Race, Asian Pacific-American heterogeneity and the acceptance of computer-mediated information systems

Studies of race and computer use have typically defined race as a single demographic variable. Recasting race as a multidimensional construct, the present study conducted a cross-sectional, self-administered survey of 242 Asian Pacific American electronic mail and Web users to explore the nature of race and its interaction with the acceptance of computer mediated information systems (CMIS). Acceptance is the willingness of a user to use a system for the purposes it was intended and was measured by four constructs: system use, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and social influence.; The study used a measure of race called Asian Pacific American heterogeneity, which included items for ethnic identity, immigration history, generation, language use and media use. The data analysis showed that the multidimensional construct of heterogeneity had good validity and reliability. Further, all of the measures used for heterogeneity had significant correlations with different aspects of CMIS acceptance, especially with e-mail use. The correlation between the composite variable for language use and the variable e-mail frequency of use (.4596, P =.000) was as strong as perceived usefulness (r =.4690, P =.000) and stronger than perceived ease of use (r =.3660, P =.000) and social influence (r =.3232, P =.000). Language use, generation and immigration age had statistically significant correlations with both e-mail volume of use and frequency of use (r between.2499 and.3521). These correlations with Asian Pacific American heterogeneity variables were as strong as or stronger than the standard demographic variables of education and age.; The research data support three basic research findings: (a) that defining race in multidimensional terms is useful and that heterogeneity as a multidimensional measure for race among Asian Pacific Americans is both valid and reliable; (b) that acceptance is an appropriate construct for conducting information systems research among Asian Pacific Americans; and (c) that heterogeneity and acceptance interact in interesting and statistically significant ways.