ngomphumela wezibalo ezibalulekile ekwamukelweni kwe-mobile money okwamukelwe kuwo womabili amazwe iNingizimu Afrika kanye neZimbabwe. Imiphumela ikhombise nokuthi, ngisho noma i-inthanethi ingakangeneleli kangako kwezinye izindawo, kodwa izinga lokusetshenziswa kwe-social media eZimbabwe kungaphezulu kuneNingizimu Afrika, ukusetshenziswa eZimbabwe kuhola phambili ngezinga eliphezulu ekwamukelweni kwe-mobile money kunaseNingizimu Afrika. Kanti futhi kuphawulwa ukuthi ukusetshenziswa kwe-social media kanye nokutholakala kwe-mobile money technology, akuhambelani ngezinga lokwamukelwa kakhulu; ukutholakala kumele kuhambelane nesidingeko samasevisi ezezimali. Nangaphezu kwalokho, ucwaningo lukhombisa ukuthi ukusebenzisana kokwamukelwa kwe-mobile money nokusetshenziswa kwe-social media kuphakamisa ukwamukelwa kakhulu kwe-mobile money kuwo womabili amazwe. Ucwaningo luncoma ukuthi ukwamukelwa kwemigomo enyusa ukungenelela kakhulu kwe-inthanethi ukulekelela ukusetshenziswa kakhulu kwe-social media, kanti futhi lokhu okuzophakamisa kakhulu ukwamukelwa kwe-mobile money okusiza ukubandakanya wonke kwezezimali.Business ManagementD. Phil. (Management Sciences

Enterprise resource planning systems induced stress: a comparative empirical analysis with young and elderly SAP users

In this research study we investigate whether and how ERP system characteris-tics cause its users to experience stress. In order to do so, we analyze a research model explaining enterprise resource planning systems induced stress with an empirical study in two organizations (N=227). The results reveal that usefulness, complexity, reliability, and pace of change are important ERP system characteris-tics leading to the perception of stressors and exhaustion. Furthermore, our com-parative empirical analysis with young and elderly ERP users indicate that the el-derly ones perceive ERP characteristics more negatively and are more stressed and exhausted than the younger users

Ageing Technologically: Exploring the Motivating Operations of Technology Use by Older Adults

Statistics from the 2011 UK Census revealed that one sixth of the population were over the age of 65, which is the highest recorded ratio in any census history. Although there are discrepancies in the physical, mental and social wellbeing of the older adult population, huge strains have been placed upon the National Health Service, care system and subject population. Previous scholarship has revealed that technology use in various formats can reduce these pressures, however, published work on older adults and technology often focusses on attitudes and intentions rather than motivations of actual use. This thesis addresses this gap in the literature by examining the Motivating Operations (MOs) on post-purchase technology use of older adults. By adopting a radical behaviourist perspective, the present research attempts to introduce the Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) term, Motivating Operation, to consumer behaviour by incorporating the proposed MOs into the already established Behavioural Perspective Model (BPM). This approach encourages the measurement of actual technology use as an operant behaviour alongside the MOs, as independent variables, impacting upon the rate-of-response. Consequently, a longitudinal quantitative and qualitative empirical strategy has been devised to produce a rich and complex set of data to explain older adult technology use. Overall, by using principles of behaviourism to interpret the technology use of older adults within a post-purchase environment, this thesis intends to break the dominant trend within technology acceptance and adoption literature of relying on either the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) or Diffusion of Innovation (DIT) to explain behaviours related to technology use. Alternatively, it produces an imaginative but logical analysis of the subject behaviour, which is not in contention with previous models but intends to enhance and expand the consumer behaviour, technology acceptance and adoption literature

WHAT DO USERS NEED? EXPLORING INFLUENCES ON THE ADOPTION OF MOBILE CONTENT AND THE DIFFERENCES AMONG CATEGORIES OF ADOPTERS

