Japanese Journal of Administrative Science Research Note Volume20,No.1,2007,43-54. 研 究 ノ ー ト 経 営 行 動 科 学 第20巻 第1号,2007,43-54.

Internet Adoption and Usage in

Md.Shah Azam (University of Rajshahi,Bangladesh)

Like many developed and developing countries,Bangladesh has witnessed a phenomenal growth in accessing digital technology particularly using the .Although facing many constraints in establishing an internet-dependent society,Bangladesh Government has paid utmost priority to develop the Information Technology usage pattern in her different sectors.Recently Bangladesh has been connected with information superhighway through submarine optic-fiber cable network that creates a favourable environment to increase Internet usage among various citizens.The study attempts to explore the effects of different factors influencing the adoption of Internet in Bangladesh.The Rogers model of Innovation Diffusion has been utilised as theoretical framework to measure the effects of the factors that account for adoption of the Internet,assuming the Internet as an innovation.A multiple regression analysis is carried out to determine the attributes that affect the intention to adopt the Internet,where adoption intention is considered as the explained variable.The study reveals that relative advantage,compatibility and complexity appear significant among the five attributes of innovation,relative advantage,compatibility,complexity,trialability,and observability considered as explanatory variables.

Keywords:Rogers model,innovation,adoption,diffusion.

only to meet the users information needs.It has already INTRODUCTION been widened its scope in introducing many services. Technology innovation and its adoption declining the Business activities are also considered to be operated older one is a common phenomena.It is observed through Internet,popularly known as e-commerce.3 The as the nature of technology to provide completely or Internet is revolutionizing every aspects of business comparatively new and sophisticated benefits and throughout the world.Although the quantum of business services to the user replacing the foregoing technology. done through Internet is small,it is growing exponentially Adoption and usage of an innovation largely depends (Khatibi and Thiagaraj an,2000). on its nurture and the perception of the user on different Internet is the fastest diffusionary Information and attributes of the innovation. Communication Technology (ICT) innovation till to date. In recent years,developing countries including For instance,it took just ten years for the web-based Bangladesh have witnessed a phenomenal development Internet to reach 50% of American Homes,compared to in the technology-dependent communication medium, 52 years taken by .It took only three years for which is Internetl.In both developing and developed the Internet to reach 50 million users.By contrast,it took countries,Internet is growing rapidly as a strong and 38 years for television to have 50 million users.During

popular medium of communication2.Internet is not used 1999,the number of Internet users increased by one million every month(Dholakia,Dholakia and Kshetri, 1 Internet refers to the physical network that links 2003). computers across the globe.It consists of the ITU figures for 2000 and 2001 to show the geographical infrastructure of network servers and wide area distribution of the growth in the Internet population.The communication links between them that are used to hold and transport the vast amount of information on Internet. 3 E-commerce is the procedure to perform every 2 A voluminous statistics show that the growing trend business operation from production to distribution and of Internet in developing countries is higher than that sales through Internet. of in developed countries.

