The cross-cultural implications of learner initiative on the technology acceptance of mobile learning at the corporate level

Abstract

HR Training and Development (T&D) initiatives are often tasked with training as many employees as possible for as little money as possible while proving training efficacy. To accomplish this, e-learning and now m-Learning have been seen as viable options. Unfortunately, merely deploying the learning opportunities does not mean that the learners will actually use it (Swang et al., 2013) . In this context, learner initiative (LI) has been shown to be an obstacle for more distant (i.e. not co-located and synchronous) learning (Tuckman, 2007). Furthermore, culture has been shown to impact the acceptance and utilization of learning technology (Tarhini et al., 2016) . Not only does culture impact the way people learn, it also impacts if and how learners perceive engaging in the learning to be beneficial and useful. Understanding factors that could impact the global roll out of a learning initiative could help T&D implement the appropriate mechanisms to support a successful rollout. Accordingly, this study intends to understand how culture and learner initiative impact the acceptance of m-learning technology at the corporate level. This is accomplished by first filling the gap in the body of knowledge surrounding cross-cultural scales that can be used in moderating effect analysis, by developing scales to measure values and preferences at the individual level. Second, through a qualitative study, this research addresses what is considered m-learning with regards to general expectations as well as best practices at the corporate level. Finally, the study ties the elements together in a quantitative study designed to understand what effects culture has on learner initiative and the utilization of m-learning technology at the corporate level. The results indicate that Learner Initiative (LI) does indeed impact the intention to adopt m-learning technology and that there is a difference between respondents in different countries. Furthermore, a learner’s initiative can be enhanced through the perception that others, such as colleagues and senior managers, want the learner to use m-learning. The results also indicate that the cross-cultural element that most consistently has an impact on the model is Ambiguity Avoidance (AA), which is the extent to which processes and procedures are utilized to deal with the unknown and minimize uncertainty. The degree of AA in turn directly impacts the extent to which a learner would seek out the approval of others who are important to them regarding their utilization of m-learning. In this context it is recommended that focus be on manager/organization support of m-learning utilization to help enhance learner initiative when rolling out m-learning training initiatives.