Factors influencing adoption of Web 1.0, Web 2.0, and mobile technologies by the growth engine of the U.S. economy

Authors

  • Devendra Potnis Assistant Professor, School of Information Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
  • Kanchan Deosthali Assistant Professor, College of Business, University of Mary Washington

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v19i9.5419

Keywords:

Web 1.0, Web 2.0, Mobile technologies, Internet adoption, Small businesses, United States

Abstract

Web 1.0, Web 2.0, and mobile technologies help small businesses to serve as the growth engine of the U.S. economy. We propose and test a model to compare the influence of organizational, environmental, and technological factors on the decision of small businesses owners, CIOs, and CEOs to select one set of technologies over the other. Results from structural equations modeling indicate that organizational (top management support, IT staff size, and IT budget), environmental (external support for IT adoption), and technological (perceived benefits of IT and perceived barriers to adopting IT) factors significantly influence the adoption of Web 2.0 by small businesses. All of the above factors except IT budget and perceived benefits fuel the adoption of Web 1.0 technologies. Despite perceiving barriers to adopting IT, small businesses owners, CIOs, and CEOs invest in mobile technologies. Top–management support and external support for IT adoption are the only factors positively affecting the adoption of all of the three sets of technologies considered in this study. We offer strategic suggestions to small businesses for selecting Internet and mobile technology–based solutions and services.

Author Biographies

Devendra Potnis, Assistant Professor, School of Information Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville

Devendra Potnis is an assistant professor in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. His research interests include Microfinance, IT adoption by Small Businesses, ICTs for Development, and e-Government. Potnis received a PhD in information science from the College of Computing and Information, University at Albany, State University of New York. He has received the Bonnie Carroll and Roy Cooper Faculty Enrichment Award at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He is on the editorial board of the International Journal of Information and Communication Technologies and Human Development, and the International Journal of Technology Diffusion. He has published his interdisciplinary research in top-tier journals and conferences including Communications of the AIS, Government Information Quarterly, IEEE Technology & Society, and Journal of Asia Pacific Business. He is co-chairing a minitrack titled “ICTs for Financial Inclusion†at the 20th Americas Conference on Information Systems. He is a member of IFIP WG 9.4, AIS, ASIST, and ALISE.

Kanchan Deosthali, Assistant Professor, College of Business, University of Mary Washington

Kanchan Deosthali is an assistant professor of management in the College of Business at the University of Mary Washington. Her research interests are IT adoption by small businesses, employee training and development activities, citizenship behaviors, self-development behaviors, and motivation and performance. She completed her PhD in Organizational Studies from the School of Business, University at Albany, State University of New York. She has published her research in the Journal of Business and Psychology, International Conference on Electronic Governance, and Southern Management Association Conference. She is a member of Academy of Management. She has taught undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies courses in management, organizational behavior, human resources, and organizational development and change at the University at Albany, State University of New York, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and University of Mary Washington.

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Published

2014-08-26

How to Cite

Potnis, D., & Deosthali, K. (2014). Factors influencing adoption of Web 1.0, Web 2.0, and mobile technologies by the growth engine of the U.S. economy. First Monday, 19(9). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v19i9.5419