Social Network Influences on Technology Acceptance: A Matter of Tie Strength, Centrality and Density

This study examines social network influences on the individual technology acceptance. Since it is believed that individuals’ trust, opinions and behavior are influenced by their network, an analysis of that network may help to provide some explanations on technology acceptance. However, since social network characteristics are group-level characteristics and the technology acceptance model (TAM) is grounded on an individual level, there is a need for a mediating variable that links group-level characteristics to individual-level characteristics. According to this research the subjective norm construct, as introduced in TAM2, can be used in this mediating, linking role. This research proposes three social network characteristics (tie strength, density and centrality) and examines their influence on the subjective norm construct. As a result, this research not only extends TAM with a social perspective by introducing three antecedents of subjective norm, but also reduces the potential tension that exists between models explaining behavior at the individual level (TAM) and models that explain behavior at the group level (social network). Theoretical and managerial implications derived from the model developed are also discussed. Social network influences on technology acceptance 19