Can we have fun @ work? The role of intrinsic motivation for utilitarian systems

Abstract

Since the introduction of the Motivational Technology Acceptance Model in 1992, many researchers have considered both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation as antecedents of intent to use and actual use of a system. However, it has been a long-standing and largely unchallenged assumption that intrinsic motivation (i.e., fun or enjoyment) is a more dominant predictor of hedonic (fun) application use and that extrinsic motivation (i.e., usefulness) is a more dominant predictor of utilitarian (practical) application use. In this article, we probe whether system type serves as a boundary condition (i.e., moderator) for understanding an individual’s interaction with information technology. Specifically, we examine whether perceived enjoyment’s influence on perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, intention, and use varies with system type. On the basis of a meta-analytic structural equation modeling analysis of 185 studies between 1992 and February 2011, our findings suggest intrinsic motivation is equally relevant for predicting intentions toward using and actual use of both hedonic and utilitarian systems. Therefore, our meta-analytic results call into question the rigidity of the assumption that system type is a ‘boundary condition’ for understanding individuals’ interaction with information technology. The implications of these results for research and practice are discussed.

Keywords:

• user acceptance
• hedonic features
• intrinsic motivation
• utilitarian/hedonic information systems
• meta-analysis
• MASEM

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the anonymous review panel for very helpful comments that directed our thinking and allowed us to improve our article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jennifer E Gerow

About the authors

Dr. Jennifer E. Gerow is an Assistant Professor in the Economics & Business department at Virginia Military Institute. Her research interests are power and politics in the workplace, IT-business strategic alignment, and drivers of IT use/resistance. She has previously published in the Journal of Information Technology Theory and Application, the Journal of Service Science & Management, and the proceedings of various conferences. She has several papers under review at or is preparing to submit papers to journals such as Journal of Management Information Systems and MIS Quarterly.

Ramakrishna Ayyagari

Dr. Ramakrishna Ayyagari is an Assistant Professor in Information Systems at the University of Massachusetts at Boston. He earned his doctorate in management from Clemson University. His work has been published in outlets such as MIS Quarterly, Journal of the AIS, Decision Sciences, and the proceedings of various conferences.

Jason Bennett Thatcher

Dr. Jason B. Thatcher is an Associate Professor in the Department of Management at Clemson University. He also serves as the Faculty Lead for the Social Media Listening Center that is housed in Clemson's Cyber Institute. He holds B.A.s in History (Cum Laude) and Political Science (Cum Laude) from the University of Utah, as well as an M.P.A. from the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy and a Ph.D. in Business Administration from the College of Business at Florida State University. His work has appeared in MIS Quarterly, Communications of the ACM, Journal of Management Information Systems, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, and the Journal of Applied Psychology. He has served on the boards of Information Systems Research, Journal of AIS, and IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management. He lives in Greenville, SC where he enjoys Ms. Yoyo's deep-fried catfish, Mr. Robert's deep-fried Turkey, and warm Smokey Mountain winters.

Philip L Roth

Dr. Philip L. Roth is a Professor of Management at Clemson University. Dr. Roth's research interests are selection validity (e.g., employment interviews, grade point average) and adverse impact of various selection devices. His methodological interests center on meta-analysis. He is a fellow of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology and the American Psychological Society. He has served as chair of the Research Methods Division of the Academy of Management. His Ph.D. is in industrial/organizational psychology from the University of Houston.