THE ROLE OF
CULTURE IN TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION IN THE
Results of the
African American and Latino Technology Readiness Survey
By
Terri Albert, Assistant Professor,
November 14, 2003
© 2003 by Rockbridge Associates, Inc.
Background
There is an ongoing debate
about the differences in the use of technology across ethnic and racial lines in
the
As local, state and federal
government agencies provide more services online, an issue arises about having
equal access to various services such as renewing a vehicle registration or
filing a tax return. Public schools are
increasingly expecting students to use technology for word processing and
research, putting students without access at home at a disadvantage. Companies and associations are finding
increasing opportunities in the growing areas of e-services and e-learning, and
would like to leverage these new business models as appropriate with African
American and Latino customers.
This research examines the
differences in technology use in the
About this Survey
The African American and
Latino Technology Readiness Survey is a joint effort between Rockbridge
Associates, Inc.(www.rockresearch.com),
a technology market research firm in
A total of 200 African
Americans and 200 Latinos were interviewed by telephone during April 2002. African Americans were sampled by
random-digit-dialing within the census tracts where they are most
geographically concentrated, effectively covering 65% of the African American
population in the
Latinos were sampled from a
list of Spanish surnamed residents. They
were given the option of being interviewed in either Spanish or English, but
63% prefer to speak Spanish over English (compared to 37% who prefer English or
both languages equally). Findings vary
markedly by degree of assimilation into American culture, one definition being
language preference. Throughout, results
are sometimes reported separately for Latinos who prefer to speak English or
English/Spanish equally, and Latinos who prefer to speak Spanish over English.
The responses from this
survey are compared to those of 407 whites[1] surveyed
in December in the 2002 National Technology Readiness Survey (NTRS). The NTRS is an annual tracking study
co-sponsored by Rockbridge Associates, Inc. and the University of Maryland
Center for e-Service, R. H. Smith School of Business,
Adoption of Information Technologies
Whites have the greatest
access to computers and the internet while Latinos have the least. For instance, 73% of whites have a computer
at home, compared with 58% of African Americans and 49% of Latinos.[2] Among Latinos, there is a wide gap based on
language preference – 67% of English-speakers have computers, compared to 38%
of those who prefer Spanish.
The same pattern occurs with
Internet access – 63% of whites have Internet access at home, compared to 54%
of African Americans and only 41% of Latinos (see figure on next page). The incidence of English-speaking Latinos
mirrors that of whites (64%), while the incidence is only 26% for
Spanish-speaking Latinos. The workplace
is an important source of access, particularly since it may be the only way to
get online for those lacking home access.
African Americans and whites have about the same rate of access at work
(38% and 40% respectively), while a smaller share of Latinos – 27% – have
Internet access at work.
Accounting for access at
either home or work, over two-thirds of whites and African Americans have
access in at least one of these venues, compared with only half of
Latinos. English-speaking Latinos also
have relatively high access, while only a third of Spanish-speaking Latinos
have access.
Besides home or work, many
people manage to use the Internet from a source outside home or work. While this may be a portable device, the
predominant forms of access outside home and work venues are the homes of
friends and relatives, and public libraries.
African Americans are the most likely to use the Internet outside home
or work, with 41% having gone online outside these established venues in the
past year. Only a third of whites (34%)
and a fifth of Latinos (19%) access the Internet in other locales.
While there are disparities
in the incidence of Internet access, there is more parity in whether or not the
access is through a high speed connection such as a cable modem or DSL. Among those online at home, an equal share of
whites and African Americans – 29% – have a high speed connection; the share of
online Latinos with a high speed connection is a little less at 23% (28% for
English-speaking and 15% for Spanish-speaking).
With the exception of less assimilated Latinos, gaps in the speed of
access are not markedly pronounced once people get online.
Another way of comparing
technology adoption is by the behaviors conducted by these groups once they are
online, particularly in the areas of e-services and e-government. Generally, whites who are online are most likely
to conduct a range of behaviors, particularly e-commerce. For example, 52% of whites indicate they
purchased an item costing $10 to $100 in a 12 month period, compared to 35% of
both African Americans and Latinos.[3] Whites are also more likely to use the
Internet for general bill paying, online banking, visiting organizational
websites, researching health information and visiting local government
sites. English-speaking Latinos are
more similar to whites in their e-purchasing incidence.
A few exceptions to the
pattern include the following:
·
African
Americans are more likely to have taken a course online (18% in the past year,
compared to 9% of whites and 12% of Latinos).
·
Latinos are more
likely to have paid a credit card bill online (26%, compared to 20% of whites
and 14% of African Americans). This
incidence is higher for both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking Latinos.
What is the future for
Internet access among these groups? No
attempts are made here to forecast long range penetration, but based on future plans
stated in the survey, it would appear that the gaps in home access are closing
more rapidly with African Americans than with Latinos. The share of those without access at home who
plan to get it in the next year is 30% for whites and 31% for African
Americans, but only 24% for Latinos.
