Applying Markus and Robey’s Causal Structure to Examine User Technology Acceptance Research: A New Perspective

[Abstract]: The majority of research on user technology acceptance focuses on the individual user’s beliefs, attitudes, and behavioral intentions toward technology use. In this paper, we attempt to examine prior research on user technology acceptance from the perspective of theoretical structures based on Markus and Robey’s causal structure. We find that prior studies usually take a technology imperative perspective, use variance theories, and emphasize the micro level of analysis. Given the nature of user technology acceptance, we argue that this combination is limited. This may lead to some inconsistencies and limited explanatory powers in the existing studies. We propose an alternative “emergent perspective – process theories – mixed level of analysis” approach to study technology acceptance phenomena. To demonstrate how the new approach can be used to guide research, a new research model is proposed and several propositions are derived and discussed. This study draws on several prior theories and models but reassembles them in a novel way. The paper concludes with implications for both research and practice.