Modeling the User Acceptance of E-Mail

The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) predicts whether users will ultimately use software applications based upon causal relationships among belief and attitudinal constructs that influence usage behavior. Electronic mail, or email, is a collaborative technology available to virtually all members of an organization, and typically, there are alternative email applications available for use. This study applies TAM to assess the user acceptance and voluntary usage of a particular email application, cc:mail, in two different organizations. The results largely validate TAM, although the findings suggest that certain external variables, namely length of time since first use, and level of education, directly affect email usage behavior apart from their influence as mediated through the perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU) constructs.