Extending UTAUT with competitive pressure for SMEs digitalization adoption in two European nations: a multi-group analysis

Purpose: In this article, the authors draw-upon an extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and propose a research model involving performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), facilitating conditions (FC) and competitive pressure (CP) as potential salient factors explaining the adoption of digitalization in European SMEs. The authors also postulate that there may be cross-cultural differences, thereby leading us to include the country as a moderator in the model. Design/methodology/approach: The authors validate this model with a cross-cultural sample involving 188 owner-managers from the Czech Republic and Slovakia and through the partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) techniques as well as multi-group analysis. Findings: The results using the study’s global dataset indicate that PE, FC and CP significantly affect owner-managers intentions toward digitalization in SMEs. The authors’ application of the multi-group analysis also suggests that although the two countries differ in digitalization adoption intention, the differences are statistically insignificant. In the conclusion, the authors highlight several implications these findings have for theory and practice. Practical implications: The authors recommend that the providers of emerging digital technologies should improve on the performance features of those technologies and ensure they are relevant to the SMEs. By doing so, the adoption of digitalization will grow, because owner-managers of SMEs will have the confidence that adopting such technologies will improve their operations. Second, SMEs are required to provide adequate organizational and technical infrastructure to support digitalization adoption. Originality/value: Aside from being among the few attempts to extend the explanatory power of UTAUT with PE, EE, FC and CP in investigating digitalization adoption in SMEs context, this study also validates its model with rigorous methodological approach as well as three datasets (global, Czech Republic and Slovakia) thereby strengthening the validity of the results.Visegrad project [MVFSG- 22110036]; Horizon Europe (HORIZON) [101071300]; Project FSR FORD [IGA/FaME/2023/009]; [5-6/2021-23/FaME/003]; [IGA/FaME/2022/003]; [IGA/FaME/2021/003

Проширивање УТАУТ модела како би се разумеле препреке дигитализацији МСП

Digitalization has been identified as a core growth driver for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in this digital era. This study investigates the drivers and barriers aligned with the tendency of owner-managers of SMEs to adopt digitalization. A conceptual framework is developed that extends the unified theory of acceptance and technology (UTAUT) with an anxiety-digitalized environment as a moderating factor of SME owner-managers' intention to adopt digitalization. A quantitative methodology is used to gauge responses from 89 respondents (owner-managers). Additionally, the variance-based structural equation modelling approach (PLS-SEM) is used to analyse and validate the proposed model. Results show that attitude positively mediates the relationship between performance expectancy and intention to adopt digitalization. However, effort expectancy and facilitating conditions were found to negatively influence attitude and intention to adopt digitalization. On the contrary, the results obtained did not confirm the significance of an anxiety-digitalized environment in moderation analyses. Consequently, the overall structural model accounted for 51.1% of the variance in the intention to adopt digitalization among SMEs. This study has theoretically and practically contributed to understanding owner-managers' intent to adopt digitalization of SMEs in the Czech Republic.5-6 /2021-23/FaME/003; G A / F a M E / 2 0 2 0 / 0 0 7, IGA/FaME/2021/003Internal Grant Agency of Tomas Bata University -Czech Republic; [MVF - SG- 22110036]; [5-6/2021-23/FaME/003]; [IGA/FaME/2 0 2 0/0 0 7; IGA/FaME/2021/003

A conceptual framework for integrating TPB with context-relevant variables to predict e-learning success during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the digitalization of some aspects of our lives including education. However, as we witness a phenomenal rise in the demand for online learning, the decision to migrate to online learning platforms is dependent on the learner's preparedness to embrace it. The objective of this study is to conceptualize a framework that measures the tendency of learners to adopt online learning in an era characterised by so many disruptions. To do this, we adopt document analysis on databases such as SCOPUS, Web of Science, EBSCO and Google Scholar using Boolean search engines; AND, OR, NOT, *, (), '''', +, -, . mainly on current scientific manuscripts through the use of the keywords "e-learning", "theory of planned behaviour", "Covid 19", "distance learning", "environmental factors" and "academic technology adoption". Subsequently, we integrate the theory of planned behaviour with other context-relevant variables as the bases of the study, and conceptualise a framework to predict e-learning success in the covid-19 era. This study contributes to the scientific body of knowledge on e-learning, particularly from the perspective of a forced mass adoption of e-learning occasioned by a global pandemic