Ethnic dimensions of attitudes towards computers in developing societies : Computer anxiety and PC involvement

Information systems (IS) are implemented within a social context made up of economic, political, cultural and behavioural factors which differ greatly between societies. Failure to account for such differences can inhibit information technology (IT) adoption. The social contexts of developing countries differ from each other and from those of developed nations. To illustrate some of the behavioural differences between developing societies which contribute to the social context of IS implementations, this study examined the computer anxiety and involvement with Personal Computers (PCs) of six groups of computer-using students from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Tanzania and Thailand. Differences were found to exist between the computer anxiety of some of the groups but they were probably attributable to demographic factors. Differences were found to exist between the PC involvement of some of the groups which could be attributed to ethnic factors. Implications for research and practice are drawn.