Adding Innovation Diffusion Theory to the Technology Acceptance Model: Supporting Employees' Intentions to use E-Learning Systems

This study intends to investigate factors affecting business employees’ behavioral intentions to use the elearning system. Combining the innovation diffusion theory (IDT) with the technology acceptance model (TAM), the present study proposes an extended technology acceptance model. The proposed model was tested with data collected from 552 business employees using the e-learning system in Taiwan. The results show that five perceptions of innovation characteristics significantly influenced employees’ e-learning system behavioral intention. The effects of the compatibility, complexity, relative advantage, and trialability on the perceived usefulness are significant. In addition, the effective of the complexity, relative advantage, trialability, and complexity on the perceived ease of use have a significant influence. Empirical results also provide strong support for the integrative approach. The findings suggest an extended model of TAM for the acceptance of the e-learning system, which can help organization decision makers in planning, evaluating and executing the use of e-learning systems.