―43― 研 究 ノ ー ト 経営行動科学第20巻第1号 data shows that growing shares of new Internet users simple e-mail operation to online transactions.Amid are in developing countries.Another study predicts that of those development ITU4 Ranked Bangladesh's ICT5 by 2005 there will be 941.8 million Internet users in the development in 136 among 178 countries of the globe. world,or almost twice as many as the end of 2001,and Besides this,Bangladesh's ICT position is 6th among the that the largest number of users will be concentrated seven SAARC6countries.Bangladesh is a strong member in Western Europe and Asia/Pacific excluding Japan. of developing countries.Inadequate infrastructure, The worlds Internet population was observed 387531 outdated telephone systems,limited access to telephone thousand in 2000,493020 thousand in 2001 and and computer,poor service quality with high price, 591567thousand in 2002.The shares of the developing lack of qualified personnel,low per capita,low level of countries are 93161thousand,1305717 thousand and literacy and IT skill,and cultural and language barrier, 189882 thousand respectively.The change is observed in hinder her adoption of Internet,though she has the developing countries 39.5% and in developed countries potentials to use Internet technology in developing her 12.4% in 2001-2002 and 21.4% in developed countries education,business,and services.As the most influential and 45.7% in developing countries in the year 2000-2001 and advanced part of her citizenry,university academics (UNCTAD,2002 and UNCTAD,2003).At the end of can adopt first and then disseminate the ideas and 2003,nearly 676 million people (or 11.8 per cent of the practices of Internet technology to many other sectors. total population of the world) had access to the internet; The context above poses the question of whether this represents an increase of 49.5 million people or 7.8 Bangladesh can gain advantages of the IT world in using per cent compared with the figures at the end of 2002 the Internet.This brings in the rationale of undertaking (UNCTAD 2004).Internet user per 10000 observed a study inquiring the issue adoption of Internet in 4495 in 2003 and 4474 in 2002 show .48% growth Bangladesh.The study,thus,looks at the status and mode in developed countries while 501 in 2003 and 429 in of Internet use in Bangladesh and explores the effects of 2002 show 16.78% growth in developing countries. different factors influencing adoption of Internet as an The increasing trend of the population of Internet and innovation. the volume of Internet dependent economy force the ORIGIN OF INTERNET AND developing economy to adopt the Internet in different ITS DEVELOPMENT IN BANGLADESH aspects. The situation of Bangladesh in participating in the Internet has existed since the late 1960s when a limited increasingly networked world is not satisfactory, number of computerswere connected in the United States though government and non-government institutions' to form the ARPANET7.This was mainly used to enable participation and initiatives are countable.Bangladesh academics and military personnel to exchange defense has started achieving its ICT growths in 1990s though information.Recent dramatic growth in the use of Internet she has the experience since 1960.Bangladesh govt.has has occurred because of the development of World Wide taken a number of big steps to motivate the growth of Web.This became a commercialproposition in 1993. ICT industries.It reduces almost 100% import duties In Bangladesh it has come into operation commercially from the computer hardware and peripherals in 1998. in the mid-90s.In early 90s,Bangladesh had access to This encourages the people of many corners of the e-mail via Bulletin Board Systems(BBS).On June 6, country to enjoy the usage of computer with lower cost. 1996 the VSAT base data circuit was commissioned Bangladesh was in the process of being connected with the world's information super highway through submarine 4 International Union recently optic fiber cable during past few years (Internet Fair, ranked 178 countries of the world considering their ICT initiatives and development. 2004).In May 21,2006 Bangladesh has been officially 5 ICT is used to mention the Information and connected with world's information super highway Communication Technology. through submarine optic fiber cable network.This creates 6 South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, member countries are Bangladesh,India,Maldives, enormous opportunity for Bangladesh to get access in Nepal,Pakistan,Srilanka and Bhutan. Internet and to use it in various functions ranging from 7 Advanced Research Project Network.

―44― Internet Adoption and Usage in Bangladesh for the first time in the country.Bangladesh Telegraph following areas(Rahman,2003): and Telephone Board(BTTB)granted licenses to two ・Urban and rural populations Internet Service Providers,Information Services Network ・(The Capital)and rest of the country

