Sampling Procedures

For the purpose of selecting the sample of library staff across the VET sector, a nonprobability/purposive approach was employed. This approach was considered the preferred method of ensuring high quality data that matched the questions being addressed in the research. Purposive sampling resulted in the study sites and participants being selected based on the considerations that the phenomenon being studied - competence in using mobile technologies and delivering library service to such devices, would be relevant to the sites and the participants (Bhattacherjee, 2012, p. 105; Silverman, 2010, p. 144).

A number of criteria comprised the sampling frame. They were: awareness of mobile technologies in relation to the library, staffing size, inclusion of expert positions, ability to include an online survey on a web page. As mentioned above, the staffing size selection

82

criterion required a minimum staffing level of 10 and a number of the libraries contacted by the researcher did not meet this requirement. The minimum staffing requirement has shown up as a factor in the diffusion of innovation framework as investigated by White (2001) who identified greater staffing levels as a critical aspect of early adoption. According to White’s study of 140 academic libraries the factor of larger staffing included the allocation of more time and funding to develop new services and were more likely to include positions of specific knowledge (White, 2001, p. 176), such as systems librarians. These were identified as crucial factors in the present study.

In selecting the sample, no differentiation was made between male or female staff. Investigation into gender differences was excluded from the present study for several reasons. Firstly, the profession under study is predominantly weighted towards female; a known feature that could influence the results in a manner not considered useful. Secondly, the influence of gender differences on behavioural intention to adopt technology has been subject to extensive investigation but has also been disputed (Agarwal, Sambamurthy, & Stair, 2000; Hong et al., 2002; Wang & Wang, 2010).

As mentioned in Chapter Three, the influence of age on technology acceptance has been studied extensively. Age was not an aspect included in the present study, service length, denoted as experience, was considered more relevant. While it may be expected that longer serving staff are also likely to be older, this may not necessarily hold true. There is a paucity of information relating to service length as a factor in technology acceptance, yet this is a vital factor in every workplace where professionals at all stages of their careers need to be prepared to accept the introduction of new technologies. A number of investigations into information professionals’ attitude toward adoption of innovations in their working life and motivation to participate in professional development activities have included the demographic factors of age and number of years working in a library. The findings from one study revealed the employment of fewer older library staff, with a sharp decline in the number of staff employed for over 30 years ((Rabina & Walczyk, 2007), while the other studies have reported the majority of library staff surveyed have been employed in the profession for 15 years or longer (Chan & Auster, 2006; Hallam, 2008). To address the scarcity of research into this factor, the present investigation sought to determine the influence service length may have.

Hierarchical management structures exist across the larger library environments, in keeping with the majority of professional work places. These typically include an upper directorate/management level, lower management, team leaders, and a layer of qualified

83

professionals holding either a library and information science qualification or equivalent in a related field of study. A further layer will include para-professionals or unqualified staff. Involvement with systems or technology will be a specified component of some professional library positions. Service experience (professional position) has been subject to few investigations to date (Dulle, 2010; Kripanont, 2007; Schaper & Pervan, 2007; Xu, 2011) and it was posited that, given the extant body of work on innovators and early adopters, this variable is likely to be of impact in technology acceptance within the workplace. Sykes et al. (2009, p. 388), in examining organisational social networks and technology acceptance, included organisational tenure in their sample’s demographic profile while restricting the study to a single business unit. They did not specifically model organisational position and examine its differential impacts but instead suggested future work should examine all levels of organisational hierarchy. The present research contributes towards addressing this recommendation. The factor Service Experience (Position) includes three distinct positions found within the academic library structure; library manager, systems librarian and qualified librarian. Its inclusion resulted from the paucity of research in this specific area and the consideration that it could offer an important contribution to the body of knowledge relating to technology acceptance.

Finally, staff included in the sample needed to possess some familiarity with mobile technologies, and therefore the factor of technology competence was included in the study. Staff were required to self-assess from the aspect of competence with, rather than degree of exposure to, the new technology. Several studies have included familiarity with mobile devices and users’ technology skills as antecedents or facilitators of mobile service use (Koivumäki, Ristola, & Kesti, 2008; Kukulska-Hulme, Evans, & Traxler, 2005; Olney & Lefoe, 2007).