THE CONUNDRUM OF INTERNET OF THINGS ADOPTION IN HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

This study aims to extend the evaluation and understanding of an individuals’ adoption intention towards the Internet of Things (IoT) in a higher educational context and also to assess the relationship between Perceived Benefits, Digital Culture and Mindset, Technological Motivator, Technological Inhibitor and Attitude and how these factors relate to the adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) behavior. The research employed a quantitative and cross-sectional approach. A sample of 202 respondents from a Malaysian educational institution was collected through a self-designed questionnaire based on a snowball sampling technique. The data collected were analyzed using SmartPLS. The results indicate that attitude, technological motivator and digital mindset have a significant effect on the IoT adoption intention. Of these, attitude has the greatest influence with regard to the decision to adopt any IoT products or services. Digital mindset was a salient factor that explained user’s adoption intention behaviour on IoT technologies. Perceived benefits, however, showed insignificant direct effect whereas the technological inhibitor perspective affects the IoT adoption intention through attitude factor. The research provides further evidence that attitude and digital mindset built up within the individual are crucial elements to be considered in justifying the adoption behavior of IoT. The research findings show how the adoption of IoT could help academic staff and students leverage technologies' benefits to improve work and academic performance. It also highlights the importance of trust and builds the required attitude to support the technology to industry players. This study did not account for motivators such as incentives or influence from authority figures (leaders, top management, government and policy maker) as well as environmental conditions, namely the readiness of the infrastructure and the commonality of the usage in the social group.