Proposing the User Commitment Continuum: Is Technology Acceptance Just One Stop Along the Way?

Abstract

Information systems research has typically focused on people and/or technological systems. Ofthese research streams, technology acceptance via the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) isthe most prevalent. While TAM has been successful, some studies have been criticized for notbeing able to account for temporal and contextual differences, noting a need for more theorizingabout users and contexts over time and therefore does not consider how user commitment growsand changes with use.This research considers user commitment as a continuum of the user's experience with atechnological system. It proposes that users move through various stages of commitment startingwith a realization of the new system and its existence, followed by a comprehension orunderstanding of how the system works, with subsequent acceptance of the system as a tool toaccomplish work and finally with users becoming committed to the system's use and success.We surveyed members of the United States Air Force who are in the initial stages of anEnterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation. Members were surveyed prior to and aftera training event about the new system was given. We found that realization is increased bytraining of users when starting a new system implementation.