A design of an empirical study of the applicability of the technology acceptance model to outsourcing decisions

ABSTRACT

The outsourcing industry has grown rapidly. Many organizations choose outsourcing as a way to address skills shortages. This study synthesizes factors from prior outsourcing research and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). TAM suggested that perceived usefulness and ease of use mediate the effects of other variables on users' attitudes towards a technology. The model in this study suggests that perceived usefulness and ease of use of outsourcing mediate the effects of the external environment, risk, and prior outsourcing relationships on outsourcing decision-makers. A quantitative instrument is under development and will be used to test the proposed model.

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