Inhibitors and Enablers as Dual Factor Concepts in Technology Usage

Abstract

Information systems (IS) research has focused extensively on the factors that foster adoption and usage. A large body of work explores overall beliefs about system usage, antecedents of system satisfaction, and other perceptions that enable system success, create positive attitudes, and encourage usage. However, much less attention has been given to what perceptions uniquely inhibit usage. In large part, this is due to the implicit assumption that the inhibitors of usage are merely the opposite of the enablers. This paper proposes a theory for the existence, nature, and effects of system attribute perceptions that lead solely to discourage use. I posit that usage inhibitors deserve an independent investigation on the basis of three key arguments. One, there exist perceptions that serve solely to discourage usage, and these are qualitatively different from the opposite of the perceptions that encourage usage. Two, these inhibiting and enabling perceptions are independent of one another and can coexist. Three, inhibiting and enabling perceptions have differing antecedent and consequent effects.. As unique beliefs, inhibiting perceptions can add to our understanding of the antecedents of usage or outright rejection. Further, such inhibitors may not only be important to the IS usage decision, they may be more important than enabling beliefs.