Factors Influencing the Adoption of the Internet

Margaret Tan and Thompson S.H. Teo
International Journal of Electronic Commerce,
Volume 2, Number 3, Spring 1998, pp. 5.


Abstract: The Internet has been given tremendous publicity in recent years. However, most research focuses on Europe or America rather on than Asian countries. This study hopes to contribute to a better understanding of the Internet phenomenon in Asia by examining the factors influencing the adoption and nonadoption of the Internet among organizations in Singapore. A survey was carried out among business firms to examine the benefits of adopting the Internet, reasons for not adopting the Internet, and the criteria for selecting Internet access service providers. The results showed that key benefits are derived from the global nature of the Internet, which enables access to worldwide information and the creation of a worldwide electronic presence. Nonadopters of the Internet are concerned about whether staff will waste time surfing the Internet. Both access speed and technical support are viewed as important criteria in selecting an Internet access service provider (IASP). Implications of the results are discussed.

Key Words and Phrases
: adoption, Internet, Singapore.