| This research examines and compares crucial factors affecting consumer acceptance of Internet banking services in the developed (the United States and Australia) and developing (Malaysia) countries with consideration the cultural differences. It also investigates the effect of key socio-demographic characteristics, such as gender, age, employment, online purchasing experience, and visit to physical bank branches on Internet banking acceptance in the developed (the United States and Australia) and developing (Malaysia) countries.;The research model and the questionnaire were designed based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. This study is believed to be one of the pioneer research in the world that apply the UTAUT model in comparing Internet banking acceptance in the aforesaid developed and developing countries. The UTAUT model is a comprehensive, parsimonious and robust theoretical framework as it captures all essential positive and negative indicators that might encourage or hinder Internet banking acceptance. From November 2007 to April 2009, the questionnaire was distributed to 1050 respondents and 648 completed responses were collected from the developed and developing countries. Parametric statistical analysis including structural equation modelling, independent sample t-test and Post Hoc Tukey Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) tests were used to analyse the data.;This study reveals that for both developed and developing countries, attitude towards using Internet banking is the most important factor. Positive association between attitude towards using Internet banking and performance expectancy is found in both countries. Due to cultural differences between the developed and developing countries (e.g. uncertainty avoidance, individualism and power distance, high context/low context and monochronic/polychronic), perceived credibility of using Internet banking services is only relevant in the developed countries while performance expectancy is only relevant in the developing country. Moderating variables such as online purchasing experience, employment and visit to physical bank branch improves the adjusted R2 of the parsimonious UTAUT model in predicting Internet banking acceptance in the developed countries.;Since Internet banking is a global service offered through the Internet, this research will help banks worldwide to promote their service globally by providing a recommendation to banks worldwide that cultural differences should be considered in Internet banking services promotion. To increase acceptance, banks in the developed and developing countries should focus on attitude toward use. However, in the developed countries, consumers must be convinced of the perceived credibility of Internet banking services. |
