Why Faculty Members Use E-Mail: The Role of Individual Differences in Channel Choice

Abstract

Recent research suggests that rational choice and social influence theories providecomplementary explanations for individual selection and use of communicationmedia in organizations. Focusing specifically on e-mail selection and use, ourstudy builds on this research by investigating the determinative role of individualdifferences. We find that individual differences influence e-mail use directly, aswell as influence the relation between other predictor variables and e-mail use.Specifically, favorable attitudes toward innovation and change, computer self-efficacy, and computer experience directly and positively influence e-mail use, and inaddition, attitudes toward innovation and change influence (moderate) the relationship between social context and e-mail selection and use. These findings pointto the need for a more comprehensive and complex model of the process determining the selection and use of e-mail.