Considering race, mode of study, university and academic structure differences on behavioural intention to use information systems

Abstract

Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) models have demonstrated the influencing factors of information systems by using behavioral intention as one of the aspect to measure the use of information systems. In line with that, this approach is also supported by updated DeLone & McLean information success model by adding the intention to use variable in their famous Information Systems Success Model as a predecessor variable in order to measure the use of information systems. However, in the context of behavioral intention or intention to use, there has been very little effort to investigate the influences of individual differences towards intention to use information systems. This is true in the context of digital library in Malaysia specifically and in the developing countries, generally. This paper investigates the influences of age, gender, race, mode of study, universities and academic structure differences towards intention to use digital library (IUDL) by Malaysian postgraduate students who are in Malaysian research intensive universities. The result shows there is evidence of a significant difference in meanscore intention to use digital library (IUDL) between Malay and Chinese and between Chinese and Other races. However, there is no evidence of a significant difference in meanscore intention to use digital library (IUDL) between mode of studies, universities and academic programs. These results provided a proof to confirm the race difference is influencing factor in measuring the intention to use digital library while mode of study, universities and academic structure differences are does not a matter in measuring the intention to use digital library. Furthermore, this paper provides some suggestion in order to minimize the differences intention to use digital library among users.