As mentioned earlier, there is currently an issue termed the digital divide, which is a resultant effect of the presence of ICT in society (van Dijk and Hacker, 2003). Age has been
identified as one of the factors associated with this digital divide (Choudrie et al., 2013). Therefore, the main aim of the pilot study was to identify if there is an age difference existing in the adoption and use of the tablet device between the young adults and older adults. In the light of this, result indicated that older adults are on the positive side of the digital divide in terms of adopting tablets. This goes contrary to many studies such as that of Selwyn (2003) that found older adults to be on the negative side of the digital divide in comparison to their younger counterpart. Thus, the lesson drawn from this is that tablet devices might be a solution needed to encourage older adults’ participation in the e-society and subsequently, the successful diffusion of ICT in society. Therefore, to further explore this finding, the final study examined only those aged 50+ years.
Subsequently, the pilot study was conducted with the intention of testing the reliability and validity of the FTDA framework developed for the research. This procedure also required the testing of the study’s hypotheses. In addition, the pilot study was also used to pre-test the procedures for data collection and analysis as well as identify errors in order to ensure a successful final study. As can be seen in chapter 2, nine hypotheses were developed for the study. From the pilot result, six of these hypotheses were supported however; two of the hypotheses (H5 and H7) were insignificant. Subsequently, it was noted that in error, there was no measurement developed to test H9. Based on this discovery, the identified error was rectified in the main study. Additionally, even though H5 and H7 were found insignificant in the pilot study, it was still used in the final study to verify if the findings from the pilot (which was a mix of younger and older adults aged 18+ years) also applied to the main study (which was for only those aged 50+ years). Table 23 shows a summary of the hypothesised constructs.
Table 23: Summary of the hypothesised constructs
Hypothesised constructs Result
H1: Compatibility has a significant effect on an individual’s attitude towards adopting and using a tablet device
Supported H2: Perceived usefulness will significantly influence an
individual’s attitude towards adopting and using a tablet device
Supported H3: Perceived ease of use will significantly influence an
individual’s attitude towards adopting and using a tablet device
Supported H4: An individual’s perception of trust significantly affects
his/her attitude towards adopting and using a tablet device
Supported H5: An individual’s perception of trust significantly affects
his/her intention to adopt and use a tablet device
Not supported H6: An individual’s attitude towards using a tablet device
directly influences his/her intention to adopt and use the device
Supported H7: Subjective norm has a significant effect on an individual’s
intention to adopt and use a tablet device
Not supported H8: Perceived behavioural control has a direct effect on an
individual’s intention to adopt and use a tablet device
Supported H9: An individual’s intention towards a tablet device
determines their actual use of the tablet
Not tested
Note: supported at a significant level of p<0.05
In terms of the reliability and validity of constructs, all the tested constructs were verified to be reliable and valid thus, supporting the use of the measurement items for the final study. Moreover, the FTDA framework was confirmed fit for predicting behaviour in terms of tablet adoption and use. This is because the R² values (all above 0.5) derived were found to be significant (Hair et al., 2011; Moksony, 1990). This result established the sufficiency of the FTDA framework for use in the final study.
4.8 Summary of chapter
In this chapter, the pre-testing phases for the study were presented. The first phase after the development of the survey questionnaire was the content validity exercise. This phase was conducted with the intention of verifying whether the content of the survey questionnaire was fit for purpose. The content validity exercise was conducted among 20 experts from academia, industry and the target population and these experts provided feedbacks that were used in modifying the questionnaire before pilot testing was done.
Following this process, the second phase was the pilot study, which resulted in 203 complete response. Moreover, this phase was used to test for the validity and reliability of the FTDA framework. It was also used to verify whether there was an existing ‘age divide’ between
young adults and older adults in terms of tablet device adoption. Findings revealed that there was an age difference in the use of tablet devices and the FTDA framework was also confirmed fit for purpose. Furthermore, lessons learned from conducting the pilot survey helped to further modify the questionnaire for the final phase.
Consequently, these processes employed in the first and second phases assisted in the development of the final survey questionnaire, which was used for the final data collection phase.
Having provided these details, the next chapter discusses the details of the final phase including findings and analyses.
Chapter 5: Final Phase Findings and
Analysis
5.0 Introduction to chapter
As mentioned earlier in chapter 4, sections 4.1 and 4.2 respectively, content validation and a pilot study was conducted in order to pre-test the study’s procedures before the final study. Lessons drawn (e.g. actual use was erroneously not measured during the pilot study) from these phases helped in modifying and improving the survey questionnaire, which was used for the final study. In this chapter, the steps taken during this final phase are discussed. These steps include, the methods used to collect data, the analyses of the data collected and the results gathered. Additionally, the areas (see appendix 8) corrected in the questionnaire based on the lessons learned from the first two phases are also provided.