Cross-Cultural Differences in Students' Intention to Use RSS Feeds between Lebanon and the United Kingdom: A Multi-Group Invariance Analysis Based on the Technology Acceptance Model

TL;DR

This study compares cross-cultural differences in students' intention to use RSS feeds in Lebanon and the UK, revealing cultural influences on perceived usefulness and ease of use, and suggesting targeted faculty interventions.

Contribution

It applies multi-group invariance analysis within the TAM framework to identify cultural effects on RSS adoption in higher education.

Findings

Higher adoption in the UK (36%) compared to Lebanon (21%)

Full configural and metric invariance supported

Significant differences in perceived usefulness and ease of use across cultures

Abstract

Really Simple Syndication (RSS) offers a means for university students to receive timely updates from virtual learning environments. However, despite its utility, only 21% of students surveyed at a Lebanese university claim to have ever used the technology. To investigate whether a cultural influence is affecting intention to use RSS, the survey was extended to the British context to conduct a cross-cultural comparison. Using the Technology Adoption Model (TAM) as a research framework, 437 students responded to a questionnaire containing four constructs: intention to use (INT); attitude towards benefit (ATT); perceived usefulness (PU); and perceived ease of use (PEOU). Principle components analysis (PCA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) were used to explore the psychometric qualities of the scale. The results show that adoption was significantly higher, but also modest, in the British context at 36%. Configural and metric invariance were fully supported, while scalar and factorial invariance were partially supported. Analysis reveals that, as a potential consequence of culture, there are significant differences between PU and PEOU across the two contexts studied, potentially as a consequence of culture. It is recommended that faculty demonstrate to students how RSS can be used effectively in order to increase awareness and emphasise usefulness.