Discussion and research contribution
Applying three intention-based models, namely, the TAM, TPB and MM, this comparative study addresses the research gap and it reveals that there is an effect of acculturation process on consumers’ attitudes towards e-commerce. Specifically, the results show that perceived behavioural control and subjective norms “can be bought, sold, and worn like a loose garment”. This is because consumers’ attitudes towards e-commerce can change as a result of movement to a host country’s culture characterised as highly individualistic and with a low UA index. The empirical evidence show significant impact of perceived behavioural control and subjective norms before movement to host country’s culture, but this impact was found to be insignificant while exposed to individualistic, low AU host culture values. This observed change in consumers’ attitudes towards e-commerce in relation to perceived behavioural control and subjective norms before and after movement to host country’s culture is accounted for by the effect of acculturation process. Furthermore, this study confirms previous research findings, which stressed the importance of perceived usefulness in e-commerce acceptance regardless of the culture consumers are exposed to (Venkatesh et al., 2012; Mazaheri et al., 2014; Ashraf et al., 2016).