(ISN) and Grameen Cybernet to install VSAT (Very ・Different educational streams Small Aperture Terminal,a satellite communications ・Rich population and poorpopulation system) data circuits in the same year.That was the legal ・Male and Female permission of doing business to provide Internet service ・Main stream and tribal population to the people of the country.Just after one year in 1997, ・Government and private organisation tremendous development was observed in the growth of Internet in Bangladesh.Over a dozen ISPs,and ten times Despite suffering from multi-dimensional problems in higher numbers of clients were observed than that of the ,Bangladesh has the potentials of gaining previous year.Afterwards the competition in ISP business success in using Internet in her education,development, was increased,more new ISPs were set up,and services business and other service sectors. offerings by the organizations facilitate an exponential The government of Bangladesh considers the ICT growth in Internet use.The number of Internet user and sector as thirst sector in the fifth five-year plan of the the number of ISPs are growing rapidly,Present user Peoples Republic of Bangladesh.They approved the base of ISPs in Bangladesh is about 100,000dial up users transoceanic optical cable network project on March and 80,000 broadband users.The number of ISPs is 146 17,2004 in a meeting of the executive committee of registered with the appropriate authority. National Economic Council(ECNEC)for submarine The development initiatives in Bangladesh are optic fiber cable connectivity.Recently Bangladesh passing through many constraints.The main source of has been connected with information super highway connectivity,telephone is not available in this country. through submarine optic fiber networks with 16 Bangladesh is the country of lowest teledensity in the countries consortium by SEA-ME-WE-4 project10.The world.It ranked 39th among the 40 countries of Asia government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh has pacific in 1999 with .46 combined density.Like many inaugurated the connectivity on 21st May 2006 althoug other developing countries,Bangladesh suffers from has not started its operation for public use (Daily Star, inadequate infrastructure,outdated telephone systems, 2006,Prothom Alo,2006).The landing station has limited access to telephone and computer,poor service been established in Cox's Bazzar,the southern City, quality with high price,lack of qualified personnel, near the .Country is expected to enjoy low level of literacy and IT skill,as well as cultural high with the benefit of lower usage charge and language barriers(WTO,1998).Main obstacle of of Internet,certainly that will help develop the digital using the Internet in Bangladesh is its distribution.The environment and ICT usage behavior of the countries Internet facility is still an urban privilege in Bangladesh citizenry. as the telephone connections are more concentrated in THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK urban areas,specially Dhaka8 based.The populations living outside urban areas are mostly deprived of gaining The study of innovation adoption has drawn much the Internet benefit though they have the potentials.9 attention in the previous researches.Numerous studies Noticeable digital divide is observed in the country in the have been initiated to look at the adoption of innovation in the developed as well as in developing countries 8 Dhaka is the capital city of Bangladesh. (Rogers,1983,Davis,1986,1989,1993,Moore and 9 The main way of Internet service is dial up via digital Benbasat,1991,Premkumar and Potter,1995,Agarwal telephone.Bangladesh has 14 million population living in 64 districts,495 thanas and more than 68000 and Prashad,1997,1998,1999,Taylor and Todd,1995, villages.Among them only 64 districts and 164 Tan and Teo,2000,Kendall et,al.,2001,Sathye and (Thanas) have been provided digital telecom network where people are getting Internet service. considerable portions of the population are still quite 10 SEA-ME-WE means South East Asia,Middle East, away from internet service. and West Europe.

―45― 研 究 ノ ー ト 経営行動科学第20巻第1号

Diana,2001).Many researches are still being initiated to to adopt or in other word adoption rate of Internet by study the adoption of newly innovated technologies both the professionals as exogenous variable and relative in individual and organisational perspective(Ramayah advantage,compatibility,complexity,trialability,and et.al.,2003,Ramayah,Jantan and Aafaqi,2003,Azam, observability of innovation perceived by the adopter as 2004,Ramayah,Ignatius and Aafaqi,2004,Azam, indigenous variables. 2005,2006,Ramaya et,al.,2006).The previous studies Relative advantage: Relative advantage is defined utilised different models to address innovation adoption as'the degree to which an innovation is perceived as being particularly technology adoption,mostly derived from better than the idea it supersedes.'Relative advantage has Rogers Innovation Diffusion Theory,Theory Reasoned been found to be one of the best predictors and positively Action by Ajzen Feishbein,Theory of Planed Behaviour related to an innovations rate of adoption(Kendall et.al, or Technology Acceptance Model(TAM).Although 2001,Limthongchai and Speece,2002 and Rogers,1983). Rogers theory is the oldest theory among these four and There are potential opportunities and benefits of TAM is the youngest,every theory has the utility and using Internet by professionals.The growing awareness still are being used,some times replicated,in different and understanding of the advantages of Internet and its adoption researches. different tools among the academics in Bangladesh can The innovation decision process involves the evaluation positively influence in their desire and interest to The of an innovation by the individual.Based on this adoption of Internet. evaluation,an attitude towards the innovation is formed. Compatibility:Compatibility refers to`the degree The contents of beliefs are derived from the innovation to which an innovation is perceived as consistent with diffusion theory proposed by Rogers in 1995. the existing values,past experiences,and needs of According to Rogers,the decision process begins with the potential adopters.An innovation could be compatible knowledge of the existence of the innovation and matures or incompatible with socio cultural values and beliefs, observing persuasion,decision and implementation stage. with previously introduced ideas or with client needs During the knowledge stage consumer is exposed to the for innovation.Compatibility has also been found to be innovation's existence and gains some understanding of one of the major predictors and is positively related to how it functions,persuasion stage refers to that period an innovations rate of adoption(Kendall et.al,2001, when consumer forms favorable or unfavorable attitude Limthongchai and Speece,2002 and Dholakia,Dholakia towards the innovation.Often,early adopters who are and Kshetri,2003). typically innovators themselves,or in some cases change Complexity:Complexity is the difficulty perceived agents,attempt to convince the general user population of by adopters in adopting the new innovation.It refers to the benefits of the innovation. `the degree to which an innovation is perceived relatively In the model of innovation diffusion,it is found that the difficult to understand and use'(Agrawal and Prashad, persuasion stage is very much important to form the 1997 and Rogers,1983).Complexity is mentioned as the positive attitude(willingness or intention)to adopt the notion of perceived ease of use.They report that systems, innovation. which are perceived to be easier to use and less complex, Rogers includes all benefits and barriers as well as many have a higher likelihood of being accepted and used by other factors that affect in the adoption into five attributes potential users. of innovation that is "the perceived characteristics of Trialability:Trialabilty can be defined as to'the innovation as perceived by the individual or organization. degree to which an innovation is capable of being tried The characteristics of innovation consist of relative on limited basis.The greater the opportunity to try an advantage,compatibility,complexity,trialability and innovation,the easier it is easy for consumers to evaluate observabiltiy." it and ultimately adopt it.New ideas that can be tried will generally be adopted more rapidly than innovations that Variables cannot be given a small-scale trial.A testable innovation Using Rogers's theory of diffusion of innovation as the is less risky for the adopters(Kendall et,al.,2001). theoretical foundation,this study considers willingness Observability: Observability is the ease with which

