Quality Evaluation Models - High Level Models and Methodologies for Information Systems - page 90

neglect the personal traits of each user, because they will also affect how they will
react during the adoption process. Their previous experience with technology, age,
social pressure, and quali

cations are some of the examples of individual features
that may have an impact on how successful the adoption process is (Rao 2007 ).
In his study of the TAM, Rao has also emphasized the additional component of
technology suppliers commitment, because it is one of the external factors that can

condition user attitude regardless of the actual system features. Support provided by
the supplier is one example of a component that can determine or in

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uence user
perception, even when perceived ease of use is not very positive (Fig. 6.2 ).
Despite TAM s long existence, the research that has been conducted on this

model still has insuf

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firmness and pertinence to assure its status as an
unmistakably structured theory in the IS arena. Researchers frequently address the
TAM, but there is a miscellaneous of viewpoints among them when it comes to
TAM

cient

s conceptual frame and its value in practice (Chuttur 2009 ).
The importance of both perceived usefulness and ease of use, in technology
adoption, has been well documented in a great variety of empirical studies.
Nonetheless, it is the perceived usefulness component of TAM that has asserted its
predominance in the

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field of technology use. The ease of use has been more
disputed particularly in the last stages of use, due to its unstable impact. With the
continuance of use, individuals begin to feel more con dent with the operation and

management of the technology, and ease of use becomes less of an impediment
(Premkumar and Bhattacherjee 2008 ). This means that ease of use is a more sig-
nificant component during early stages of a system ' s deployment, whereas the
system s overall success can be measured in a much longer time frame.

This model, with all its imperfections, was the lead model for IS quality eval-
uation for almost 20 years, having generated an outstanding number of research
studies. Its core power is the fact that it argues that the motivation to use a certain
technology has an impact on the behavior of the user and that the motivation of
using the technology is intrinsically connected with the perceived usefulness and
the perceived ease of use of that technology. At the same time, this belief has also
been its major shortcoming. While motivation to use is no doubt a fundamental
aspect in quality and success assessment, the focus on this aspect has caused
research to neglect other crucial elements of decision making and behavior.

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“ It is

Fig. 6.2 Technology acceptance model in depth (adapted from Rao 2007 )