Technology Readiness Index (TRI) factors as differentiating elements between users and non users of Internet banking, and as antecedents of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

Abstract

The scope of this work covers the study of models developed for assessing critical aspects of consumer use and acceptance of technology-based products and services. We used the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and the Index of Readiness for the use of Technology (TRI) as theoretical references. We carried out field research on Internet banking users in order to: (1) evaluate the differences between the groups in terms of predisposition towards technology using the TRI model; and (2) test whether the influencing factors of this model could be antecedents to the main construct of the technology acceptance model (TAM). The analyses showed that for proposal (1), three of the four dimensions, - optimism, insecurity and discomfort, - presented significant differences between the groups; and for proposal (2), the factor 'optimism', a positive view of technology, was observed to be a significant antecedent of the intention to use on-line services. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.