―46― Internet Adoption and Usage in Bangladesh an innovations benefits or attributes can be observed, study was administered to the University professors in imagined,or described to potential consumers.The considering the following logic: results of some innovations are difficult to describe to Firstly:Measuring the intention and present status of others.Observability in an innovation is important factor using Internet may be difficult if it considers different in early adoption of innovation(Rogers,1995). classes of people in the population as Bangladesh has some constraints to provide ICT support to her people. Hypotheses: Low per capita and literacy as well as low telephone and According to the theoretical framework provided by computer penetration is the major constraints in adoption Rogers(1995)it would be logically hypothesized that of Internet by the mass people of the country. positive perception of Internet will lead to early use of the Secondly:University teachers are the advanced part Internet.At the same time negativeperception on Internet of the country's population.According to the nature will lead to late use or not use of Internet. of their service,they are using the Internet.In recent Understandingthe Rogers model the hypothesesmight be: past,Rajshahi University has installed its own VSAT Hl:The adoption of Internet in Bangladesh will be and which enables all academic units interconnected positively related to perceived relative advanta by establishing fiber optic cables based LAN.So every ge of using Internet. academics of this University has the opportunity to use H2:The adoption of Internet in Bangladesh will be Internet from their office if they are interested. positively related to the perceived compatibility Thirdly:University teachers have unique opportunity to of using Internet. participate into the promotion of the use of Internet to H3:Peoples in Bangladesh will adopt Internet if develop the present mode of communication if they use they find that it is easy to understand and less and disseminate the experiences to their students.As the complex to use. future generation of the country the students can gain H4:Peoples in Bangladesh will adopt Internet if information success by adopting this experience into their they are convinced about its reality. future professional activity.Obviously,that will foster the H5:Peoples in Bangladesh will adopt Internet if it pace of the development in Bangladesh. is easily observable. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select the sample units.Total 829 teaching staffs of METHODOLOGY Raj shahi University were divided into six strata according A survey instrument was formulated to obtain responses to different faculties and selected 60 sample units at from the academics engaged in different faculties in the random proportionately. University of Rajshahi in Bangladesh,assessing their intention,present level of Internet usage and adoption Data Collection of Internet.The questions have been designed as to get A structured questionnaire was formed,using six point responses specific to hypothesesthat are proposed to test. likert scale in gaining the respondents perception A multiple regression model was estimated to ascertain on different statements in relation to the adoption of the degree of the influence of factors that affect adoption- Internet in Bangladesh..Direct interview approach was diffusion and usage of Internet. admistered in view of collecting accurate data.

