An Analysis of Behavioral Intention toward Actual Usage of Open Source Software among Students in Private High Learning Institution in Tanzania

Abstract

This study focused on analyzing behavioral intention toward the actual usage of open source software in private universities in Tanzania. Questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data in two private universities namely Iringa University and Ruaha Catholic University. Stratified sampling technique was utilized to ensure sample representativeness among two universities where simple random sampling was used to draw a sample from each stratum during the survey. Finding Using Structural Equation Modeling indicated that performance expectancy (source code production and software localization) and social factor (Vendor, internet services provider and lecturer) have a significant influence toward behavioral intention while effort expectancy was found to be insignificant. In addition the behavioral intention was found to be significant toward student's actual usage of open source software in Universities. This study recommended that for students to develop behavioral intention toward OSS actual usage, internet service provider have to increase the level of internet services that can assist the university communities to access and download open source software. In addition, to increase actual use, open source software vendors and lecturer or experts have to make sure that their software source code is free for distribution and localization, this will increase self-motivation and interest of the students toward actual usage of open source software.