Improved technology acceptance model applied to study enterprise resource planning usage

This paper reports on the development of a model to improve the understanding of the extent of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system usage in universities. Previous research revealed that university ERP systems are not fully utilized by end-users, resulting in low usage and institutional inefficiencies. This leads to stakeholders particularly students and government pressurizing universities to improve their efficiency and performance. This study therefore attempted to improve ERP system usage by adapting Technology Acceptance Model 2 (TAM2) theoretical model with additional Information Technology (IT) system usage factors of training, management support, perceived behavioral control and technical support. A dataset of 312 full time academics from a University of Technology in South Africa was generated by a survey method to validate the developed research model using Partial Least Square (PLS) analysis technique. The predictive power comparison results showed that the research model better explained 23% of the variability in ERP system usage compared to TAM2 and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) which explained 3.6% and 5.2% of variability respectively. With the exception of management support, the additional IT system usage factors of training, technical support and perceived behavioral control were found to have a significant relationship with ERP system usage. In addition gender and experience moderated the effect of all additional IT system usage factors on ERP system usage except for the effect of training and perceived behavioral control respectively.