(Projecting this forward a year, this would mean that access for whites
would grow from 63% to 74%, for African Americans from 54% to 68%, and for
Latinos from 41% to 55%).
Reasons for Lack of Technology
Each
of these groups has different reasons for lacking a computer at home. The most striking difference is that
affordability stands out as an issue for African Americans, while lack of
interest stands out for Latinos.
Specifically:
·
Whites without
computers are divided in the feeling that technology is not affordable or that
they lack interest.
·
For African
Americans, the top reason is that technology is not affordable, although other
factors include a lack of interest, lack of knowledge and access outside the
home.
·
For Latinos, the
dominant reason, cited by half, is a lack of interest. However, a third cite affordability as an
issue.
|
Reasons
for not Having a Computer at Home |
|||
|
Base: (Do not have computer at home) |
Whites (88) |
African Americans (85) % |
Latinos (103) % |
|
Lack of interest |
38 |
28 |
47 A |
|
Affordability |
40 |
37 |
33 |
|
Can use computer somewhere else |
23 L |
20 L |
5 |
|
Lack of knowledge on how to use one |
20 |
26 |
18 |
|
Other |
21 L |
12 |
4 |
|
W, A, L means
significantly higher than whites, African Americans or Latinos. |
|||
It is now possible to
purchase a powerful computer for less than $500, but this still seems to be an
issue for many, particularly in minority groups. One has to consider purchasing power, the
cost of upgrades, the cost of peripherals and software, and perceived financial
stability. African Americans and Latinos
earn less than whites, as validated in the survey. They are also less certain about the future. For example, while 63% of whites feel they
will be more financially secure in the next year, only 52% of African Americans
and 41% of Latinos feel this way.[4] (Only 25% of Spanish-speaking Latinos
agree.)
·
There is a huge
difference of opinion about whether the government should take responsibility
for subsidizing people who cannot afford computers. Only a third of whites (32%) agree with this
statement, compared to two-thirds of African Americans and Latinos (66% and 69%
respectively). Spanish-speaking Latinos
are more likely to agree with this, but even those who are English-speaking are
more likely than whites to feel government should play a role.
Even if everyone is provided
with computers, there will still be issues related to experience and
training. This is particularly an issue
among Latinos who lack computers at home or work, since 63% have no experience
using them. In contrast, 45% of African
Americans and 36% of whites that lack computers at home or work have no
experience. A related issue for Latinos
is that most of those without computers prefer to speak Spanish over
English. Consequently, these Latinos are
more likely to have arrived from countries with lower computer penetration than
the
Finally, it should be
observed that neither African Americans, Latinos nor whites should be
considered monolithic groups. Each
represents a wide spectrum of individuals in terms of educational attainment,
income and cultural background. As
already noted, there are major differences in technology adoption among Latinos
based on their acculturation.
Differences between groups are also less pronounced when accounting for
socio-economic variables.
To illustrate, among
individuals with at least a 4-year college degree, the incidence with Internet
access is more balanced (82% for whites, 80% for African Americans and 72% for
Latinos.) But to illustrate that
cultural and racial factors still have an influence, among those with a high
school degree, there is still a notable gap (55% for whites, 42% for African
Americans and 27% for Latinos.)
Beliefs about Technology
This study provides in-depth
information on beliefs about technology, shedding light on the psychological
factors that advance or slow adoption of information technologies. Mirroring the NTRS, the African American and
Latino Technology Readiness Survey captures beliefs on a series of 36
standardized statements developed by Rockbridge and Professor A. Parasuraman,
These groups are equal in
their overall level of technology readiness – the index is 99 for Whites, 102
for African Americans and 102 for Latinos, with no statistically significant
differences. However, the groups differ
on the components of technology readiness, with variations in how innovative,
optimistic, comfortable and secure they are about technology. Specifically:
·
African
Americans tend to exceed others in how innovative and optimistic they are about
technology. For example, 42% believe
they are among the first to try new technologies, compared to only 26% of
whites and 31% of Latinos. At the same time, they also harbor more
feelings that make them hesitant to try new technologies. For example, 74% believe that new
technologies may have health and safety risks, compared to only 64% of whites
and 58% of Latinos. These conflicting beliefs are characteristic of a segment
of the population that our research defines as “Pioneers,” individuals who are
fairly techno-ready, are motivated to try new technologies, but are
simultaneously held back by an inherent discomfort and insecurity. Indeed, 35% of African Americans are
Pioneers, which is significantly higher than for the share of whites
(22%). The key to introducing
technology to Pioneers is to offer support and reassurance to overcome
technology resistance.
·
Latinos tend to
see less benefit to technology than do whites and African Americans. For example, only 44% feel that new
technology is beneficial by allowing people to do business outside normal
business hours, compared to a majority of whites (60%) and African Americans
(62%). However, Latinos have fewer
inhibitions about adopting new technology.
