Globalization and E-Commerce: A Cross-Cultural Investigation of User Attitudes

Many authors argue that information and communications technology (ICT) in this New Economy is causing a globalized, unified society. Others take the opposite stand, viewing local factors such as national culture as very important to the success of information technology (IT). Research indicates that related factors such as gender may also play important roles in the use and acceptance of IT. This chapter uniquely examined these by using electronic commerce as the common technology. Business students from the U.S., Greece, and England expressed opinions on the important issues of National Control, Privacy Cost, Property Rights, and Consumer Preferences. Using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), sufficient evidence was found to conclude that there are IDEA GROUP PUBLISHING This paper appears in the publication, Advanced Topics in Global Information Management, Volume 5 edited by M. Gordan Hunter © 2006, Idea Group Inc. 701 E. Chocolate Avenue, Suite 200, Hershey PA 17033-1240, USA Tel: 717/533-8845; Fax 717/533-8661; URL-http://www.idea-group.com ITB12567