Numerous studies have examined and predicted the usage
of e-commerce Web sites using the Technology Acceptance
Model and its primary constructs of perceived usefulness
and perceived ease of use. Smith (2008) conducted an
empirical study of four e-commerce Web sites with
participation from a unique and often understudied
segment of the population – the senior generation. In
addition, he called for additional research on the same
e-commerce Web sites with participants from today's
student population, a generation that has grown up with
computers and the Internet. During the Spring 2008
semester, the authors duplicated Smith's research and
conducted a field experiment with a purposeful sample of
students enrolled in four courses in the School of
Information Technology at Macon State College.
Consistent with the conclusion by Smith, of significant
worth is the test of the robustness of the Technology
Acceptance Model (TAM) when applied to e-commerce
adoption by both the senior generation and the net
generation. The model’s predictive and explanatory
capabilities still hold true. This is the only study we
know of that compares two generations and their
perceptions of e-commerce Web sites. pdf 2009
