An empirical investigation of the factors contributing to spreadsheets usage and end-user computing satisfaction

The purpose of this research is to develop and test a model of the relationships between several external and various mediating variables and the end-users' satisfaction and usage of spreadsheets. The present research takes several steps toward establishing a valid motivational model of the end-users. Two fairly general, well-established theoretical models (i) 'theory of reasoned action' (TRA) of human behaviour from social psychology and (ii) 'technology acceptance model' (TAM) from management information systems were chosen as paradigms within which to formulate an extended model Several adaptations to these paradigms were introduced in order to make them applicable to the present context building upon and integrating previous research in a curnulative manner. This led to a model which was tested by a nine page questionnaire with 129 entries. Response data was collected from a cross-sectional survey of 333 university students who have been out for one year training in industry across the UK. A careful reliability and validity analysis for the measures used in the survey was conducted. Multiple regression analysis, path analysis, and LISREL modelling were used as different data analysis techniques. The analysis in part gave good support for the initial model considered but also indicated some shortcomings in the two base models

Evaluating the Antecedents of the Technology Acceptance Model in Saudi Arabia

Antecedents of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) have been the focus of research on user intentions toward new technology in developed countries for years. Findings from these studies can potentially reveal new methods to improve employee acceptance and use of new systems. The present study investigates whether the antecedents of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use also apply in developing countries, specifically in Saudi Arabia. Findings indicate that the antecedents of TAM do, in fact, apply in Saudi Arabia, and therefore also have implications for businesses in developing countries to improve the user acceptance and use of new technologies

Evaluating TAM Antecedents in Saudi Arabia

Antecedents of the technology acceptance model have been the focus of research on user intentions toward, and usage of, new technology. This research has found that in developed countries, the antecedents of the technology acceptance model are valuable predictors of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. These findings can potentially translate into new methods that businesses can implement to improve employee acceptance and use of new systems. The present study investigates whether these same antecedents are significant and valid predictors of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use in developing countries, specifically in Saudi Arabia. The findings indicate that the antecedents of the technology acceptance model do, in fact, apply in Saudi Arabia, and therefore also have implications for businesses in developing countries to improve the user acceptance and use of new technologies

Examining Gender Effects in Technology Acceptance by Arabian Workers: A Survey Study

While information technology is increasingly ubiquitous globally, the pace at which the technology has disseminated varies in different regions. We study technology acceptance by working individuals in the Arabian region, which has recorded substantial growths in technology infrastructure and deployments. We focus on gender because the Arabian region has a long-standing cultural tradition and entrenched social norms that distinctly define the gender roles. We develop a factor model, premised on the theory of planned behavior and the technology acceptance model, which explains the focal technology acceptance phenomenon. We test the model and the hypotheses with the responses from 1,088 Arabian workers from 56 firms that participate in our survey voluntarily. The model accounts for a significant portion of the variances in the workers’ intentions to use computer technology. We find that gender moderates the effect of subjective norms on intention (significantly stronger for males than for female workers) and the influence of perceived usefulness on attitude (significantly stronger for male than for female workers). However, the moderating role of gender appears insignificant on other relationships we hypothesized. Our findings have several important implications for both research and practice, which we will discuss in this paper

Examining the Moderating Role of Gender in Arabian Workers’ Acceptance of Computer Technology

Even as information technology becomes globally ubiquitous, the pace of its dissemination varies across regions. For example, technology acceptance by ordinary workers in the Arabian region is generally slow, though its diffusion has recently exhibited substantial improvements. The research model proposed herein, based in the theory of planned behavior and the technology acceptance model, focuses on the effects of gender, because long-standing Saudi Arabian culture traditions and entrenched social norms define distinct gender roles. The test of the model and its associated hypotheses involves voluntary responses from 1,088 Arabian workers of fifty-six firms. The results show that the model can explain a significant portion of variance in workers’ intentions to use computer technology. Perceived usefulness seems to have the strongest impact on intention, followed by perceived behavioral control and subjective norms. In addition, gender moderates the effect of subjective norms on intentions and the influence of perceived usefulness on attitude, more prominently among male than among female workers. Overall, the findings imply relative differences in the explanatory power of prevalent theoretical models across different socio-cultural contexts and point to the important role of gender in technology acceptance. They also offer implications for research and practice

