Introduction to the Special Issue on "ICT in Everyday Life: Home and Personal Environments"

Although nobody can pinpoint exactly the date when the first computer entered the home, it is safe to say that the current diffusion cycle can be traced back to the early 1980s. The first 10 to 15 years might be described as a period of anticipation as well as one of development in fits and starts. But the next decade appears to be one of greater promise. That the Internet is at the center of this qualitative change should come as no surprise (Hoffman et al., 2004). More importantly, researchers have recognized two sets of forces that are worthy of consideration when examining information and communication technology (ICT) at home. First, there is the recognition that the household is a rather complex social system, and standard theories of diffusion and adoption may not fully explain household adoption behaviors. One needs to go into the dynamics of household structure, the generational and gender issues, and the network of activities within the household as well as those external to it. Thus we need well-informed analytical schemes that shed light on household use patterns. Second, the producers of technology have come to the realization that technologies for the household cannot be mere modifications or less advanced versions of products designed for industrial use, but should be tailored to the needs of the family. This special issue seeks to understand how these factors will shape the adoption and use of ICT in home and personal environments. Before we go into the specific themes that are captured in this special issue, some preliminary thoughts are in order. First, on a theoretical level, the exclusive focus on adoption in the standard diffusion theory is limiting because in