When Technology Meets the Mind: A Comparative Study of the Technology Acceptance Model

Issues related to technology, including diffusion, acceptance, adoption, and adaptation, have been the focus of research for different disciplines including Information Systems (IS), System Dynamics, Psychology, and Management Science. Of all research conducted and models developed to study technology related issues, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) stands out as most prominent, particularly in the field of IS. However, technology acceptance research has been relatively limited in its application to the public sector. Therefore, there is a concurrent need to develop and gain empirical support for models of technology acceptance within the public sector, and to examine technology acceptance and utilization issues among public employees to improve the success of IS implementation in this arena. In this paper we present a more comprehensive, yet parsimonious model of technology acceptance and suggest testing it both in public and private sectors to help understand the similarities and differences (if any) between the two sectors.