Population and Sample Variables measurement The study looks at the Internet adoption and usage Willingness to adopt Internet has been used as dependent behaviour of the citizen of Bangladesh.Considering a variable.A multiple regression was used since the wide digital divide exist among rural and urban areas as dependent variable Y is being formulated from four well as educated and less educated part of The country's questions.Dependent variable is arrived as an average population(Rahman,2003)the study has undertaken of responses to a set of four questions included to gauge some faculties engaged in different disciples in the willingness to adopt internet. University of Rajshahi,Bangladesh as sample unit.The The perceived factors of innovation was measured

―47― 研 究 ノ ー ト 経 営 行 動 科 学 第20巻 第1号 on a six point likert scale in which indicate strongly possible measures were taken to avoid undue bias in data agree,indicate agree,indicate somehow agree,indicate collection.Of the 60 teachers the survey reports that somehow disagree,indicate disagree and indicate 26.67% teachers have the facility of Internet at home, strongly disagree. 41.67% have the facility of personal computing at home Relative Avantage:This construct was measured by whereas 100% of the respondents have the scope to enjoy asking the professionals about their perceptions on using the computing facility or Internet browsing opportunity Internet,whether Internet will reduce cost,reduce time to at the office either directly or remotely.75% of the communicate,even to communicate across international respondents are using Internet presently and 25% of them boundaries,will increase efficiency and provide have no connection with Internet.75% of the teachers opportunity to operate regardless of time and place. have the experience in e-mail,65% web browsing,8.3% Compatibility:The construct compatibility was news and video conferencing,18% chatting and other measured by collecting responses of professionals about experience,3.3% have online shopping experience and their perceptions toward using Internet on whether the 3.3% have own home page.26.6 % of the respondents' Internet is compatible or relevant with the professional work 1 and more hours per day with the Internet,28.3% works,with their current operations or processes,with work 2 and more hours and 20% of the respondent work their capability or skills. 3 and more hours per day with Internet.The professional Complexity:This construct was measured by status of the respondents was:28.33% Professor,23.33% asking respondents about their perception on whether it is Associate Professor,36.66% Assistant Professors and difficult to access the internet to use,whether they have 11.66% lecturers. the lack of adequate technological facilities to operate The situation of the present study is considered very Internet,whether Internet operations are too complicated much compatible in order to apply the Rogers model to understand and use,it requires more training to use,it of innovation diffusion in ascertaining the influence involves the question of security,privacy and confidence, of the factors that affect the adoption of Internet,as and whether the company lacks the technological the University of Rjshsahi has adequate infrastructural knowledge to install new hardware and software needed facility of Internet having own VSAT with the intranet for internet. connectivity by fiber optic cable based local area Trialability:To measure the construct trialability networking.At present almost all teachers of the the respondents were asked whether they could access university are aware of Internet and have the opportunity to a free trial before deciding to adopt Internet,whether to enjoy the Internet access at office.Besides,many the respondent has the opportunity to try a number of teachers have the Internet connectivity at their residences Internet applications before making a decision to adopt and currently they use it.On the other hand,Internet can and try Internet on sufficiently large scale. be considered as an information technology innovation" Observability:This construct was measured by for many adopters. asking respondents about their perception on whether the demonstration of the out come of using Internet by Data analysis and Reliability: any professional will help to adopt or reject Internet 12 items were generated to obtain the respondents usage and whether the professionals are confused on if perceptions on different five innovation characteristics using internet will secure desired objectives regarding identified by Rogers.The perceived innovation communicationas well as collecting information. characteristics were judged by using items of B of the study.4 other items were also generated to measure the FACTORS INFLUENCING THE ADOPTION respondents'intention to adopt Internet. OF INTERNET IN BANGLADESH To ascertain the correlation of the items of part B with Respondents Status and Applicability of Rogers Model 11 The situationally new development and introduction 60 teachers of the University of Rajshahi were surveyed of knowledge derived tools,artifacts,and devices by which people extend and interact with their representing 7.24% of the university faculties.The environment might be termed as an innovation.

―48― Internet Adoption and Usage in Bangladesh the five innovation characteristics identified by Rogers, even after varimax rotation.Question 2 and 7 did not the techniques,thus,facilitates distillation of those items correlate highly with other questions associated with into five factors or components that are associated with respective characteristics and were therefore excluded Rogers attributes.These factors embodying the essence of from further analysis. the items,grouped by attribute,then serve as independent Summary results of the factor analysis run for the variable in the proposed regression model.The model questions of part B of the study show the evidence and runs showed that several questions do not correlate well theoretical backup to retain five factors.

