Title: Exploring how social network ties moderate the relationship between consumer attitude and technology usage: empirical study of mobile banking users in Kenya

Authors: Lydiah Kiburu; Nathaniel Boso; Nancy Njiraini

Addresses: Strathmore Business School, Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya ' School of Business, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana ' Strathmore Business School, Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract: While studies have examined how consumer attitude (i.e., perceived usefulness and ease of use) towards technology is related to technology usage, knowledge is lacking on the contingency roles of social network ties. This study relies on arguments from social exchange theory (SET) to suggest that the extent to which perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of technology are related to technology usage is dependent upon different levels of strong and weak social network ties. The study uses primary data from 452 mobile banking users in Kenya and moderated regression analysis to test the conceptual model. Findings from the study show that, while strong and weak social network ties are associated with consumer technology usage, their boundary conditioning roles are demonstrated in the extent to which they strengthen the relationship between perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of technology and technology usage. The study discusses theoretical and technology management implications of these findings.

Keywords: social network ties; technology usage; consumer attitude; mobile banking usage; Kenya.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBEM.2023.134086

International Journal of Business and Emerging Markets, 2023 Vol.15 No.4, pp.321 - 345

Received: 06 Jul 2022
Accepted: 19 Mar 2023
Published online: 10 Oct 2023 *

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