The Predictive Factors of New Technology Adoption, Workers' Well-Being and Absenteeism: The Case of a Public Maritime Company in Venice.

Chiara Panari,Marco Giovanni Mariani,Giorgio Lorenzi

doi:10.3390/ijerph182312358

Abstract

The main goal of this research was to investigate the psychosocial aspects that influence the acceptance of innovative technology in maritime transport and its impact on employees’ work-related wellbeing and absenteeism. In particular, this study focused on a device that had been introduced to sailors working in water public transportation in Venice. The theoretical framework included two integrated models: the TAM model, concerning acceptance of the technology, and the JD-R model, related to workers’ well-being. A two-wave study was conducted; at T1, a self-report questionnaire was administered to 122 sailors. Four months after its first administration (T2), objective data related to days of absenteeism were collected. The study showed that the perceived ease of use and the usefulness of the device influenced the workers’ intentions to use the technology and their motivational processes of work engagement, which was also related to social support. Work engagement impacted on work satisfaction and predicted the level of absenteeism (measured at Time 2). The implementation of a new technology may fail if transportation companies do not consider psychosocial factors that assist in the acceptance of such technology and promote the involvement of workers in the technological system.

Highlights

Technology plays a vital role in organizations, as it increases performances and productivity [1], and is crucial for rapid organizational responses to the outside environment.This is true for virtually all enterprises on which technology has a strong impact, on performance, and on safety—including sea transport [2], which is the context of this study
The results indicated that the technology acceptance model (TAM) was able to explain the adoption of information systems in the shipping industry, showing that its ease of use had a significant positive effect on the perceived usefulness of the system and on sailors’ attitudes towards its use
Following the TAM, our research model considered the effect of ease of use (EOU) on perceived usefulness (PU): an increase in EOU contributed to improved performance; EOU had a direct impact on PU (H3)

Summary

Introduction

Technology plays a vital role in organizations, as it increases performances and productivity [1], and is crucial for rapid organizational responses to the outside environment This is true for virtually all enterprises on which technology has a strong impact, on performance, and on safety—including sea transport [2], which is the context of this study. Navigators make use of technology in the form of maps, global position systems (GPSs), detectors and a variety of other functions, in order to plan travel routes and find destinations. These systems increase safety and allow navigators to improve energy efficiency [2]. The introduction of new technology in maritime organizations enables/leads to the provision of better quality services to customers, but can ensure efficient processes with higher safety levels, considering the strong impact of accidents involving ships [3]

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion