Investigating factors affecting utilization of computer application systems in service sector based on technological acceptance model: case study of Kenya airways limited

Abstract

Airlines use technology in daily operations to keep track of aircraft maintenance, flight and crew scheduling, passenger reconciliation, baggage tracking, revenue management and also use systems for business intelligence on their own flights to monitor capacity on each flight and also levels of reservation. However the troubling problems of underutilized systems continue, lack of user acceptance of technology can lead to loss of money and resources invested. Therefore there is need to assess the acceptance of such technologies to establish factors that hinder or promote their acceptance. This study applied Technology Acceptance Model to examine the factors that influence the utilization of computer application systems in an airline. The study specifically focused on the external variables affecting the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of computer application systems. A survey was conducted to gather data which was coded in SPSS. Out of a total of 350 questionnaires distributed to airline staff, 286 were returned and validated. The analysis revealed that Perceived Ease of Use and Perceived Usefulness significantly influenced staffs’ attitude towards using computer application systems. The results of the data analysis contributes to the body of knowledge by demonstrating that the above factors are critical in attitude towards usage of computer application systems in a developing country context. The implications of the results form a good basis for providing practical recommendations to the airline industry, and directions for further work.