Businesses develop products and services with the goal of earning a satisfactory return on their original investment of time and capital. For their part, consumers seek out products and services that meet a recognized need. However, predicting the adoption rate of any new technology is an inexact science, and some businesses find themselves on the wrong side of the curve. The variables factoring into consumers’ purchasing decisions are manifold and contingent on a wider network of influences. This research suggests that a primary variable that influences consumers’ adoption of a technological innovation (in this case, mobile content) is the perception of 10 proposed Mobile Content Needs. The first goal of this research is to propose a framework for the relationships among the adoption of mobile content, users’ perception of their need for mobile content, and users’ innovativeness, which is a measure of the likelihood to adopt a new product. This research seeks to explore the differences among groups (categories) of adopters in the context of the perceived needs influencing their decision to adopt mobile content. In other words, it examines the prominence of particular mobile content needs for each of the five categories of adopters. This examination provides indirect evidence of how the mobile content adoption process evolves over time in relation to a specific innovation and within specific groups. This research is useful for those seeking to better understand the mobile content market in its totality, in particular the motivations driving different adopter groups. The results of this research may enable the development of more relevant, targeted content, with a surer knowledge of what a potential consumer needs at each stage of the adoption lifecycle. Similarly, this research offers a foundation for more extensive studies in the near future

Socio-economic factors influencing the adoption of in-field rainwater harvesting technololgy for enhancing household food security by small holder farmers in the Nkonkobe Municipality, Eastern Cape Province

Infield rainwater harvesting (IRWH) technology has been used in arid and semi-arid parts of the world and promising results have been achieved in terms of increasing yield. The main aim of this study was to identify socio-economic factors determining the adoption of IRWH technology for enhancing household food security by smallholder farmers. The specific objectives were to assess the level of adoption of IRWH technology using descriptive statistics (mean, frequency and percentages). To determine socio-economic factors influencing adoption of IRWH technology, the binary logistic regression mode l was used. To determine whether adopters of IRWH technology are more food secure than non-adopters, the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) was used as a measure for household food security. For the same objective, to determine socio-economic factors that influence household food security, the binary logistic regression model was also used and adoption of IRWH technology became an independent variable. The study was conducted in Khayalethu, Guquka and Krwakrwa villages in Nkonkobe Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province (EC). The unit of analysis was the individual smallholder farmers practicing agriculture. The availability (accidental) and snowball sampling techniques were used to select 34, 23, 63 respondents from Khayalethu, Guquka and Krwakrwa villages respectively. Since they are non-random, these sampling methods are problematic because of sampling errors. Overall, a sample size of 120 smallholder farmers was targeted for the interviews. Primary and secondary data collected was coded and analysed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 21. Results were presented using graphs, pie charts and tables (including cross-tables). The descriptive results showed that adoption status of IRWH technology was low in these areas, with 79% not adopting the technology. Food insecurity was high amongst the non-adopters with 86%. On the basis of descriptive analysis it can be concluded that any change in each one of the significant variables can significantly influence the probability of adopting IRWH technology and household food security. The results from the logistic regression model for the incidence of adoption revealed that 6 out of 16 variables were significant, three at 1% (access to extension services, access to information and farmers’ perception towards the IRWH technology); one at 5% (access to market) and two at 10% (access to hired labour and farm income). For the incidence of household food security, out of 17 variables, 6 were significant, three at 1% (adoption of the IRWH technology, access to extension services and farmers’ perception towards the IRWH technology); two at 5% (access to hired labour and household income) and one at 10% (household size). The empirical findings of this study indicate that there are socio-economic factors influencing adoption of IRWH technology and household food security amongst smallholder farmers. This study recommends that the government should provide extension officers and research stations with the capacity, support and physical means to expose smallholder farmers to the IRWH technology through demonstrations and trainings. The government can also introduce agricultural finance institutions in rural areas to assist the rural smallholder farmers to increase their access to credit. Further, it is recommended that smallholder farmers can expand to the communal croplands in order to gain more land size and work as a co-operative or as an association to ease labour constraints