Formation of micro-structural banding in hot-rolled medium-carbon steel

Two-dimensional symmetric finite element (FE) models were employed to simulate the behaviour of the dendritic and inter-dendritic regions respectively during hotrolling with a view to determining the microstructural changes leading to microchemical banding. In this modelling study the equivalent plastic strain and von-Mises equivalent stress distributions were determined as a function of rolling reduction. During hot rolling, the secondary arms experienced larger elongations than the segregated regions within strain bands due to the lower yield point of the dendrite arms. The primary dendrite arms rotated about the rolling direction and align with the rolling direction at rolling reductions of more than 70% while secondary dendrite arms located between two (harder) segregated regions experience significant thinning during rolling until the segregated regions latch onto each other at a rolling reduction of about 70%. At rolling reductions between 65 and 75%, the primary and secondary dendrite arms as well as the inter-dendritic regions (roughly spherical) pre-existing in the as-cast structure, were destroyed and transformed into distinctive elongated microchemical bands that align parallel to the rolling direction. In order to further explore how banding originates, an attempt was made to directly observe the formation of micro-structural bands by the use of high-temperature laserscanning confocal microscopy. These observations have been made in real time and at temperatures typically used in industrial hot-rolling practice. During cooling from the austenite phase field, ferrite nucleates on austenite grain boundaries and grows progressively into the austenite grains. Pearlite/ferrite band formation could clearly be observed in-situ when care was taken to prevent surface decarburisation. The banding observed in-situ in the high-temperature microscope was similar to that detected by optical microscopy following the same heat treatment that was used in the microscope. This study provided new insights with respect to the origins and alignment of bands of different chemical composition, which eventually results in the formation of microstructural banding

Satellite broadcasting and young people in Saudi Arabia

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Empirical investigation of e-learning acceptance and assimilation: A structural equation model

E-learning has become progressively more vital for academia and corporate training and has potentially become one of the most significant developments and applications in Information Technologies (ITs). This study used a quantitative approach seeking a causative explanation of the decision behavior of individuals toward the acceptance and assimilation of e-learning in academic settings. A survey of 286 participants (students) was conducted to collect the research data. Our study framework was based on the third version of the Technology Acceptance Model (i.e., TAM3) and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling in order to determine the factors that influence the learners’ intention to use e-learning. Results show the predicting (promoting/inhibiting) factors of e-learning technology acceptance, while also examining some related post-implementation interventions expected to contribute to the acceptance and assimilation of e-learning systems. Our results also indicate that TAM3 holds well in the Arabian culture and also outline valuable outcomes such as: managerial interventions and controls for better organizational e-learning management that can lead to greater acceptance and effective utilization. Hopefully, this study provides a roadmap to more understanding of the success factors and post-implementation interventions contributing to the acceptance and assimilation of e-learning systems in developing countries

Modeling the electronic transactions acceptance using an extended technology acceptance model

AbstractThe outlook for e-commerce and e-government depends not only on individuals acceptance of internet technologies as viable transaction means, but also on the recognition of the Web as a reliable milieu. In light of this, a comprehensive model describing the factors that drive individuals to accept on-line transactions over the Web was developed and tested. This study attempts to integrate the well-established technology acceptance model (TAM) with three constructs; namely trust, credibility and risk, which are of paramount importance in predicting individual acceptance of on-line transactions.This study seeks empirical support for an extended TAM with three constructs related to e-transactions in Saudi Arabia. The structural equation modeling technique was used to evaluate the causal model and to examine the reliability and validity of the measurement model. Our findings show that each of trust, credibility and risk plays an important role toward the acceptance of on-line transactions in the Saudi settings. To view a broader picture of electronic transaction acceptance in Saudi Arabia, general Internet use with four demographic variables were also incorporated into the model. We hope this study would contribute to a better understanding of individual on-line behavior in the emerging e-commerce and e-government environments. Such understanding would enable Saudi IT policy and decision makers solve problems in moving to the digital economy and information society.Implications for management and practice of these findings are discussed to improve the acceptance of e-commerce and e-government as new technologies in Saudi Arabia