Table 1:Factor Analysis:

Notes:Extraction method:Principal Component Analysis;Observation:60 Rotation Method:Varimax

The results of the rotated matrix of the factor analysis item reliability of the items associated with the innovation run shows that question 4,9,10;Question 1,8;Question characteristics using the Cronbach Alpha Model based on 5,6;question 11,12;and Question 3 are grouped average inter item correlation. in component 1(Relative Advantage);Componet 2 Reliability estimates range from.62 to.76.12 (Trialability);Component 3(Compatibility);Component 4(Complexity);and Question 5 Observability 12 For early stages of research the coefficient Cronbach Alpha.6 and above is acceptable[5]. respectively.Table:2 Shows the results of the internal

Table 2:Factor Loadings and Inter Item Correlation

Table 2.1:Perceived Relative Advantage Cronbach Alpha=0.7122

Table 2.2:Perceived Complexity Cronbach Alpha=0.7653

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Table 2.3:Perceived Compatibility Cronbach Alpha=0..6208

Table 2.4:Perceived Trailability Cronbach Alpha=0.6262

Table:2.5 Perceived Observibility Cronbach Alpha=na

Factor analysis also distillate the four questions of Multiple Regression Analysis: the survey,designed to understand the respondents' To examine the joint impact,a regression analysis was willingness to adopt Internet as a medium of conducted to investigate which perceived characteristics communication and source of information.Result of Internet best predict the adoption rate.Taking a 5% reports that two factors are appeared to be relevant in significance level,the model run results indicate the characterizing these data.The results of the rotated 5 characteristics considered in the model account for varimax matrix show that factor 1 is related with task 70% Internet adoption by the University Academics of general function of internet and factor 2 is associated in Bangladesh.Relative Advantage,Compatibility with the higher level of function that extreme stages of and Relative Complexity were considered statistically using internet which may not be relevant to the current significant.The beta weight indicates that compatibility situation and current status of the academics of the was strongest predictor followed by Relative Advantage university in a developing country like Bangladesh.This and Relative Complexity.The VIF and tolerance value question may be important for IT expert and other people indicate absence of multicollinearity problem.13 those are related to professional Internet functioning.This Therefore to summarize the hypotheses,the study reports conjecture is strengthened the fact that Rogers' variables that hypotheses 1,2 and 3 were supported and hypothesis did not explain factor 2 in subsequent regression analysis. On this basis factor 1(Cronbach alpha.7141)was used as 13 The higher the VIF value,mostly VIF=10.00 and distilled measure of willingness to adopt Internet by the above and the lower the value of tolerance,.2 or less,indicates the existence of multicollinearity.The University academics. regression model run results proof the linearity.

Table 3:Regression Model Summary

Predictors:(Constant),Relative advantage,Compatibility,Complexity,Trialabilty,Observability Dependent Variable:Adoption Intention

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Table 4:Significance of Regression Coefficient

Dependent Variable:Adoption Intention

Table 5:Collinearity Diagnostics

Dependent Variable:Adoption Intention

4 and 5 were not supported,as: Observabilty are positively correlated which means that Hl:The adoption of Internet in Bangladesh will the positive perceptions of these four characteristics led be positively related to perceived relative to higher adoption rate.On the other hand,Complexity advantage of using Internet.Supported negatively correlated with adoption rate,which means H2:The adoption of Internet in Bangladesh will be that the perceptions of more Complexity led to lower positively related to the perceived compatibility adoption. of using Internet.Supported Regression analysis further investigated which factors H3:People in Bangladesh will adopt Internet if of innovation best predict the adoption of Internet with they find that it is easy to understand and less significant level.The results show that Complexity is complex to use.Supported the strongest predictor compared to other perceived H4:Peoples in Bangladesh will adopt Internet if characteristics of Internet observed as significant.This they are convinced about its reality. implies that respondents perceived Internet using with Not Supported insecurity and lack of confidentiality.Many weapons of H5:Peoples in Bangladesh will adopt Internet if it The country's legal system and its cultural heritage hinder is easily observable.Not Supported her adoption of Internet.People in Bangladesh are still not familiar with the computer operation.As Internet DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS is a computer dependent communication media,they The regression analysis reports that there was normally face two-dimensional complex,simultaneously a significant correlation between all perceived in operating the computer as well as in handling Internet characteristics of innovation and Internet adoption. technology.With respondents negative perception about Relative advantage,Compatibility,Trialability and Complexity refers its inverse relationship with the