The only exception to this is a reservation about conducting financial
business on-line (61% do not consider it safe, compared with 52% of whites and
54% of African Americans). Their lack
of intensity of either positive or negative feelings about technology is
characteristic of a segment we call “Skeptics,” individuals who have low
psychological barriers to adoption but few motivations. Latinos have the highest incidence of Skeptics
– 36% – compared to 26% of whites and 15% of
African Americans. This tendency is
consistent with the previously noted finding that a major reason for not having
computers is a lack of interest. The
key to introducing technology to Skeptics is to prove to them that it has
benefits.
o The Skeptic persona is most applicable to
Spanish-speaking Latinos; 43% are Skeptics compared to 26% of those who are
English-speaking. In contrast, the
English-speaking Latinos have a higher concentration of Explorers and
Pioneers. One factor in Latino
Skepticism may be the fact that many are immigrants from developing countries
where there is less prevalence of computers and self-service technologies. Therefore, they have little experience that
would allow them to form strong opinions of technology.
|
Technology
Segments and Overall Technology Readiness |
|||
|
|
White |
African American |
Latinos |
|
Base: |
(401) |
(190) % |
(166) % |
|
Explorer – 1st
to try new technology; high motivations and low barriers to technology
adoption |
16 |
20 |
12 |
|
Pioneer – relatively early adopters of new technology;
high motivations but also high barriers to technology adoption |
22 |
35 W |
29 |
|
Skeptic – relatively early adopters of new technology; low
motivations but also low barriers to technology adoption |
26 A |
15 |
36 WA |
|
Paranoid – later adopters of new technology; some
motivation but particularly high barriers to technology adoption |
18 L |
17 L |
8 |
|
Laggard – last adopters of new technology; low motivations
and high barriers to technology adoption |
19 |
13 |
15 |
|
Mean Technology Readiness
Index |
99.1 |
101.7 |
102.2 |
|
W, A, L means significantly
higher than whites, African Americans or Latinos. |
|||
It is important to note that
the Technology Readiness Index and the technology segments presented here are
not indicators of technical competence. For
example, an individual could be a “Laggard,” but fully trained and skilled in
using computers. It is also important
to note that each group is diverse, so race or ethnicity is not a sole
determinant of techno-readiness. For
example, the most tech-savvy segment, Explorers, represents 12% to 20% of each
group.
Summing it up, the different
beliefs imply different strategies for closing gaps across racial and ethnic
groups. Clearly, technology is adopted
more by whites than African Americans and Latinos, and the gaps among Latinos
are primarily among those who are less assimilated and do not speak English as
fluently. African Americans are
interested in new technology in general, but may need help in overcoming
obstacles. This includes reassurance
about its safety, sound technical support and training. Latinos, in contrast, need to be shown the
benefits of technologies like the Internet and must be presented with clear
evidence of how it can benefit their lives.
Many Latinos lack experience with computers and therefore have not been
able to see the benefits firsthand.
One might argue why we
should even attempt to close a gap among consumers who are disinterested in technology,
but this must be weighed against the possibility that social benefits might be
gained if a larger share of these groups used computers and the Internet. For example, a computer-literate labor force
may be more competitive in world markets; as another example, governments can serve
constituents more efficiently with self-service over the Internet. And finally, as with many new technologies,
Skeptics of any culture are often grateful if shown the benefits of a new
technology, since their reasons for not using them are disinterest, not
resistance.
Finally, it should be noted
that race and ethnicity are not the only factors contributing to technology
gaps. Many whites lack technology due to
affordability or disinterest. To ensure
that all groups receive the full benefits of new technologies and e-services,
it is important to evaluate issues among other special groups such as low
income Americans and senior citizens.
For more information,
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APPENDIX: Sample
Characteristics
|
PROFILE OF SAMPLES
FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN AND LATINO TECHNOLOGY READINESS SURVEY |
|||
|
Sample |
White |
African American |
Latino |
|
Sample Size and 95%
Confidence Interval |
407 +/- 5 percentage points |
200 +/- 7 percentage points |
200 +/- 7 percentage points |
|
Source |
Random Digit Dialing |
Random Digit Dialing in Areas with High Density of
African Americans (65% coverage) |
Spanish Surnamed List |
|
Field Period |
November 2002 |
April 2003 |
April 2003 |
|
Data Collection Method |
Telephone |
Telephone |
Telephone (bilingual option) |
|
Weighting |
Total sample is weighted by education, gender to
reflect census |
None |
None |
|
Gender: Male Female |
% 50 50 |
% 38 62 |
% 57 43 |
|
4 Year College Degree Post College |
% 23 10 |
% 25 8 |
% 16 8 |
|
Median Age |
47 years |
42 years |
39 years |