The hidden power of emotions: How psychological factors influence skill development in smart technology adoption

Attitude to learning; Digital skills; Psychological factors; Smart agriculture; Smart technology; Technology acceptance; Power; Skills development; Smart agricultures; Technology acceptance model; Technology adoption; Business and International Management; Applied Psychology; Management of Technology and Innovation

Abstract :

[en] Working within the theoretical framework set by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) literature, this paper clarifies how psychological factors (emotions, attitudes, beliefs, and information-seeking) affect skill development in the context of smart farming technologies. Interviews with multiple stakeholders from the agriculture sectors of three European countries (Belgium, Italy, and the United Kingdom) were used to develop a new conceptual model that attempts to generalize the complex interplay existing between skills and psychological factors in the context of smart technology adoption. This conceptualization provides a systematic view of the correlation between skills and psychological factors, complements the TAM by introducing the new concept of attitude to learning, and clarifies how the interplay between cognitive and emotional components influences the decisions to adopt and use smart technologies. In addition to these theoretical contributions, the paper emphasizes the importance of designing policy initiatives that tackle both cognitive and emotional barriers to the adoption of smart technologies, urging decision makers to move away from the simplistic assumption that increasing the digital skills of potential users automatically leads to growth in the adoption and implementation of smart technologies.

Disciplines :

Strategy & innovation

Author, co-author :

Gerli, Paolo ; The Business School, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Clement, Jessica ; Université de Liège - ULiège > HEC Liège : UER > UER Management : Sustainable Strategy

Esposito, Giovanni ; Université de Liège - ULiège > HEC Liège : UER > UER Management : Sustainable Strategy ; IOB-Institute of Development Policy, University of Antwerp, Belgium

Mora, Luca; The Business School, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom ; Academy of Architecture and Urban Studies, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia

Crutzen, Nathalie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > HEC Recherche > HEC Recherche: Strategy & Performance for the Society

Language :

English

Title :

The hidden power of emotions: How psychological factors influence skill development in smart technology adoption

Publication date :

July 2022

Journal title :

Technological Forecasting and Social Change

ISSN :

0040-1625

eISSN :

1873-5509

Publisher :

Elsevier Inc.

Volume :

180

Pages :

121721

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

https://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0040162522002475?httpAccept=text/xml

Funders :

EU - European Union

Funding text :

Horizon 2020

Available on ORBi :

since 19 May 2022

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