―51― 研 究 ノ ー ト 経営行動科学第20巻第1号 adoption rate.This findings supports previous studies and implementation of Internet,the findings provide a based on Rogers Model(Azam,2005,Ramayah et.al, guideline on the factors that a potential adopter consider 2006,Kendall et.al,2001). in evaluating Internet.This study was administered to the Compatibility emerged as an important factor affecting teachers of the University of Rajshahi who have a higher the adoption of Internet by the academics.For the education level and the previous knowledge on Internet academics,the Compatibility issue is significant technology.They have the privileges to operate Internet at because it deals with their perception on the importance their department as the university has its own VSAT.This of Internet to various tasks performed by them at brings in a question whether this result will be significant present and future.If Internet is compatible with the for the academics of other universities and/or the people traditional way of performing various activities of the working in many other professions in Bangladesh,who teachers,with the existing values and mentality of the don't have adequate facilities to enjoy available access teachers,and is also compatible with the different parts to Internet.It may be considered as the area of future to be communicated for higher research or academic research.Despite the above limitations the results of the development as well as with the authority's and students' study have implications to the academics and researchers way of conducting various functions in future,higher who are interested in looking at the inhibitors and rate of adoption occurs.The study observation is similar stimulators of Internet.Finally it is concluded that an to many previous researches(Gan,2003,Tan and Teo, innovation with lower complexity and higher relative 2000,Kendall et.al,2001,Azam,2005,Ramayah et.al, advantage which is compatible with the existing values, 2006).Although the study findings is straight forward processes and way of working will have higher likelihood to understand that innovation compatible with existing of being adopted.Thus the outcome mey be utilised by values,cultures,processes and way of working will be the concerned authorities and business entrepreneurs adopted very fast,the case of Bangladesh can be thought to encourage the development and implementation of of in different way as the existing process and the way Internet in Bangladesh of conducting different works,services and businesses REFERENCES are not presently compatible with the Internet dependent communication(Azam,2006).Thus the adoption rate of Agarwal, R. and Prashad, J. 1997 The role of innovation Internet may be observed differently in different sectors characteristics and perceived voluntariness in the among various classes of people of the country. acceptance of information technologies. Decision Science, 28, 557-582. Relative advantage is also important factor in explaining Agarwal, R. and Prashad, J. 1998 The antecedents and Internet adoption in universities.The significance of consequents of user perceptions in information relative advantage represents that teachers in Bangladesh technology adoption. Decision Support Systems, 22, 15-29. positively perceived that Internet creates advantages for Agarwal, R. and Prashad, J. 1999 Are individual the community,reduces cost of overall communication differences germane to the acceptance of new and information collection.It reduces the time of information technologies. Decision Sciences, 30, operation in conducting overseas interactions,helps easily 361-391. establish contact with many experts in any time by web Azam, Md. Shah 2006 Implementation of B2C e-commerce in Bangladesh: The effects of buying browsing,helps provide opportunity to communicate culture and e-infrastructure. In Dianne H. B. Welsh, with the unknown person by viewing their details in the Mohd. Shukri Ab Yajid Valentin H. Pasthenko and web.This positive perception influenced their intention to Zafar U. Ahmed (Eds.) Advances in Global adopt Internet in which the higher the relative advantage, Business Research 3 55-66. Azam Md. Shah 2005 Adoption of personal computer the higher the rate of Internet adoption.The findings in Bangladesh: The effects of perceived innovation supported many previous researches(Gan,2003,Tan and characteristics. In Noorhayati Mansor Lim Thien Toe,2000,and Azam,2005) but showed a contradiction Sang Mohd Safri Saiman and Kalsom Abd Wahab with the research conducted by Ramayah,et.al,2006 to Eds.) Proceedings of the 2nd International( Conference of the Asian Academy of Applied examine the adoption of HRIS. Business (AAAB) 28-30 July Padang Indonesia, In terms of practical implications for the development 647-655.

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