The Digital Divide: Current and Future Research Directions - MISRC ...

Some of the most useful theory building in the context of the adoption of ICT has
come from efforts to extend the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to develop a model of
the adoption of technology in households (MATH) [see Venkatesh and Brown, 2001;
Brown and Venkatesh, 2003 and 2005]. To do this, the authors draw upon the diffusion
of innovations literature, which has been successfully applied to organizational IS
adoption [Davis, 1989; Venkatesh et al., 2003]. TPB is particularly useful in this area as
it is geared toward examining voluntary behaviors [Ajzen, 1991; Mathieson, 1991]. In
the development of MATH, the authors seek to understand factors that influence home
PC adopters and non-adopters. The model was developed using data collected at two
different time frames in 1997 from over 700 households. For non-adopters, social
influences and certain barriers to adoption were critical. In particular, information from
secondary sources (such as TV or newspapers) was important social influences, while
three barriers emerged: rapid change in technology, high cost, and lack of knowledge. A
key conclusion is that adopters and non-adopters are driven by different factors. In a
follow-up study conducted in 1999, the authors refine the model to include the sociology-
based life cycle stage model of family situations to show that income is not the sole
predictor of adoption; rather the household life cycle stage must be taken into account.
3.2.2 Bridging the Divide
As the measurement studies more accurately chronicled the extent of the digital
divide, other studies began examining specific public policy solutions for bridging the
digital divide. In addition to subsidizing access within people’s homes, several public
policy initiatives seek to bridge the divide by providing public access to the Internet.
Slack and Rowley [2004] discuss the role of public kiosks in delivering e-government
services to those who otherwise might not have access to these services online. The
authors point out a number of issues that make the use of kiosks problematic for such
purposes. Umbach [2004] points out that many Canadian libraries provide public
Internet access and that 8% of Canadians report that the library is their main access point
to the Internet. O’Neil and Baker [2003] assess the Family Technology Resource Centers
(FTRC) Program in Atlanta where 14 community centers have been used to increase ICT
adoption and usage among underserved populations. Although the main focus of the
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