The Y Generation Myth: Evidences Based on the Causality Relations Among Age, Diffusion and Adoption of Technology of College Students of São Paulo State

• Autor(a) principal: Gabriel, Marcelo
• Data de Publicação: 2014
• Outros Autores: da Silva, Dirceu, Moretti, Sérgio Luiz do Amaral
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng; por
• Título da fonte: Future Studies Research Journal: Trends and Strategies
• Texto Completo: https://www.revistafuture.org/FSRJ/article/view/158
• topic: Technology Management; Consumer Behavior; Technology Adoption; Y Generation.; Gestão da Tecnologia; Comportamento do Consumidor; Adoção Tecnológica; Geração Y.

The objective of this research was to assess whether college students, classified as Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants, show different behavioral styles and adoption profiles in relation to technology. To do so three measurement scales (Technological Origin - OTE, Adoption Profile - PAD and Innovator Behavioral Style - ECI) were used and to identify the causal relationships among concepts, attitudes and processes of technology adoption among students. The data analysis choice was based on structural equation model (SEM) variance based approach or partial least squares (PLS-SEM) using the SmartPLS 2.0 software. The general model was tested, comprised by the constructs of the three scales and then a variable which characterizes the respondent’s generation was introduced as moderator. As a result it is possible to state that for the concepts of Digital Native and Digital Immigrant are lacking empirical foundations, simply serving as a rhetorical figure, of easy acceptance and assimilation, but unable to substantiate the existence of a phenomenon or generations effect on the process of diffusion and technology adoption, unlike what is commonly proposed in the literature.