Examining the Influence of National Culture on Adoption and Use of Information and Communication Technology: A Study from Bangladesh�s SME Perspective

Abstract

Applying five cultural dimensions, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, in-group collectivism, Bengali value and ethical culture, along with the two fundamental antecedents of Technology Acceptance Model (perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use), this study examined the influence of culture on the adoption decision and use of ICT by SMEs in Bangladesh. This study used a mixed-method research approach, a combination of qualitative field study and quantitative survey. This paper reports the results of the quantitative questionnaire survey. Structural equation modelling was used to test collected data from 282 SMEs in Bangladesh. The results of this study reveal a significant association of in-group collectivism, ethical culture, Bengali value, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use with SMEs’ intention to use ICT as well as a strong and significant effect of intention on actual use of ICT by SMEs in Bangladesh.